cover image The Botox Book

The Botox Book

Michael A. C. Kane. St. Martin's Press, $22.95 (208pp) ISBN 978-0-312-31048-6

The latest buzz in the battle against aging is Botox, a serum developed from the botulism bacteria; when injected it paralyzes facial muscles and temporarily erases forehead furrows, crows feet, laugh lines and even neck sags. Since the FDA approved the treatment in 2001, 1.6 million Americans have been needled. Kane, a Park Avenue plastic surgeon who was on the frontlines of Botox as a cosmetic-enhancer, extolls its benefits, warns against bogus treatments and botox parties, and fills the reader in with facts about pain (""Nearly every patient says the first injection is the roughest""), cost (""from about $500 to $1,500"") and the length of effectiveness (""injections really work well for three months""). With plenty of before and after photographs, and with its straightforward, well-organized information, there's no wrinkle in Dr. Kane's comprehensive Botox bible-as long as you're a believer in the primacy of beauty. 8 full-color inserts.