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I Have a Paralized Vocal Cord - Can I Still Have a Botox Treatment?

asked 1 year ago by Florida, Naples in Florida
Latest answer by Harold J. Kaplan, MD
Question viewed 817 times
Tags: forehead, female, candidate, frown lines, paralysis, risk, vocal chords

I was diagnosed with a right paralized vocal cord from the swine flu vaccine. I went through speech therapy and my voice is fine but the paralysis is permanent. I have received botox a few years before the paralysis and would like to continue treatments. Am I still a candidate for Botox? I am interested in removing frown lines and forehead lines. Do you recommend another treatment if I'm not a candidate?

18 answers to I Have a Paralized Vocal Cord - Can I Still Have a Botox Treatment?

+1

Paralyzed Vocal Chord. Can I Still Get Botox?

Hi Florida. You should be fine. Although Botox has been known to affect other areas of the body than it was injected, this is only the case with VERY high doses for non-cosmetic indications. Botox for cosmetic purposes has not been shown to have the kind of effect you are worried about. If you are still concerned, you should check with your ENT, but we would not have a problem with providing your treatment. Hope this helps and good luck.
Harold J. Kaplan, MD

Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.celibre.com

+2

Will Botox affect the vocal cord?

According to everything I've read and seen there should be no affect if small amounts of botox or dysport were utilized in the forehead or glabella areas .Nonetheless , I would discuss the case with your ENT doctor to get clearance and in addition perform a test site with smaller dosages and never inject more than a very limited number of units- all as a precaution . There have been reported deaths using Botox- in very high repeated dosages. There have never - to my knowledge- been a... more
Joshua L. Fox, MD

Long Island Dermatologic Surgeon
+1

Botox and Side Effects

Botox and Dysport in the there package insert warn about systemic effects and distant spread.  However, to date there have been no reports of this happening with the cosmetic usage of these products.  The treatment of the frown lines or forehead lines should be safe.  If you have any concerns check with your ENT first and of course, inform you injecting pysician of your medical problem.
Lisa Kates, MD

Annapolis Dermatologist
+1

Botox or Dysport can be used on the forehead if you have one paralyzed vocal cord

There shouldn't be an issue with having Botox injections on the forehead, or Dysport injections, as this should not affect the vocal cords.  It is interesting to know that Botox has been a treatment of vocal cord disorders.  You should have an ENT doctor OK your Botox treatment of the forehead just to be cautious.  Don't have Botox suggested for platysma neck muscle band tightening or horizontal neck creases as there have been cases of high doses of Botox injected into... more
Ronald Shelton, MD

Manhattan Dermatologist
+1

Botox and vocal cord paralysis

Botox used to treat the glabella and forehead lines should be safe to do and should not affect your paralyzed vocal cord. The Botox affects the muscles locally in the areas treated if used appropriately for cosmetic results.
Amy A. McClung, MD

Austin Dermatologist
+1

Botox Frown Lines and Forehead Wrinkle Treatments in patient with Paralyzed Vocal Cord.

There should be no issues with Botox Cosmetic treatments to your forehead wrinkles and frown lines since the paralysis of your right vocal cord was not the result of a systemic neurological or musculoskeletal disorder. Given your right paralyzed vocal cord, I would not however receive any Botox Cosmetic injections to your voice box or laryngeal area.
Anifat Balogun, MD

Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Botox And Paralized Vocal Cord

You can have Botox injected in your forehead without any problems, despite your paralized vocal cord. I would not recommend Botox injections in the neck muscles because of the proximity of the vocal cords - any compromise of the good cord could obstruct yourairway.
Richard W. Fleming, MD

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Botox injections for frown lines and forehead lines will not affect your vocal cord.

