Momie Tullottes, Contributing writer

Americans spend millions of dollars annually on Botox treatments. But many don't realize what it is, how it works or how it was discovered.

Botox is the product name for clostridium botulinum bacterium, a toxic bacteria.

In the 1800s, Dr. Justinus Kerner studied some spoiled sausages that were believed to have been the cause of death to a group of Germans, according to MSNBC.com. He actually injected himself with some of the food-borne illness we now know as botulism, which he labeled "wurstgift."

Botulinum, found naturally in spoiled foods, considered to be the most deadly substance in the world. So, where is the logic behind using Botox to smooth wrinkles?

Why Put Toxin In Skin?

In 1953, Dr. Vernon Brooks discovered that when when botulinum toxin was injected into hyperactive muscles, it blocks the release of acetylcholine from nerve endings. That causes a temporary relaxation.

Injections of botulinum toxin were originally discovered to be useful in treating eye conditions such as strabismus, in which people can have a "lazy" eye or cannot keep them aligned. It was then shown to ease muscle spasms in the face, neck, shoulders and more.

Gradually, more uses were discovered. In 1992, it began to be used for wrinkle treatment.

Wrinkles actually are caused by tiny muscle spasms contracting over time. The Botox injections serve as a relaxer to those muscles. When they relax, the wrinkles decrease or completely vanish.

Once the treatment has been done, the muscles will no longer contract during facial expressions, which decreases the likelihood of wrinkles reappearing until the effects wear off.

Some of the possible side effects of Botox listed on BotoxCosmetic.com match side effects of botulism, but in a milder form. Some of those include temporary droopiness of the eyelids and nausea.

According to BotoxCosmetic.com, the average Botox treatment for wrinkles takes about 10 minutes.

Treatments should be repeated about every three to six months, depending on individual results. If treatments are discontinued, it is likely that wrinkles will reappear.