Can botox affect thyroid function?

I cannot think of a way that Botox would affect thyroid function, so I would say it is highly unlikely that your Graves disease is related to the Botox treatment you had to your masseter muscles.  

Thank you for your question.  I am not aware of there being a correlation between Botox and Graves Disease.  All the best!

Dear inquisitiveme777,Thank you for your question. There is no known link between Botox and thyroid disease. I would feel comfortable recommending an additional treatment to a patient like you. Of course, the decision is always up to you, the patient.Best regards,Nirmal R. Nathan, M.D.Certified, American Board of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Plastic Surgeons

I have never heard of any research or cases of Botox affecting Thyroid function, so I do not believe your Botox treatment was the cause of your Grave’s disease.

There is no known link between Botox treatments and the development of Grave’s disease. When a patient has a common treatment such as Botox (100 million vials sold), it’s inevitable that there will be an overlap and it’s easy to assume that the treatment was the cause. However, it’s not causation, but rather, simply two relatively common things occuring within a few months time. 

Thank you for your question inquisitiveme777. 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.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.If I had a patient with the concern described here I would say that there is no evidence that Botox affect thyroid function and that it would be safe to have another Botox treatment.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!

Hi inquisitiveme777,There is no evidence/research that links botox to any effect on thyoid function. Botox can however affect the glands mediated by the autonimic nervous system such as the sweat gland and salivary gland. 

Dear New York,Botox doesn’t effect the bodies immune system or cause disease.Best. Dr Brecht