Dr. Jennifer Walden, an Austin, Texas plastic surgeon, wrote this article on Botox and its effects as a contributor in the Beauty & Style section of Shape Magazine. Click here to read it!
Botox, the cosmetic procedure once parodied by comedians and late night talk show hosts, is now as mainstream as shellac nails and blonde highlights. Celebrities like Jenny McCarthy and Kim Kardashian openly admit to routinely receiving Botox treatments. Botox is one of the most popular minimally invasive cosmetic procedures offered by plastic surgeons and it’s easy to see why. The results are visible in 3-4 days, and with routine maintenance, fine lines and wrinkles virtually disappear.
As with any drug however, there is a small risk of side effects. Luckily these can be treated with a little common sense and TLC.
Pain Relievers: Often, the side effects of Botox are limited to the injection sites. The patient may experience tenderness or even a mild headache. Taking over-the-counter acetaminophen will help alleviate these symptoms, but hold off on using aspirin or ibuprofen as they may increase the amount of bruising.
Ice Pack: Particularly after an initial Botox injection, bruising, swelling and redness may occur. Gently placing a cold compress will help.
Know When To Call Your Doctor: Rarely, Botox injections may lead eyelid or forehead droop or difficulty breathing. Listen to your body and if something doesn’t seem quite right after the injection, call your physician immediately.
To avoid a drug interaction, be sure to discuss all prescription medications, over-the-counter products and natural medicine with your plastic surgeon before treatment. Do not consider Botox injections if you are on antibiotics, or are pregnant or nursing.
Botox now have two competitor products that act in a similar fashion: Dysport and Xeomin.
