Am I allergic or was it just a bad reaction? I keep reading there are no reports of allergic reactions. So what happened to me?

Botox takes 2 weeks to work, I suggest you give it time to determine what the ultimate outcome is.  Best, Dr. Emer.

...have a non-licensed injector inject your Botox. Was it Botox, Xeomin, Dysport, or another product? There are some very accomplished nurse injectors, NP's or PA's that work in tandem in a physician's office that do excellent work. Looks to me that this was a lot of volume injected, not an infection or allergic reaction. I don't know what you got, but I would be suspicious that this was not a real botulinum toxin, it was degraded (old), somehow had a preservative you reacted to or might have even been a non-FDA approved product. More information is needed. I have been doing various Botulinum toxin injections for almost 20 years and have never seen anything like this before.Best.

I am not clear if you had Botox by an MD or by an aesthetician.   If this was an aesthetician, you should report her because this would be an illegal practice of Medicine.  Botox can take up to two weeks to take full effect, but you should have some result at 10 days.  Infections or allergic reactions from a Botox injection should be exceedingly rare; I have never seen one.

Thank you for sharing your story and photo. I have never seen a "reaction" to any injected product like that before. It does not look like a typical allergic response. You should share the problem with Allergan. Please post the company's response. Good luck,

Thank you for your question. Based on your photos, it does appear as though you had an allergic reaction to Botox. It may be in your best interest to contact Allergan and report your reaction, that way the representative can collect more detailed information about your medical history and Botox history. All the best, 

Hello Allioupes,You likely had a reaction to the preservative that was in the saline used to mix the Botox.  A sinus infection would not cause what you saw.  In very rare instances with a very severe sinus infection, you can get an isolated location where you get swelling in the forehead from a sinus infection.  This would not be in each location where Botox was placed.  Unlike filler, Botox goes to the muscle, binds, and then really shouldn't cause any issues regarding infection.  Fillers, because they are a product that is staying in one place adding volume, can get infected although this is also very rare.  In the future I'd recommend you be treated by a physician injector from one of the core aesthetic fields (facial plastic surgery, plastic surgery, dermatology).  I hope this helps and good luck.  

This is a very unusual occurrence after Botox injection.  I have never seen anything like this and I have been injecting Botox since 1998.  Without more information, it is impossible to say what caused this.  The best advice that I can give you is to see a reputable physician, preferably a dermatologist or plastic surgeon, for your treatment.  Regards,Dr. Ort

Botox injections are typically absorbed the same day as the injection. If the Botox is diluted into a lot of fluid, the fluid may stick around for another day.Swelling beyond this is abnormal. Allergy to Botox is extremely rare. Reaction to the preservative Benzyl alcohol in the saline solution is more common. Infection at the site of injection is also very rare. Any adverse reaction should be seen in person. I recommend that all patients consult with a trained physician for their first injections. I personally perform all the injections in my practice. I also see my patients in person if any issues arise. Safety first!

It is likely related to the preservative in the diluent that is used to hydrate the Botox. Preservative free saline might be a good idea. A skin test can be done on the forearm with the fluid to see if it is the cause.

Although Botox allergy does occur it is exceedingly rare. you reacted to something used in the prep or the dilution but you should be seeing a dermatologist or plastic surgeon and certainly no aesthetician should be injecting you