Is Botox Safe and The Right Skincare Choice?
Is Botox safe and the right choice? Botox Cosmetic contains botulinum toxin type A (the active ingredient), human albumin (a protein found in human blood plasma) and sodium chloride. It is FDA-approved for this use and in this area only. However, it is often used off-label for horizontal forehead lines, crow’s feet, marionette lines at the corners of the mouth and smoker’s lines around the lips.
Don’t confuse Botox Cosmetic with injectable fillers. Dermal fillers work differently, plumping up tissues so that lines and wrinkles diminish or disappear (Restylane, Radiesse and Juvederm are examples).
If you are interested in Botox in Orlando, your practitioner can help you decide which product(s) will solve your particular appearance issues, though as a general rule, Botox is used mostly in the upper portion of the face, and fillers are used mostly in other areas.
How to Know if You Are a Candidate for Botox
In the United States, the FDA has approved Botox Cosmetic for people aged 18 to 65. But you shouldn’t use it if you:
- Are allergic to any ingredients in Botox or Botox Cosmetic.
- Are allergic to another botulinum toxin brand (such as Myobloc, Xeomin or Dysport) or had any side effect from these products in the past.
- Have a skin infection or other condition in the injection area.
- Have ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), myasthenia gravis, Lambert-Eaton syndrome or another disease that affects your muscles or nerves.
- Have breathing problems, such as asthma.
- Have difficulty swallowing.
- Have bleeding issues.
- Plan to undergo surgery.
- Have weakness in your forehead muscles.
- Have drooping eyelids.
- Are taking or have recently taken certain medications, vitamins or supplements.
Is Botox Safe For Use During Pregnancy
Botox Cosmetic is not expected to travel far enough through the body to affect a fetus or breastfeeding infant. However, for ethical reasons, clinical studies have not been done on expectant or new mothers, so no one knows for sure. The manufacturer (Allergan) advises that you should not have Botox injections if you are planning or trying to conceive a child, are pregnant, are planning to breastfeed or are currently breastfeeding.
Want to learn more about Botox or Botox injections? Schedule a free consultation with Dr. Rotatori or review all of our in-office cosmetic skin care procedures. Then stay tuned for our next post, when we talk about possible side effects of Botox and how you can avoid them.