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Botox Side Effects

I read that Botox has some side effects like droopy eyelids. Is Botox safe? Any tips for making sure my Botox (first time!) has no bad side effects?

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risk side effects

Avoiding common Botox side effects

Botox is one of the most widely-investigated products on the market. There are over 20 years of strong evidence that points to its safety when it is injected properly by an experienced doctor. Like any treatment, it does have some side effects, even when used perfectly. These can include pain, bruising, and allergies in extremely rare cases. It is critical to inject the right dosage or strength of Botox in the right muscles of the face to minimize some common side... more

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Daniel Yamini, MD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Experience and training is key to avoid Botox side effects

Botox has a better safety record than aspirin so it is very safe. To avoid the potential side effect of droopy eyelids make sure your practitioner is well trained and experienced in the use of Botox. He/she should have performed hundreds (preferably thousands) of injections. Ask what training your practitioner has undergone and how often he/she updates their training with Allergan sponsored seminars.

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Harold J. Kaplan, MD

Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

Side effects result if Botox is not done properly

Botox injections can cause side effects if not done properly. A good plastic surgeon will start with a lower dose and adjust the dosage to get the desired results. The skill part of injecting Botox is understanding the anatomy of the facials muscle, especially around the eye. It is also critical to inject the right amount of Botox in the right places to avoid side effects. If too much Botox was injected above your eyebrows or if some Botox migrates into the levator palpebrae muscle that... more

Daniel Reichner, MD

Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Botox is safe as ever

The recent stir about the safety of Botox has nothing to do with the cosmetic use of the anti-wrinkle miracle drug. It is still as safe as ever to have a few of your wrinkles erased by Botox. We have used Botox over the past 30 years without any of these recent adverse effect reports. The FDA is reviewing botulinium-based drugs used to treat cerebral palsy and other ills. There have been reported cases of breathing and swallowing problems in pediatric cerebral palsy patients, and even a... more

Michael A. Persky, MD

Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

There are a lot of ways to make Botox safe and avoid complications

Botox can be done in a safe way to avoid problems. First off, diluting the botox with less solution can go a long way. I typically use only 2cc of botox where some other physicians use up to 4 cc of saline. When you use more saline, you end up needing more volume for the same number of units. What this means is that the more volume you use the more the botox will be spread out. When the botox is spread out, it can affect other muscles around the area and cause unwanted effects. In your... more

Philip Young, MD

Bellevue Facial Plastic Surgeon

Avoid botox side effects by fake or imported product

At this time, the manufacturer of Botox (Allergan) is the only provider of Botox to doctors’ offices in the US (outside of a few other clinical trials). If you were to find someone that has bootlegged a Botox-like product, a copycat from another country, or bought it from a different manufacturer, that would be huge red flag and very dangerous as they might not be using the purified derivative of the Botulism toxin Consult with a reputable plastic surgeon or dermatologist before... more

Jennifer Walden, MD

Austin Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Avoiding Botox Side Effects

Most of the "side effects" described for Botox are associated with the Botox spreading to adjacent areas that you don't want to treat. As such, the best way to decrease the risk of side effects with Botox is to seek treatment with a physician with training in anatomy, injection technique and Botox use. In my opinion you should look for a dermatologist, plastic surgeon, facial plastic surgeon or oculoplastic surgeon with extensive experience in using Botox.

Andrew Kaufman, MD

Los Angeles Dermatologic Surgeon

Avoid droopy eyelids

While there is no full proof technique to avoid botox side effects, going to an experienced doctor who performs the procedure on a regular basis is a good start. In addition , if you don't ask the doctor to 'over treat', or inject wrinkles that are too close to the eyebrow, this should lower the risk of an eyebrow droop. Good Luck!

Joshua L. Fox, MD

Long Island Dermatologic Surgeon

Botox: minimal incidence of adverse side effects when administered by an experienced practitioner

Certainly I can understand feeling a bit anxious before trying something new. However, rest assured Botox is a very safe procedure when administered by an experienced practitioner. While some practices rely on ancillary staff (usually nurses, but not always) to administer Botox, I prefer to administer it myself, and my patients respond well. The likelihood of ptosis (eye drooping) is minimal.

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Peter Schmid, DO

Longmont Facial Plastic Surgeon

Botox complications

Eyelid ptosis is the biggest concern and probably the most severe complication of botox use. It occurs rarely and if the surgeon is experienced should happen almost never. If it does occur the problem is temporary. There are no other significant coplications reported with the use of botox

Richard Galitz, MD

Miami Facial Plastic Surgeon

Botox Side Effects and Complications

I agree with posters that the experience of the injector is critical to achieving good results in a consistent fashion, avoiding potential pitfalls. Several things I encourage my patients to avoid after Botox: 1) avoid rubbing the treated area for 24 hours, 2) avoid facials, facial massage, Microdermabrasion for 24 hours after the procedure, 3) avoid aspirin, fish oil, excess vitamin e for 1 week before and 24 hours after the procedure. From a technical perspective, use of Botox... more

Stephen Prendiville, MD

Fort Myers Facial Plastic Surgeon

Experience Counts

Sorry this is such a short answer.... Experience with Dysport or Botox matters. Go to someone that has done hundreds. In experienced hands it is very safe and reliable, yielding excellent results.

