Is Botox safe?

Botox for cosmetic use is considered very safe when performed by a trained professional — a licensed doctor or nurse. There is unequivocal evidence from two decades of research that botulinum toxin type A is safe and effective for the treatment of facial wrinkles.

 

As with any medications, side effects can occur in anyone, regardless of age or other health risks, but all of the side effects are temporary.

 

Does the treatment hurt?

Treatment with Botox is very well tolerated. Some patients report that being injected with Botox feels like a tiny pinch. Ice maybe used to numb the treatment area. If you are concerned about discomfort, a topical numbing cream can be applied before administering your treatment.

 

Do men receive Botox treatment?

Yes. The number of men receiving cosmetic treatments overall has risen by 325% over the last 20 years. And the number of men specifically choosing treatments like BOTOX® Cosmetic has also risen fast– in the past three years alone, men have received over one million botulinum toxin treatments. When surveyed, the majority of men say they want to look good and they’re bothered by the changes they see in the mirror. 80% would choose to treat their crow’s feet first, while 74% would prioritize their forehead lines, and 60% would most like to treat their frown lines.

 

How soon can I see results after Botox injection?

The onset of action of Botox varies from person to person. Typical onset of Botox is between 24 and 72 hours, although some patients may require up to 5 days to see a result. The maximal effect of Botox occurs at about 10 days after treatment. 

 

How long does Botox last?

On average, results last between 3-4 months after injection, however, the effectiveness of Botox depends on multiple factors, i.e. area being treated, severity of the wrinkles, strength of the muscle, metabolism, and the dose of Botox injected into the area. 

 

How often can I get Botox? 

It is common to receive a smaller dose of Botox at the initial visit to test how your body is responding to the medication. Smaller doses will wear off faster. Once your minimal effective dose is established by your provider, it is recommended to wait at least 3 months between injections. 

 

Can I exercise after Botox?

After treatment with Botox it is advised to avoid exercise until next day to avoid Botox migrating to other unintended areas. Other things to avoid are lying down, bending down, rubbing or massaging injected areas, wearing bands or hats for at least 4 hours following procedure.

 

What are the possible side effects of Botox?

Botox has very few side effects. The most common side effects reported with botulinum toxin type A injections include pain, swelling, erythema, bruising related to injection, and respiratory infection, headache, nasopharyngitis, sinusitis, or flu-like symptoms.

 

One of the most troubling to patients side effects is an eyelid ptosis (droop). This side effect is rare and happens less than 1% of the time. At times the botulinum toxin spreads into neighboring muscles, resulting in unintentional paralysis. Migration to the levator palpebrae superioris muscle results in temporarily lid droop. Ptosis usually resolves in 3-6 weeks, before effect of Botox wears off. If eyelid drooping starts three to four days after the injection, it will most likely last three to six weeks. If the drooping begins four to six days after the injection, it should go away faster. To accelerate healing, ptosis can be treated with α-adrenergic agonist (apraclonidine 0.5% or phenylephrine hydrochloride 2.5%) ophthalmic drops twice or three times a day to the affected side.

 

How to prepare for Botox injection?

The patients are advised to avoid aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), and high-dose vitamin E49, fish oil for at least a week prior to injection to prevent prolonged bleeding and minimize bruising. Removing make up before an appointment can assist in visualizing blood vessels to help avoid bruising.

 

Are there contraindications for Botox treatment?

