Botulinum toxin treatment was originally introduced to treat muscle spasms, including blepharospasm (spasms of the eyelids), strabismus (squint), cervical dystonia (torticollis of the neck) and spasticity due to cerebral palsy or other muscular diseases.

In patients treated for facial spasms it was noted that facial wrinkling decreased over the treated muscle. This experience lead to the development of botulinum toxin for the treatment of dynamic facial wrinkles.