Is Botox® safe to put in your body? 3 Facts that say yes
By: Dr. Corey Hartman, Skin Wellness Dermatology
Though I feel most people have gotten to the point where they know Botox® isn’t going to injure or harm them, patients do still ask about the long-term risks of doing Botox on a regular basis.
Is it going to be safe for me to start this? Am I going to be able to continue doing it? Are there any long-term risks of putting this into my body on a regular basis?
These are the types of questions I typically get from patients looking to start Botox and keep up with it. I understand their hesitation, and it’s definitely something to think about before you start regularly injecting a foreign substance into your body. But we do know for a fact that how we use Botox, is completely safe.
As a dermatologist, I always look at the science, and in this case, the science most definitely backs up the safety of Botox.
Below is what we know as facts regarding the safety of Botox.
Botox Safety Fact #1:
The body breaks down Botox, which is why you have to keep getting it in order to maintain the results. It’s something that you have to continue doing, and that’s a good thing because it means that your body knows how to metabolize it, get rid of it, and process it once it is used for what we intended it to be used for. It doesn’t just stick around in the body forever, so again, that’s a good thing.
Botox Safety Fact #2:
There really are no long-term side effects, and we’ve been doing Botox since 2002. According to a 2005 study, of the tens of millions treated with Botox, “only 36 serious adverse effects associated with cosmetic use were reported to the FDA between 1989 and 2003.”
I think this really helps to put it into perspective. And even though I don’t know all the specifics of all those 36 cases, the study does point out that 13 of those patients had underlying medical conditions that may explain their adverse reaction.
Botox Safety Fact #3:
Yes, Botox is made of botulinum toxin, which is a poison that can be dangerous in large doses or in the hands of an inexperienced injector. But Botox injections come in much smaller doses than what is actually deemed dangerous. As long as you’re using an experienced injector, it’s completely safe.
(And since we’ve already been over the downsides of bargain Botox and why Groupon and injectables just don’t mix, I won’t go into that again, but just know, those words of caution still stand.)
Yes, you can rest assured that Botox is safe for regular use
I feel confident telling patients that Botox is completely safe. After years and years of doing Botox treatments, I’ve never dealt with any serious adverse effects.
As long as you use an injector you trust, you can be sure that the only thing your Botox is going to give you is a younger, fresher appearance.
Learn more about the safety of Botox from Skin Wellness Dermatology in Birmingham, AL
At Skin Wellness Dermatology, we offer cutting-edge skincare and dermatology services to our patients in the Greater Birmingham area, including Hoover and Homewood. At our offices in Birmingham & Chelsea, AL, our certified dermatologists are here to listen to your concerns and offer the individualized, high level of patient care you seek. We believe in making care accessible and affordable, and we will go out of our way to accommodate your visit. Give us a call today at 205-871-7332.