As if botulinum toxin Type A has not suffered enough negative media coverage in recent weeks, now a new study from Italy suggests that Botox may travel from the injected site to the brain.

Scary stuff, on the surface. Published in the Journal of Neuroscience, this study details how researchers from the Italian National Research Council's Institute of Neuroscience, in Pisa, injected lab rats with the drug and discovered botulism in their brain stems.

The media has gone batty over this news. The study is inconclusive and indicates that further research needs to be done. There is, for example. no data on Botox migrating to human brain stems.

For a smattering of media overreaction, see here, here, and here.

Now it looks as though prospective patients -- at least those in Australia -- could care less about the study or the hyperbolic fear-mongering of the mainstream press.

From the Central Western Daily (Fairfax Digital):

Despite recently released medical research suggesting that Botox causes brain damage, Orange's beauty salons and dermatologists are struggling to keep up with local clients' demands for the procedure.

The clients, many of them men, are desperate to have cosmetic injections such as Botox and Restilyn in order to eradicate their “crows' feet” and “angry lines.”

Local businesswoman Ellie Brown proudly admits to being one of a growing number of Orange residents who have turned to muscle relaxants such as Botox in order to halt the effects of Father Time. Brown even offers clients before and after shots of herself to demonstrate the products' effectiveness.

As the proprietor of beauty therapy house Sheeradiance, Ms Brown has been using Botox for more than three years and is thrilled with the results.