Vineet Mehan, MD

Washington DC Plastic Surgeon

Botox results often depend who is on the other side of the needle

Sure, bruising, drooping and any side effect can happen to anyone. If a doctor has not had dropping with Botox then he/she has not done enough Botox. The key is to find someone with a great understanding of facial anatomy and extensive experiece with Botox. As a facial plastic surgeon and a platinum provider of Botox I still get some of these things. The good thing is that they are very uncommon and usually very mild. So experience, background and training do matter.

Robert F. Gray, MD

Bay Area Facial Plastic Surgeon

Botox has excellent safety profile. Experienced injectors mean less bad outcomes

Botox has an excellent safety record in terms of medical complications. The effect however, is designed to work in some areas and not others. Therefore, it's the experience and training of the injector that really leads to optimal results in terms of patient satisfaction. The number one concern seems to be eyelid drooping. In our practice, we boast ASOPRS-certification. This is the society of oculofacial plastic surgeons, that is surgeons who are double-trained in eye surgery and facial... more

David M. Mills, MD

Pensacola Oculoplastic Surgeon

Botox side effects are typically minimal if they occur

Botox side effects are typically minimal if they occur. One can avoid botox side effects by not asking or having excessive amounts placed at the initial or repeat injection time. Also, most of the side effects such as droopy eyelids can be avoided by going to experienced injectors; howevever, even in experienced hands this can sometimes occur. If a droopy eyelid should occur, this problem can be temporarily corrected with naphcon eye drops when in public to help lift the droopy eyelids... more

Scott Trimas, MD

Jacksonville Facial Plastic Surgeon

Easy to administer Botox, difficult to deal with possible complications

I would echo the sentiments of the other answers. There has been a recent review by the FDA of the safety of Botox due to several adverse reactions. From the information provided by the FDA, the adverse events seem to have occurred in children less than 12 years of age and in adults where large quantities of Botox have been administers (100-700 Units). In the adult group, there were hospitalizations but no deaths or even need for ventilatory support. In my practice, I administer 20 Units of... more

D.J. Verret, MD

Dallas Facial Plastic Surgeon

Botox is safe

Botox is very safe with minimal side effects. Botox only lasts 3 months, so if you did get a droopy eyelid it would subside when the Botox wears off. An experienced Botox injector would be able to adjust the dosage and technique to prevent a droopy eyelid from occuring again. Make sure you have a board certified physician perform or supervise your Botox injections.

David Finkle, MD

Omaha Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

You can reduce your risk of a bad Botox injection

The most important thing to do to reduce your risk of a bad Botox injection is to select and experienced injector. Bruising is a risk with any injection, so avoid taking anything that can thin your blood for at least 10 days before your treatment such as aspirin. To reduce your risk of a droopy eyelid with a brow injection, do not rub the area that was injected and avoid strenuous activity for several hours after your treatment. The good news is, if you don't like your... more

James McMahan, MD

Columbus Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Botox side effects

The most common side effects of Botox include mild discomfort at the site(s) of injection, temporary redness at the injection site and possible bruising. Rarely, patients may experience a headache. The incidence of an eyelid droop is very rare occurring in about 1% of patients. It is temporary and usually resolves in a few weeks.

Lori Stetler, MD

Dallas Dermatologic Surgeon

Botox safety 101

The likelihood of eyelid ptosis, or drooping of the eye lids is not as common particularly if you have the proper administrator, meaning a board certified dermatologist or facial plastic surgeon. Botox has been FDA approved in the United States for years, and has had a vast amount of positive feedback and safety trials. In addition I would avoid massaging the injection sites for about 24 hours after the procedure.

Yael Halaas, MD

Manhattan Facial Plastic Surgeon

Droopy eyelids from Botox

Droopy eyelids can rarely happen following Botox Injections. Nobody can actually guarantee that you won't have this complication, because there can be occasional variations in a person's muscle distribution width. But to lower your risk, it is important that you have your injections done by an experienced Board Certified Dermatologic or Plastic Surgeon.

Eugene Mandrea, MD

Chicago Dermatologist

Botox side-effects

Droopy eyelids is a technical problem, not really a complication. Botox was either injected into an incorrect area or it was allowed to spread there. While there is no fool-proof way to avoid technical problems, your best bet to avoid it is to ensure your doctor is well experienced with BOTOX injections. Sincerely, Martin Jugenburg, MD

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Martin Jugenburg, MD

Toronto Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Botox is safe- make sure you have a proper physician that is injecting

Yes Botox is safe. Eyelid drooping is a possible reaction but is uncommon. It is best to see a Facial Plastic Surgeon who frequently performs Botox injections and is most familiar with the facial muscles and aesthetic effects Botox has.

Michael Sullivan, MD

Columbus Facial Plastic Surgeon

Botox - side effects

Droopy eyelids can occur if botox is administered too close to the brow. This is very uncommon, but is just a technical problem. I would recommend going to an experienced injector who has a good understanding of facial anatomy. Also if you are nervous, talk to friends or other people you know that have had it. I personally have been getting botox injections since my late 20's and really love it's results. You should feel free to talk to your doctor... more

Catherine Huang-Begovic, MD

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

Risks with botox can be minimized

The usual side effects such as bruising sometimes can't be prevented. Droopy eyelids which occur in 2-3% of injections around the eyes can be reduced using good technique. In well trained hands it is extremely safe and effective.