There are several contraindications for the use of botulinum toxin type A, including active infection at the injection site or history of a hypersensitivity reaction to any of the ingredients (i.e., human albumin, lactose, saline, botulinum toxin type A). Patients with a history of neuromuscular disorders including myasthenia gravis, Eaton–Lambert syndrome, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis should not receive botulinum toxin injections. Patients taking aminoglycoside antibiotics including, but not limited to, amikacin, neomycin, streptomycin, tobramycin, or gentamicin should avoid botulinum toxin because this combination may potentiate the effect of the neurotoxin. Patients should also avoid botulinum toxin injections if they are taking other drugs that interfere with neuromuscular transmission such as magnesium sulfate, succinylcholine, penicillamine, tetracyclines, calcium channel blockers, lincosamides, polymyxins, or anticholinesterases. Despite the lack of evidence of teratogenicity with Botox® or Dysport™, both are category C drugs and should not be administered during pregnancy. It is not known whether the neurotoxin is excreted in human milk and therefore should not be used in nursing patients.

 

Please Read Important Safety Information

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION & APPROVED USES BOTOX® Cosmetic may cause serious side effects that can be life threatening. Get medical help right away if you have any of these problems any time (hours to weeks) after injection of BOTOX® Cosmetic:

 

• Problems swallowing, speaking, or breathing, due to weakening of associated muscles, can be severe and result in loss of life. You are at the highest risk if these problems are pre-existing before injection. Swallowing problems may last for several months.

• Spread of toxin effects. The effect of botulinum toxin may affect areas away from the injection site and cause serious symptoms including: loss of strength and all-over muscle weakness, double vision, blurred vision and drooping eyelids, hoarseness or change or loss of voice, trouble saying words clearly, loss of bladder control, trouble breathing, and trouble swallowing.

BOTOX® Cosmetic dosing units are not the same as, or comparable to, any other botulinum toxin product.

 

There has not been a confirmed serious case of spread of toxin effect when BOTOX® Cosmetic has been used at the recommended dose to treat frown lines, crow’s feet lines, and/or forehead lines.

 

BOTOX® Cosmetic may cause loss of strength or general muscle weakness, vision problems, or dizziness within hours to weeks of taking BOTOX® Cosmetic. If this happens, do not drive a car, operate machinery, or do other dangerous activities.

 

Serious and/or immediate allergic reactions have been reported. They include: itching, rash, red itchy welts, wheezing, asthma symptoms, or dizziness or feeling faint. Get medical help right away if you are wheezing or have asthma symptoms, or if you become dizzy or faint.

 

Do not receive BOTOX® Cosmetic if you: are allergic to any of the ingredients in BOTOX® Cosmetic (see Medication Guide for ingredients); had an allergic reaction to any other botulinum toxin product such as Myobloc® (rimabotulinumtoxinB), Dysport® (abobotulinumtoxinA), or Xeomin® (incobotulinumtoxinA); have a skin infection at the planned injection site.

 

Tell your doctor about all your muscle or nerve conditions, such as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, myasthenia gravis, or Lambert-Eaton syndrome, as you may be at increased risk of serious side effects including difficulty swallowing and difficulty breathing from typical doses of BOTOX® Cosmetic.

Tell your doctor about all your medical conditions, including: plans to have surgery; had surgery on your face; have trouble raising your eyebrows; drooping eyelids; any other abnormal facial change; are pregnant or plan to become pregnant (it is not known if BOTOX® Cosmetic can harm your unborn baby); are breast-feeding or plan to (it is not known if BOTOX® Cosmetic passes into breast milk).

 

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Using BOTOX® Cosmetic with certain other medicines may cause serious side effects. Do not start any new medicines until you have told your doctor that you have received BOTOX® Cosmetic in the past.

 

Tell your doctor if you have received any other botulinum toxin product in the last 4 months; have received injections of botulinum toxin such as Myobloc®, Dysport®, or Xeomin® in the past (tell your doctor exactly which product you received); have recently received an antibiotic by injection; take muscle relaxants; take an allergy or cold medicine; take a sleep medicine; take aspirin-like products or blood thinners.

Other side effects of BOTOX® Cosmetic include: dry mouth; discomfort or pain at the injection site; tiredness; headache; neck pain; and eye problems: double vision, blurred vision, decreased eyesight, drooping eyelids and eyebrows, swelling of your eyelids and dry eyes.