Why Am I Getting Hives After 10 Yrs of Using Botox?

Please recognize that hives or even anaphylactic reactions, although rare, are described for BOTOX and Dysport.  You are now in this camp.  Please do not have another treatment of BOTOX or any Botulinum toxin without consulting an allergist.  This has noting to do with injection technique.  This is a direct and potentially life threatening reaction to something in the product.  This could be the botulinum toxin or the albumin in the product.  If you have been getting the product for a medical reason, it is reasonable to get testing to determine precisely what you are allergic to and if what if anything should be done about it.

While allergic reactions to Botox are very rare, what you are describing sounds like just that. Did you return for an evaluation when the hives appeared? You should have this investigated further by an allergist before proceeding with further Botox treatments.

Physicians need to be scientific in their approach and detectives in solving problems. Several questions need to be asked.

1. Are these truly hives? Hives move, they change within hours. Itchy red bumps that stay put are not hives.

2. Was it a protein in the Botox to which you reacted?

3. Was it a preservative in the Botox?

4. Was this Botox manufactured by Allergan, here in the U.S., or did your doctor purchase it from another source?

5. Are you reacting to a numbing cream applied prior to the injections?

If this is an allergic reaction there is a different type of rash than if it is an immune reaction of a different nature.  Allergic reactions never do occur the first time someone is exposed to a chemical. You must first be sensitized to the chemical and the allergy can happen at any time in your life after you repeat the exposure.  You may wish to see and allergist.and you might ask your doctor to supply you with a small amount of the Botox they have (by now it may be a different lot number since you were treated).
 

Hi TW.  We have seen this reaction in one other patient in the past.  This particular patient was getting Botox often (many times at less than three month intervals) and developed the same type of reaction to the product you are speaking about.

While we are not sure how this allergy/resistance came about, she is no longer able to use Botox (or Dysport).  You would be wise to stop having it injected given your reaction to it.

Before you consider getting any more Botox injections, I would advise with an allergist if there is a component of the Botox that you have deleoped an allergy to.  Most allergies occur after multple and prolonged exposure.