Is Botox Poisonous? Is that true? Does that make Botox dangerous to use?

Just a few examples of "useful" poisons:

Saffron in one of the most expensive spices in the world derived from the crocus flower which if taken in excess is a poison;
Purple foxglove is a poison that is used as a heart medication (digitalis);
Curare is used on poison darts to paralyze people but also used to relax muscles during anesthesia;
Willow bark is the precursor to Aspirin which can cause fatal bleeding but is also useful for preventing or minimizing the effects of heart attacks.

Botox is derived from the bacterial toxin that causes botulism. When used properly and in the correct doses by an experienced injector, Botox is a very safe drug that is probably safer than aspirin

Well the answer is yes and no! Yes, Botox is a toxin derived from a bacteria, but only in very large quantities. Medical applications of Botox use very low concentrations that are diluted.
Botox is used for both medical conditions like for spastic eyelids as well as for cosmetic treatments. At the doses that are used for cosmetic therapy, Botox is very safe.

No, Botox is not poisonous. It has been used safely for decades for cosmetic purposes. Botox is made from a purified version of botunlinum toxin, which if ingested in large amounts in an unpurified state could be poisonous, just as the arsenic found in almonds is. The amount of botulinim toxin used in Botox is minuscule. All it will do is relax dynamic muscles that cause wrinkles, allowing the skin to smooth out and look rejuvenated. It can also be used to control a gummy smile, slim the jawline, control excessive sweating, and manage migraines. I hope this helps.

Botox is a form of neurotoxin, therefore technically a poison like many other forms of medication known to our society. The key is that Botox, like Tylenol is typically used in small therapeutic doses with proven safety records. The typical dose of Botox is 50 units or less, while the average toxic dose is in the thousands of units. You can rest assured that although the name "Botox" reveals that is is a neurotoxin, it is one of the safest medications available when used responsibly.

Well, actually, when used in very large doses, Botox can be poisonous. But when Botox Cosmetic is used in the amounts necessary for cosmetic indications it is safer than Aspirin.
While it is common to link press reports of deaths in patients with Cerebral palsy to Botox Cosmetic, it is deceptive. The amount of Botulinum Toxin used for non-cosmetic purposes (such at with patients with cerebral palsy is orders of magnitude higher than used for cosmetic purposes.
To repeat, Botox Cosmetic has a better safety profile than common aspirin and has not been linked to any deaths in millions and millions of treatments. It is a very safe treatment.

Botox treatment for cosmetic improvement of lines and wrinkles has been the most commonly performed cosmetic intervention in the United States for several years running. In the hundreds of thousands of patients successfully treated, there are no reports of "poisoning" from the treatment. Side effects are usually minor, and quite rare- but they do exist, as they would with any other medication.
Bottom line—the drug is safe; but it is a drug. So it should be administered by a well trained and experienced practitioner to a patient who is also well educated about the procedure, the likely outcome, and the potential (if minor and rare) risks.

Botox is a poison. It is a potent neurotoxin that comes from the bacteria c. botulinum. It it extremely safe as it is processed down to a minute concentration not seen in nature. It is effective as a muscle paralytic on the face to reduce the look of dynamic wrinkles. It also used in other ways for people who have eye muscle imbalance, vocal cord imbalance, eyelid muscle spasm, etc. As with any medication, too much of it can cause a problem. However, to my knowledge, outside of problems with fake Botox made in unregulated labs, no one has ever had problems with Allergan's Botox Cosmetic.

Not any more than aspirin, tylenol, decongestants and many other over-the-counter medications are toxic and could be even fatal if taken in an excessive amount.
Botulinum toxin, or Botox Cosmetic, inhibits the muscle movement to make skin lines diminish. The amount of units used for this purpose is extremely small and not anywhere close to the toxic level.

I respect the opinions of the surgeons that have answered this question.
From a purely scientific point of view, Botox is just a small component of the complex protein that is Botulinum toxin. This neurotoxin is probably one of the most potent toxins in the biologic world. Of course, Allergan (and other companies that will soon release a similar but longer-lasting product) takes great efforts to assure that Botox is safe.
If you are considering Botox therapy, schedule a consultation with a plastic surgeon trained to use the product, and make sure the product that is being used is actually Botox. There have been recent reports in the media describing the use of 'copy cat' neurotoxins for cosmetic use with disastrous results.
Most Kindly,
Scott C. Sattler MD FACS

Thank you for your question. 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.
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. 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!