Synthesized viper venom provides a promising new antidote to wrinkles

The primary ingredient in the new face cream is a synthetic version of the poisonous venom from the Temple Viper, a distance cousin of the rattlesnake commonly found in Thailand. According to the manufacturer, amino acids in the venom block nerve signals telling face muscles to contract. This helps stop wrinkles from forming. Snake venom has already been used in a lip-gloss called Lip Venom, which its manufacturer Du Wop says “plumps out the lips.”

As Dr. Aamer Khan, Medical Director of the Harley Street Medical Skin Clinic in London, notes: “This could work for somebody who doesn't want injections. The effects are not going to be as dramatic as with Botox. It will also need to be reapplied as the body gets rid of it quickly.”