Irvine-based Allergan Inc.’s Botox was the most popular cosmetic procedure again in 2004, marking the third straight year on top for the wrinkle-reducing drug.
Botox accounted for more than 2.8 million cosmetic procedures last year, according to statistics released by the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.
The popularity of Botox Cosmetic, which was approved only three years ago for reducing wrinkles, has held up despite its association with a pair of sensational stories last year.
They included a high-profile lawsuit against Allergan and a doctor by the wife of Hollywood mogul Michael Medavoy. A jury cleared Allergan and the doctor of wrongdoing.
In the fall, four people in Florida were hospitalized after getting injections of an unapproved botulinum toxin-the basis of Botox. Regulators cleared Allergan and Botox of any involvement in the incident.
