Botox side effects headache/nausea. How long does it last?

Question

I had Botox in my forehead and frown lines 3 days ago for the first time and I have been experiencing headache / nausea and now a runny nose. How long does this last and what can I do to get it resolved?

Jonathan Kulbersh, MD · Answer

Nausea and a runny nose are not typical side effects. If it persists, I suggest following up with your Doctor. It will take 1-2 weeks for final results with Botox. Hope this helps.

Camille Cash, MD · Answer

Some patients complain of a headache or heaviness for a week or so after injection, but nausea and runny nose are not typical.  Your other symptoms may be coincidental and not related to your Botox injection.

Alex Eshaghian, MD, PhD · Answer

Thank you for your question Rhi77. 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.Headaches are possible after a Botox treatment. I recommend that my patients take over the counter strength Tylenol for such headaches. Other symptoms such as nausea and runny nose are unrelated to a Botox treatment. If I had a patient with such concerns I would recommend that she visit her general physician to address these concerns.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!

Botox side effects headache/nausea. How long does it last?

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Botox side effects headache/nausea. How long does it last?

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