You will most likely have a good understanding of what a botox is all about and how it can help to transform your appearance when it works its magic and some wrinkles disappear. What you might not know is that it is also a cosmetic procedure that manages to tick some important boxes when it comes to having green credentials.
With more people embracing a vegan lifestyle for a variety of valid reasons it is worth finding out whether you can still enjoy the benefits of a botox treatment and still pass that all-important vegan test.
Let’s take a look at whether botox can be considered a vegan-friendly procedure and some other points that are worth knowing about when you are deciding whether the treatment has all the right attributes to satisfy your vegan requirements.
Passing the vegan test
It is worth pointing out at this stage that even if you don’t consider yourself to be a vegan you may still have moral and ethical issues about using products that are cruelty-free.
A vegan is generally considered to be a person who does not wish to eat or use any animal products, but you may also be someone who specifically has justifiable concerns about ensuring that any products you use are cruelty-free.
The good news is that botox is a product that meets these requirements because it does not contain anything of animal origin.
However, although most botox manufacturers have made a commitment to eliminate animal testing it should be noted that because botox is classed as a medicine it is a legal requirement to have it tested on animals before being used on humans.
This procedure ensures the safety and efficacy of products and is a testing routine that is carried out on all medications before they are approved, not just botox.
The general vegan view tends to be that in the case of vaccines, for example, if the benefits outweigh the negatives then a certain amount of animal testing is just about acceptable.
Arguably, it even manages to pass the Vegan Society’s definition of veganism, which allows for practical levels of tolerance.
What is botox
It is also worth taking a closer look at what Botox is made from and whether the production process should give you any cause for concern as a vegan.
Botox, or botulinum toxin to give it its full name, is a neurotoxin that is a product of a certain strain of bacteria known as clostridium botulinum. It is created without the use of animal products or processes so the bottom line is that it is a treatment that could be viewed as vegan-friendly, overall.
A matter of personal choice
As with many things, you will have to use your own personal judgment about using botox after weighing up all of the facts and reaching a decision that you are comfortable with.
Your decision to be a vegan is impacted by several key aspects that are important to you and it is the same scenario when deciding whether to banish those wrinkles with a botox treatment.
