“I LOVE giving attention to detail, and when I saw the ‘before and after’ pictures in a UK Aesthetics magazine, I knew I would enjoy doing Botox treatments.”
A respected healthcare professional living and practising in PE, Dr Johann Malherbe, has now been administering Botox for more than 10 years.
“I’ve been practising as a GP since 2002 and completed my Botox training in the UK in 2006. I ran a Botox clinic there for two years before returning to South Africa with my family. I’ve been administering Botox in PE ever since.”
Dr Malherbe’s wife, Jenny, founded OptiSkin almost six years ago, which is where he currently administers Botox.
“Many people who consider Botox treatments ask about its possible side effects. I explain the procedure, detail its efficacy, safety and – especially in cosmetic applications – how rare side effects are,” he said. Cosmetically, Botox is used in tiny amounts. Botox stays where it is injected and doesn’t circulate through the body. I see it as an added benefit how many people, after seeing the result of their treatment, feel motivated to live a healthier lifestyle and do more exercise.”
American ophthalmologist, Dr Alan Scott, received FDA approval to use botulinum toxin (the active ingredient in Botox) on humans in 1978.
He experimented on injecting it for the treatment of crossed eyes, which not only helped their condition, but also smoothed their wrinkles. And the rest, as they say, is history.
“It’s astonishing how its use and medical indications have grown over the past 40 years. It remains one of the most researched drugs on the market, with new indications for its use being registered on a regular basis.”
In the past 25 years, more than 12 billion Botox doses have been administered globally. Botox was subjected to rigorous clinical trials before it was determined safe and effective for the following FDA approved conditions: crossed eyes, eyelid spasms, severe neck spasms, severe underarm sweating, limb spasticity, chronic migraine prevention, overactive bladder and facial wrinkles.
According to Dr Malherbe, the demand for Botox in PE has grown exponentially over the years. The first-ever Botox treatment in PE was given by Ophthalmologist Dr Deon Doubell on September 22, 1995. The first doctor to use Botox cosmetically in South Africa was PE Dermatologist Dr John Ives in May 1996. Nowadays, many PE specialists, doctors and dentists use Botox in their practices.
OptiSkin is located at Sunridge Village Shopping Centre in Sunridge Park. Other aesthetic treatments offered at OptiSkin include facials, skin rejuvenation peels, Dermapen micro needling and in-motion laser hair removal. All skin assessments, including for Botox, are free of charge.
