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Is Botox Poisonous?

Someone told me Botox is poisonous. Is that true? Does that make Botox dangerous to use?

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risk safety

Botox poisonous only in very large amounts

Well, actually, when used in very large doses, Botox can be poisonous. But when Botox Cosmetic is used in the amounts necessary for cosmetic indications it is safer than Aspirin. While it is common to link press reports of deaths in patients with Cerebral palsy to Botox Cosmetic, it is deceptive. The amount of Botulinum Toxin used for non-cosmetic purposes (such at with patients with cerebral palsy is orders of magnitude higher than used for cosmetic purposes. To repeat, Botox Cosmetic... more

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Harold J. Kaplan, MD

Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

Botox is technically a purified protein of botulinum...

Botox is technically a purified protein of botulinum toxin. There are reports of botulism type symptoms after large doses of Botox for certain spasm conditions, some requiring hospitalization. There have not been any reports, though, of this happening with Botox Cosmetic in applications for cosmetic purposes such as facial wrinkles. Botox Cosmetic is the most common cosmetic procedure. It is safe and effective if used properly and with the formulation from Allergan corporation. more

D.J. Verret, MD

Dallas Facial Plastic Surgeon

Botox is extremely safe.

Hi. Botox is most certainly not poisonous. It has been shown to be completely safe in millions of patients. The dose we use for cosmetic improvement is very, very tiny compared to the possibly dangerous dose.

George J. Beraka, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Botox is a Toxin but so are many other useful medications.

Just a few examples of "useful" poisons: Saffron in one of the most expensive spices in the world derived from the crocus flower which if taken in excess is a poison; Purple foxglove is a poison that is used as a heart medication (digitalis); Curare is used on poison darts to paralyze people but also used to relax muscles during anesthesia; Willow bark is the precursor to Aspirin which can cause fatal bleeding but is also useful for preventing or minimizing the effects of heart... more

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Botox is very safe and effective

Botox is very, very safe! It is toxin (poison) derived from bacteria. Botox has been sterilized and diluted so that it is safe for treatment of wrinkles and facial lines. The way to look at this is that all medications are potentially dangerous if not taken properly. Thanks for your question.

Stephen A. Goldstein, MD

Denver Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Do no harm!

The hippocratic oath that doctors swear by states, "do no harm!" So, why are we injecting poisonous Botox into people on a daily basis?! The simple answer is that while yes, Botox is indeed a poison, at the tiny dosage that is injected for Botox Cosmetic purposes it is quite safe. At the wrong dosage, the poisonous material could lead to disaster. Botox is used by thousands of patients daily in America and nationally is the most common cosmetic procedure performed. Allergan, the company... more

Evan Sorokin, MD

Cherry Hill Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Botox as a poison

Well the answer is yes and no! Yes, Botox is a toxin derived from a bacteria, but only in very large quantities. Medical applications of Botox use very low concentrations that are diluted. Botox is used for both medical conditions like for spastic eyelids as well as for cosmetic treatments. At the doses that are used for cosmetic therapy, Botox is very safe.

Shahrad R. Rahban, MD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Not any more than aspirin, tylenol, decongestants and...

Not any more than aspirin, tylenol, decongestants and many other over-the-counter medications are toxic and could be even fatal if taken in an excessive amount. Botulinum toxin, or Botox Cosmetic, inhibits the muscle movement to make skin lines diminish. The amount of units used for this purpose is extremely small and not anywhere close to the toxic level.

Ronald Shelton, MD

Manhattan Dermatologist

I respect the opinions of the surgeons that have...

I respect the opinions of the surgeons that have answered this question. From a purely scientific point of view, Botox is just a small component of the complex protein that is Botulinum toxin. This neurotoxin is probably one of the most potent toxins in the biologic world. Of course, Allergan (and other companies that will soon release a similar but longer-lasting product) takes great efforts to assure that Botox is safe. If you are considering Botox therapy, schedule a consultation with a... more

Scott Sattler, MD

Bellevue Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Is Botox poisonous?

Botox, or Botulinum Toxin is in fact manufactured by an anaerobic bacterium, Clostridium Botulinum. It is a very powerful poison. However, It has been purified and by using the pharmaceutical grade of the toxin, one can get excellent cosmetic results very safely. We use Botox supplied by Allergan and Dysport supplied by Medicis. Both companies are ethical and are very careful about dosage. It is used medicinally in some cases of cerebral palsy. An overdose of many... more

Eugene Mandrea, MD

Chicago Dermatologist

Tylenol is as much a poison as Botox

Botox is a form of neurotoxin, therefore technically a poison like many other forms of medication known to our society. The key is that Botox, like Tylenol is typically used in small therapeutic doses with proven safety records. The typical dose of Botox is 50 units or less, while the average toxic dose is in the thousands of units. You can rest assured that although the name "Botox" reveals that is is a neurotoxin, it is one of the safest medications available when used... more

