To her dismay, the 18-year-old Ogden high school student would start getting stains under her armpits even if she were at rest.

No deodorants alleviated the problem. She found the solution to her condition -- called hyperhidrosis -- in a very unlikely place: her father's ear, nose and throat doctor.

Nadim Bikhazi administered Botox injections to ease her perspiration, and it worked. Today her self-consciousness about sweating is only a memory.

"I would wear hoodies all the time so people wouldn't make fun of me. Now I can wear anything. I'm so much happier," she recalled before getting injected in early May for the first time in three months. She winced as Bikhazi stuck her with a needle in each underarm 25 times, but said the pain goes away quickly.

While Botox is widely known for its cosmetic purposes in smoothing wrinkles, its use for medical conditions is on the rise. Legalized by the Food and Drug Administration for treating facial wrinkles in 2002, Botox is a purified form of the toxin that causes botulism, or food poisoning. Injecting small doses of Botox into the muscles between the eyes can weaken or paralyze them, temporarily improving their appearance.

Botox injections are the most frequently performed procedure in the U.S., with 2.8 million last year, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Shots take 10 to 15 minutes, and the benefits last for about four months.

Treatments are expensive, costing between $200 and $1,000. Some insurance companies and Medicare cover Botox for non-cosmetic injections; but some patients, including Wallwork, have to pay for it out of pocket.

Bikhazi has used Botox on patients for 10 years, mostly for aesthetic reasons. But he and other doctors have a growing number of patients who seek it when other options fail. Bikhazi frequently treats people with migraine headaches and facial spasms.

Lorraine Henderson of Ogden has uncomfortable eye spasms, most likely caused by hours of sitting in front of the computer for her medical transcription job. The twitching got so severe her left eye sometimes would close. The first time Bikhazi worked on her, she noticed relief.

"It's so much nicer now," she said. "But at first I thought, 'I'm not getting botulism stuck in my face.' "

Botox injections also have shown promise for migraine sufferers.

Renato Saltz, a plastic surgeon with offices in Salt Lake City and Park City, started treating patients with severe headaches about four years ago.

"Botox has worked very well for migraines, especially the ones associated with visual problems," Saltz said. "I have at least a dozen patients who come in just for migraines, and they love it. It doesn't eliminate them, but it cuts down on the frequency and severity."

chamilton@sltrib.com

What is botox?

Botox is a purified form of the toxin that causes botulism, or food poisoning. Doctors use it in small quantities to treat spasms and other neurological disorders characterized by abnormal muscle contractions. It also is used by cosmetic surgeons to temporarily smooth wrinkles.