THE WHAT? What Old McDonald would make of a farm in Turkey’s Sanliurfa province is anyone’s guess; there are no cows, pigs or sheep here. Instead, the laboratory houses thousands of scorpions, bred for their venom which is used in cosmetics and medicines, according to a report published by Reuters.
THE DETAILS The venom is painstakingly removed – with each arachnid producing two miligrams a-piece – and then frozen and ground to a powder before being sold on to cosmetics and health care manufacturers across Europe.
THE WHY? With one liter of venom fetching US$10 million, scorpion farming is considerably more lucrative than the more traditional chickens and wheat. And with skin care manufacturers forever on the hunt for new ingredients, the more unusual the better, could scorpion venom be the next big thing in beauty? Well, we’ve seen snail slime trend, after all.
Injectable aesthetics are popular due to their ability to provide noticeable results with minimal downtime compared to surgical procedures. They are versatile and can be tailored to meet individual aesthetic goals, whether it's enhancing lips, restoring facial volume, or smoothing out wrinkles. However, they should always be administered by qualified professionals to ensure safety and achieve optimal results.
Injectable aesthetics are used to enhance facial features, reduce the signs of aging, and improve overall facial symmetry and appearance.
Key types of injectable aesthetics include:
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Dermal Fillers: These injectables are used to add volume, fill in wrinkles and folds, and enhance facial contours. They often contain substances like hyaluronic acid, collagen, or calcium hydroxylapatite, which help plump up the skin and smooth out fine lines and wrinkles.
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Botulinum Toxin (Botox): Botulinum toxin injections temporarily relax facial muscles that cause wrinkles and lines to form. It is commonly used to treat forehead lines, frown lines between the eyebrows, and crow's feet around the eyes.
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Collagen Stimulators: These injectables stimulate the body's own collagen production, helping to improve skin texture and firmness over time. Examples include poly-L-lactic acid (Sculptra) and calcium hydroxylapatite (Radiesse).
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Neurotoxin Injections: Besides Botox, other neurotoxins such as Dysport and Xeomin are used similarly to reduce wrinkles and lines.