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By Mayo Clinic staffBotulinum toxin type A is produced by a specific bacteria that causes the food poisoning botulism. Botox — the brand name for medicinal botulinum toxin type A — is the purified low-concentration form of the toxin. When injected in small doses into specific muscles, Botox blocks the chemical signals that cause muscles to contract. When the muscles can't tighten, the skin flattens and appears smoother and less wrinkled.