What You Need to Know About Botox’s Side Effects

Many treatments are used for both medical and cosmetic purposes, but few are as popular as Botox injections. Used by millions of people all over the world and 1.5 million in a single year in the United States alone, the treatment is clearly popular.

Botox was originally used to treat medical conditions before being approved for cosmetic purposes. But the same properties that make it so popular can also result in some side effects. In this article, we’ll examine some side effects.

Residents in Mamaroneck, New York, and Stamford, Connecticut, looking for Botox injections can find help with Dr. Gennadiy Kravets and his skilled medical team at All Bright Dental.

How Botox affects the muscles

The most commonly used form of Botox is the botulinum toxin type A — a neurotoxin approved by the FDA approved for medical use in 1989 for its muscle-relaxing properties in treating eye twitching and other eye-related issues. Cosmetic use was approved in 2002 for treating frown lines, and in 2013 for crow’s feet (wrinkles around the eyes).

As a neurotoxin, the injectable works by blocking nerve signals and muscle contractions temporarily, which smooths areas of skin with wrinkles and creases, as well as relaxing muscles in areas where they are overactive. Technically, acetylcholine is the chemical messenger in your body that attaches to muscle cell receptors, causing muscle contractions. Botox prevents its release.  

Common cosmetic and medical uses

As a result of its muscle-relaxing properties, Botox is an immensely popular cosmetic treatment for reducing the appearance of wrinkles in areas of your face, including improving vertical grooves between eyebrows, furrows and creases in your forehead, crow’s feet, frown lines, and thick bands in your neck. The treatment results last 3-4 months.

Possible side effects

While the injection is well tolerated by most, some side effects can include:

• Dry eye
• Upset stomach
• Numbness
• Injection site swelling, bruising, or mild pain
• Eyelid drooping
• Weakness or paralysis in neighboring muscles near the injection site
• Worsening of neuromuscular disorders
• Double vision or spatial disorientation 

If there is any evidence of an allergic reaction or infection at the injection site, you should not use it. Side effects are uncommon, and genetic factors may play a role in your tolerance. 

Botox is safe for almost everyone, but there are slight risks. If you want to try Botox injections, make an appointment with Dr. Kravets and All Bright Dental today to see a reduction of wrinkles and creases.