How Does Botox Dissipate Inside Our Body?

Question

I believed that Botox is toxic. How does our body dispose it.?Does it affect our organ such as liver and kidney?

Otto Joseph Placik, MD · Answer

Dr. Chen has provided a concise review. I would also add that in addition to traveling through the bloodstream, a recent animal study showed that Botox can travel backwards through the nerve to the Central Nervous System. The effect and consequences of this were unknown.

Richard Baxter, MD · Answer

You are right that Botox, (generically called Botulunum toxin type A) is in theory harmful because it is the same thing that causes botulism poisoning. However, it would take many many times the doses used in practice to do any harm, and I can think of few things that have a better safety record than Botox, which has been in clinical use for 20 years on millions of patients.
To be more specific, the molecule is a protein which is fairly rapidly broken down before it leaves the area into which it is injected.

Kenneth D. Steinsapir, MD · Answer

Dear YNY
The doses of BOTOX injected for cosmetic purposed are extremely small.  They have no effect on the liver or kidneys.  In fact very little of the BOTOX circulates in the body. This is because the dose used for cosmetic purposes is so small most of it is locally absorbed by the muscle where it is injected.  
When BOTOX is used for medical reasons, higher dose are used and these may be associated with systemic effects.  However, this dose is orders of magnitude higher than cosmetic BOTOX.  Even these products have proven to be very safe.
It is important to be sure that the physician treating you is using a regulated product intended for human use.  These products are very carefully tested and monitored for consistently of their dose.  
Be aware, bootleg products don't offer this same level of safety.  Therefore, only allow yourself to be treated by highly reputable, licensed physicians.  It is not worth saving a few dollars when it comes to your safety.  Know who is treating you and what they are treating you with.

Monika Soni, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question.  The body metabolizes Botox through the liver and kidney excretion.  Botox lasts about 3-4 months. Botox works by binding to nerve endings, preventing them from contracting. I recommend having a consultation with an expert to discuss your concerns and to determine the best treatment plan for you. Best of Luck!

Christopher L. Hess, MD · Answer

Botox is the most toxic substance known to man.  Therefore, only very small amounts are necessary for therapeutic effects.  The toxin is a protein that prevents the release of a neuromuscular transmitter or the chemical from a nerve that goes to the muscle to tell it to contract. 
Because the nerve shuts down but continues to get signals from the brain that the muscle should work it sprouts new nerve endings.  These don't have the Botox in them and as they hook up with the muscle the muscle regains function.
The toxin is eventually degraded by proteases and metabolized through normal channels.  The is no real evidence that any of the protein enters the bloodstream when injected locally.  Its diffusion into the nerves is very rapid.

Sirish Maddali, MD · Answer

As stated, the doses are very small and not considered to be in a "toxic range." We typically use Botox for various non-cosmetic indications and use a much larger dose than when we do lines and wrinkles. In fact, Botox was first used for non-cosmetic reasons for over a hundred years, before being used for cosmetic purposes.  It has a remarkable safety profile and as far as I am aware, there are no toxicity concerns for cosmetic use.
The protein is broken down into its components rapidly and then reused or excreted in urine. The breakdown products are actually parts of your normal body molecules and nothing foreign.

Bryan K. Chen, MD · Answer

When Botox is injected into the skin, it may migrate up to 3 cm from where it was injected. Even if some molecules were to go into the bloodstream and travel to distant sites in the body, the cosmetic doses (typically less than 100 units) used are significantly lower than the toxic dose that would be harmful systemically (2500-3000 units. Once the protein stops functioning at the neuromuscular junction, it is broken down into its harmless break-down components (amino acids) and either recycled for use in other proteins or excreted by the kidneys. I am not aware of any reports of liver or kidney toxicity with Botox.

How Does Botox Dissipate Inside Our Body?

Answers (7)

More Botox Questions

Can I Have Botox Injections for Wrinkle Therapy with a Pacemaker Fitted?

Can a Person Have Botox While on Accutane?

Puffy Under Eyes After Botox?

Does Botox Work on Chest Lines?

Strange Sensations in my Forehead Caused by Botox?

WE SEND PRETTY
EMAILS