I have essential thrombocytosis: is it safe to have Botox?

Botox is not a contraindication in people with essential thromocytosis as mentioned earlier, however prior to treating you a thorough health check and assessment is required to know whether your platelet  is under control (by meds), how often do you see your GP or tests, are you on any medication which may contradict treatment, any allergies, any infection or history of severe bruising etc. 
Choose your practitioner wisely and you will be fine.

Thank you for your question Nld160879. I understand your concern. Botox is a purified protein used to address wrinkles associated with facial expression. When injected into the skin Botox will relax the muscles and smoothen out the overlying wrinkles. The most common areas of treatment are in the upper face. These include the horizontal lines seen on the upper forehead when one raises the brows, the vertical lines seen between the brows when one frowns (frown lines), and the crow's feet seen around the eyes when one smiles.It is difficult to make an assessment without a formal exam where the entire medical history is reviewed. However, I hope the information provided here is useful.Essential thrombocytosis, also called primary thrombocythemia, is a condition where are higher than normal number of platelets are found in the blood. The treatment is often with blood thinners. This may increase the possibility of bleeding and bruising described below.The safety record of Botox is well established. The product has been used for over 20 years for a variety of treatments with minimal side effects. Botox is amongst the safest treatments for treating facial wrinkles.While Botox is one of the safest treatments offered, there are some situations where it is not appropriate. These include anyone who has an allergy to any of the inactive ingredients or who has had an allergic reaction to any botulinum product including Botox, Dysport, Xeomin, or Myobloc. The safety and efficacy of Botox has not been established in women who are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or breast feeding. Therefore, women in these categories are advised to wait until breast feeding is completed prior to having a Botox treatment. Botox should not be placed in the skin on the site of an infection. Those who are taking an aminoglycoside antibiotic, an anesthetic, D-penicillamine, antimalarials, or immunosuppressants should not be treated, nor should those who have undergone chemotherapy within the previous six months. It is important to avoid blood thinners before and after a treatment. These include both prescription and non-prescription medications such as warfarin (coumadin), aspirin, ibuprofen, alcohol, fish oil, vitamin E, and ginko biloba. Those with conditions that affect muscles and nerves such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), myasthenia gravis, or Lambert-Eaton syndrome should not undergo Botox treatments.With any injection, there are risks such as pain, bleeding, bruising, redness, swelling, tenderness, and infection. We take special precautions to minimize these risks such as using a painless technique. We also treat bruises with a laser as early as the next day. Bruises usually resolve within two weeks if untreated. After a laser treatment bruises usually resolve in 1-3 days, but may still take two weeks for full resolution. In addition to these risks, with Botox there is also a risk that the product spreads or diffuses to nearby structures. Spread to nearby muscles can lead to side effects such as the temporary appearance of droopy eyelids or a temporary asymmetric smile.After a Botox treatment, I recommend that my patients avoid heat exposure, alcohol consumption, and strenuous exercise for 24 hours and not lie down flat for four hours. This is because all of these activities may possibly lead to the movement of the product and consequent side effects such as droopy eyelids as described above. Although there have been no definitive studies shown that these actually occur and some physicians do not provide such aftercare instructions, in the absence of data I err on the side of caution and recommend that my patients avoid such activities.Please consult with a doctor for specific recommendations. Good luck!

Botox treatment should be fairly safe even though you have thrombocytosis. Simply make sure that your doctor is well aware of it. Good luck from New York City.

Thank you for your question. Botox is perfectly safe with essential thrombocytosis. Botox will refresh your look and soften lines and wrinkles. Results will last on average 3 - 4 months. All the best, Dr. Michon

You should not any issues with having Botox injections for cosmetic purposes. The dosages used for facial cosmetic treatment with Botox are not significant enough to cause problems in your case. 

Hi and thanks for the question.  Having thrombocytosis probably increases your risk for having a little bruising with the procedure but probably not more than taking an aspirin or advil.  Having a little bruising also does not effect the ultimate result, so you should do great!  Good luck

Thank you for your question.  It brings out the importance of the person behind the needle.  Botox is a very popular treatment for men and women of all ages and it is important to realize that it is a drug with significant risks and that it should be administered by medical providers that are knowledgeable about all aspects of health.  If you have thrombocytosis, excessive platelets, you are probably on a blood thinner, aspirin at the very least.  These drugs protect you from an unwanted clot or stroke.  The risk of using Botox is simply that you may bruise more easily.  Botox is injected directly into muscle and will not increase the likelihood of a clot. The risk of bruising can be reduced by the injection technique used.  All the best, Alexis Parker MD