Is BOTOX Safe?

    MCLEAN, VA, November 02, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- BOTOX Cosmetic is FDA-approved to treat lines between the eyebrows (frown lines). The medication is also routinely used for off-label uses, including to improve the appearance of fine lines on the forehead, and around the eyes and mouth.

The safety profile of BOTOX Cosmetic reveals a medication with a low rate of complications. When used for cosmetic uses, BOTOX rarely causes problems, whether those problems are botulism-like symptoms or other kinds of side effects. BOTOX is safest in small doses and when administered by a trained cosmetic or dermatological professional.

BOTOX Safety Considerations

Like most medications and cosmetic treatments, BOTOX has the potential to cause certain side effects and severe complications. In general, BOTOX rarely causes problems. About one percent of 1,000 BOTOX injections led to serious complications, according to NYU's Scienceline.org, which sites the statistic from a study published in the May, 2008 issue of The Laryngoscope. It is important to note this study included BOTOX injections for uses other than cosmetic, and were instead used for medical purposes. Cosmetic applications of BOTOX have a very low rate of complications because so little of the botulinum toxin is used.

Severe complications are most often associated with BOTOX used to treat muscle spasms. Such uses require greater quantities of the medication. In some cases, especially those involving children, these higher quantity applications have led to problems when the drug travels to other parts of the body. Such severe complications include:
- Difficulty swallowing
- Blurred vision
- Drooping eyelid
- Throat swelling
- Muscle weakness
- Loss of muscle strength

These complications overall remain rare, particularly in cosmetic applications of BOTOX. A qualified, trained health professional who has experience with BOTOX can provide injections in a medical facility. Receiving injections from a trained professional reduces the risk of receiving unsafe BOTOX reparations.

Possible BOTOX Side Effects

BOTOX does carry the risk of certain side effects. Such side effects are more likely to occur than the severe complications described above, but they are still uncommon. Possible side effects include:
- Bruising at the injection site
- Swelling at the injection site
- Nausea
- Headache

To reduce the risk of side effects and complications, you should not use BOTOX if:
- You are allergic to any ingredients in BOTOX
- You have active skin infections at the injection site
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding

Currently, there are no definitive studies showing the effect of BOTOX Cosmetic upon an unborn baby. Because the effect is not known, you should not receive BOTOX Cosmetic injections while you are pregnant.

To learn more about BOTOX, please visit the website of Northern Virginia cosmetic surgeon Dr. Daria Hamrah at NOVA Surgicare, PC at www.novasurgicare.com.

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