Stephen Prendiville, MD

Fort Myers Facial Plastic Surgeon

Botulinum is poisonous, Botox, is not

Botulinum the chemical that Botox is derived from is felt to be the most deadly toxin known to man. Its LD50 ( lethal dose 50%...the dose which is required to kill 50% of the exposed population) is a mere 0.005-0.05 ug/kg. Something like 5 grams of the stuff could kill nearly half the population on the Earth. During World War II, my mother worked with the Botulinum at Camp Detrick (Biologic Warfare) in Frederick, Maryland. She told me that they constructed a special facility for research for thi more

Arnold R. Oppenheim, MD

Virginia Beach Dermatologist

Botox is not dangerous to use

Botox is one of the safest drugs out there and has an amazing safety track record. However, like ALL medications, used in HUGE doses, Botox can hurt you. (Are you aware that Tylenol and Aspirin can kill?). Just like other important medications, Botox is derived from a bacteria - Clostridium botulinum. (Pencillin was derived from the Penicillin notatum MOLD, Cephalosprin antibiotics (Keflex etc) originally came from a bacteria pound in a pond in Sardinia etc). The bacteria, which was... more

Peter A. Aldea, MD

Memphis Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Botox is not harmful with proper dosing

Botox® is an FDA-approved drug, and a naturally derived protein called botulinum toxin. Toxins are naturally occurring substances that, at defined doses, are capable of causing illness. Botox injections and Dysport® injections are used to correct functional neurologic disorders or for cosmetic reasons. When injected properly with appropriate dosing, the risk of complications is extremely low. However, as with any medical treatment, there is the potential for adverse effects, and... more

Roger A. Dailey, MD

Portland Oculoplastic Surgeon

That is how it works

Botox is short for Botulinus toxin, the most potent naturally occurring neurotoxin known to man. It disrupts the nerve impulses between the brain and muscle. That is why it is imperative to use only pure Botox Cosmetic A from Allergan, and not some fly by night cheap stuff from the internet. A couple of years ago, someone in Florida used some "cheap" "botox" on several people, including himself. A number wound up on ventilators until the toxin wore off, and at least... more

Scott E. Kasden, MD

Dallas Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Botox is safe if properly injected by properly trained individuals.

Though Botox is considered a "neurotoxin" ("poison"), it's use has been determined to be safe in the hands of properly trained professionals. The method of injection, amount to be injected and areas that are treated are all variables that have to be considered. Of all the plastic surgery "hype" on procedures, this is one that is safe, effective and most every patient is a good candidate. The reports of "problems" from Botox have been in the hands... more

Scott Greenberg, MD

Orlando Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

NO

Botox treatment for cosmetic improvement of lines and wrinkles has been the most commonly performed cosmetic intervention in the United States for several years running. In the hundreds of thousands of patients successfully treated, there are no reports of "poisoning" from the treatment. Side effects are usually minor, and quite rare- but they do exist, as they would with any other medication. Bottom line—the drug is safe; but it is a drug. So it should be administered by a... more

Armando Soto, MD

Orlando Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Botox is a poison!

Botox is a poison. It is a potent neurotoxin that comes from the bacteria c. botulinum. It it extremely safe as it is processed down to a minute concentration not seen in nature. It is effective as a muscle paralytic on the face to reduce the look of dynamic wrinkles. It also used in other ways for people who have eye muscle imbalance, vocal cord imbalance, eyelid muscle spasm, etc. As with any medication, too much of it can cause a problem. However, to my knowledge, outside of... more

Manish H. Shah, MD

Denver Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Botox is safe!

I have heard that in order to kill a small person, you would have to inject 200 I.U.'s of Botox directly into a persons heart. Yes, Botox can paralyze a muscle and the heart is a really important muscle. So why do we do it? 1- no one injects it into the heart. 2- As soon as you inject it into a muscle it binds the muscle and travels no further. 3- We never use a dose that high Most importantly, It has been used for more than twenty years without the untoward effects we are discussing here. more

Robert M. Freund, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Botox is not a poison in the way most people think of a poison

Consider this... Have you ever thought "Hmm, I'm about to drink poison" when you have a glass of wine before dinner? Or when you eat a cupcake sprinkled with nutmeg? Probably not! And yet, ethanol (the alcohol in wine and other drinks) will certainly poison you if taken beyond your body's capacity to metabolize it. (Ever had a hangover?) And the cyanide in the nutmeg on your cupcake? Well, you'd probably need to eat a truckload of cupcakes to have a problem! Your body is fully... more

Douglas J. Mackenzie, MD

Santa Barbara Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

It depends on the amount

Botox ,in the quantities and techniques used for cosmetic applications, is considered very safe and has a long history of safety in millions of treatments across the world. Botox relaxes the muscle only where injected and there doesnt seem to be any systemic effects. Like most medicines if taken in large quantities it could be considered a poison. Even common medicines like tylenol or aspirin ,if taken in very large quantities can act like a poison.