I read your concern. Facial Botox treatments will not affect your voice or vocal cord function. It's relatively uncommon, but possible, for idiopathic vocal cord paralysis to lead to permanent paralysis. Make sure you've consulted a certified, reputable ENT about your vocal cord. If testing hasn't been performed, you should request a CT scan of your neck and chest to follow the course of the recurrent laryngeal nerve. You need to make sure your vocal paralysis isn't from... more
Eric M. Joseph, MD

West Orange Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Botox Does Not Travel

When properly injected in the appropriate dosage, Botox will not travel very far beyond the injection site. Therefore, Botox injections in the forehead pose no risk to the vocal cords.
Mitchell Schwartz, MD

South Burlington Dermatologic Surgeon

dorsetstreetdermatology.com

+1

PARALIZED VOCAL CORD? YES YOU CAN HAVE BOTOX!

   A paralized vocal cord in no way prevents Botox treatment .  I guess if neck bands were being treated, I would caution that sometime there can be a little weakness enhancement, but even there small doses are okay.  Go for it. Yes.  Have Botox and enjoy.   My Best
George Commons, MD

Palo Alto Plastic Surgeon
+1

Botox Injections

Botox when injected properly stays in the generalized areas of injections, so there should not be a problem with having Botox Cosmetic injetions in your case.     Good Luck.
David Shafer, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon

www.ShaferPlasticSurgery.com

+1

Vocal Cord Paralysis Not Contraindication to Botox

The fact that you have a permanent paralysis of your vocal cord is not a contraindication to receiving Botox injections to your glabella and forehead.  The Botox which is injected into these areas will stay there and will not migrate and will not be absorbed systemically to an appreciable degree.
John Whitt, MD

Louisville Plastic Surgeon
+1

Botox and vocal cord paralysis

Botox injections for the forehead and and frown can travel a little bit but will not reach the vocal cords so you are safe there.
Peter T. Truong, MD

Fresno Oculoplastic Surgeon

www.facialsurgerydr.com

+1

BOTOX is safe but...

Dear Florida I would absolutely disclose your vocal cord issue with your doctor.  It is important to understand that a small amount of botox does circulate in the system after injection.  The product does not have to be injected close to the vocal cords to create a problem.  Generally the dose used for cosmetic purposed is so small that the systemic effects are generally negligible.  Typically systemic side effects are much more common when the agent is used to treat... more
Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD

Los Angeles Oculoplastic Surgeon
+1

Botox and vocal cord paralysis

If there is no ongoing disorder of muscles or nerves and the paralysis is stable, there is no contraindication for you to have the Botox injections. There were cases described where botox injections into the platysma, a large flat muscle that covers the neck, resulted in difficulties swallowing or speaking due to the spread of botox from injection sites to the vocal cords. Therefore I would probably be extremely cautious about injections anywhere in the neck.  As far as the... more
Emily Altman, MD

Short Hills Dermatologic Surgeon
+1

Botox is Site Specific and Safe

Botox injections are site specific in their activity. There is no contraindication at all to having Botox for indicated cosmetic purposes.
Stephen Prendiville, MD

Fort Myers Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

BOTOX® treatment of frown and glabellar lines will be no problem

I have no concerns about treatment of your glabellar and forehead lines with BOTOX®. One of the safety features of BOTOX® and other commercial formulations of BTX-A when properly used is that they are very precise, only relaxing muscles for about 1-2 cm around the injection point, and not causing distant effects. Occasionally BOTOX® is used to treat vocal cord paralysis, by relaxing the non-paralysed cord on the other side, for example to correct an unnatural sounding or... more
Kevin C. Smith, MD

Niagara Falls Dermatologic Surgeon
+1

Botox is safe

Just because you have a paralyzed vocal cord, does not mean that you can't have a Botox treatment to your upper face. It should not be able to effect your vocal cords. However, I would avoid getting any Botox injections in and around your voice box (such as injections into the neck muscle), just because of the extemely unlikely, but real risk of relaxing your only good vocal cord. This could make it difficult to breathe. Botox treatments to the upper face should not pose a risk... more
Andrew Campbell, MD

Milwaukee Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.campbellplastics.com

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