What You Can Do To Help Prevent Botox Complications?
To prevent complications from Botox injections, choose an experienced injector with knowledge of facial anatomy.
Once you have choosen your injector wisely, there are some things you can do to minimize possible side effects.
To minimize bruising, avoid alcohol for 24 to 48 hours prior to your injections and avoid aspirin and other pain medications like ibuprofen (Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve) for a week prior.
Also stop taking fish oil and ginseng and garlic for a week to two beforehand. If you forget to stop these substances you can still get Botox, but your risk of some bruising increases.
You can take arnica the day of the injections and continue afterwards to speed resolution if any bruising occurs.
36 Year Old Woman Treated With Botox By Dr
Botox has been used for many years to help prevent or lessen wrinkles between the eyebrows, on the forehead and sides of the eyes, and around the mouth.
When used appropriately by an experienced injector and the tips above followed, it can be a safe and effective tool to slow down the signs of aging. (Billy Ledbetter, MD, Austin Physician)
Avoiding botox side effects
Botox is very safe and effective when used correctly. The best way to ensure you have a good result is to choose a dermatologist or other physician board certified in a core cosmetic specialty (dermatology, plastic surgery, facial plastic surgery, oculoplastic surgery).
53 Year Old Man Treated With Botox With Dr Elizabeth Hernandez Cardona, MD, San Antonio Physician
Don’t be confused by doctors or non-doctors who claim to be board certified in botox treatments or aesthetic treatments from other boards.
Even when done by excellent core cosmetic physicians, getting the results you want may require that your physician start with less and have you return at two to three weeks to add more if necessary.
This is particularly important if you are starting with hanging lids. If you rely on your forehead muscles to keep you eyebrows up, then you cannot use botox to reduce your horizontal forehead lines. If you do, you risk a ‘dropped’ or heavy eyebrow. (Heidi A. Waldorf, MD, New York Dermatologist)
Safe and effective
Botox is a safe procedure although any type of injections can always have undesired side effects if not done properly. A good plastic surgeon or experienced injector will assess and adjust the dosage appropriately to get the desired results.
BOTOX By Doctor James R. Gordon, MD, FACS, FAAO, New York Oculoplastic Surgeon
The skill part of injecting Botox is understanding the anatomy of the facial muscles. Following your injection, I tell my patients to avoid rubbing or pressing on the injected areas for about 24 hours so the Botox does not migrate. (Duane O. Hartshorn, MD, Grand Junction Facial Plastic Surgeon)
Botox Safety and Side-Effects
Don’t rub the area after the injection and don’t lie down for 4 hours after the treatment. Also, if you avoid aspirin and anti-inflammatory meds (think Aleve, Motrin) for 1 week before the injection, you may reduce the chance of bleeding in the tissue and bruising.
The rest of it is technique dependent and operator skill. (Bruce Saal, MD, Los Gatos Dermatologic Surgeon)
Botox is pretty safe. However, you should always have the injections done by an experienced physician. To avoid side effects after Botox do not lie down or massage the face for 4 hours after injections. No exercising for the first 24 hours after injection.
Botox Before And After With Dr Jeffrey S. Rosenthal, MD, Fairfield Plastic Surgeon
Otherwise you should be okay. (Hardik Soni, MD (not currently practicing), Summit Emergency Medicine Physician)
Botox is safe in the hands of an expert injector. It is important to follow post treatment advice eg. avoidance of hot tubs, saunas and vigorous exercise in the first 24 hours. (Praven Chetty, MD, Kelowna Physician)
The best way to prevent the unwanted side effects of Botox, like droopy brows or eyelids, is to go to an experienced board certified plastic surgeon or dermatologist for your Botox injections. Both of these physicians are trained extensively in the anatomy of the facial muscles and in Botox injections.
They know exactly where to place the injections and how much Botox to use to give you beautiful results, not unwanted drooping. (Jimmy S. Firouz, MD, FACS, Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon)
Doctor Brian S. Glatt, MD, FACS, Morristown Plastic Surgeon – 52 Year Old Woman Treated With Botox
Tips for first time botox patients
Remember, choosing a board certified doctor who is experienced is very important. Always tell your Doctor about any medical history, as much as you can think of. This will determine whether or not you are a good candidate for botox.
It is also very important to have realistic expectations. Botox gives amazing results and I recommend it for anyone who wants to smooth out wrinkles on the face. Never be afraid to ask your doctor questions.
Also, to avoid any potential bruising avoid Aspirins, Ibuprofen, Vitamin E, or any fish oils/omega-3s. (Dhaval M. Patel, MD, Hoffman Estates Plastic Surgeon)
Avoiding Side Effects of Botox or Dysport
The best way to avoid the side effects of bruising and swelling is to avoid aspirin, ibuprofen or Omega-3s for several days before your treatment. We also recommend a homeopathic oral tablet, Arnica, to help reduce the degree and length of time of bruising. (Jed H. Horowitz, MD, FACS, Orange County Plastic Surgeon)
Doctor Mira Mahajan, MD, Largo Family Physician – 39 Year Old Woman Treated With Botox
Your Botox results are directly related to your particular anatomy and the expertise of your injector. Typically, providers start first time Botox patients off with a relatively low dose and schedule a follow up appointment to assess the results.
Touch up doses can be given at this follow up visit if necessary until your personal “formula” is determined. (Scott Chapin, MD, FACS, Philadelphia Plastic Surgeon)
Avoid Botox side effects by visiting a qualified, expert dermatologist
The best way to avoid unwanted side effects from Botox is to have the injections done by an experienced, board-certified dermatologist who is well-versed in where and how to place injections for the best results.
There are muscles that raise and lower the brow and knowledge of anatomy is key to avoiding complications. I strongly suggest doing your research before going for Botox, and making sure to check out certifications and before and after photos as well as how many years the injector has been practicing in order to make sure you have a good experience. (Kimberly Butterwick, MD, San Diego Dermatologic Surgeon)
A Woman In Her 20’s Treated With Botox For Premature Crow’s Feet Wrinkles With Dr. Michael A. Zadeh, MD, FACS, Sherman Oaks General Surgeon
See a professional for best results
Simply put, the best way to ensure the best outcome is to see the best practitioners. Avoid deals that are heavily discounted or sound too good to be true. Ask yourself why someone would have to offer such a low price.
Be sure to see a board certified plastic surgeon, or a nurse practitioner trained by a board certified plastic surgeon. (Thomas McFadden, MD, Greenville Plastic Surgeon)
Tips to getting a great Botox treatment and avoiding side effects
1. Find an expert to inject your Botox- I recommend a highly skilled board certified Derm or Plastic surgeon; they typically have a great knowledge of anatomy and can adjust the treatment for you based on nuances of your anatomy.
2. Do not massage or rub the areas injected for 6-8 hours. This can move the Botox and cause it to migrate to areas that you do not want the Botox to affect.
How Common Is Droopy Eye After Botox
3. Do not get any other facial treatments or lay head down on a massage table AFTER the Botox is injected- Swelling and manipulation can also spread the Botox to unwanted areas. (Quenby Erickson, DO, FAAD, FACMS, Chicago Dermatologic Surgeon)
The most important thing to do to avoid complications is to seek an experienced injector to do your Botox. (Francis X. Fleming, MD, Kennewick Plastic Surgeon)
Treatment with Botox for cosmetic improvement is a safe procedure, in general. There are some known side-effects with Botox (as with any treatment or medication), which are relatively uncommon but do occur. The chance of having droopy upper eyelids can be diminished by avoiding pressure on the eyebrows for 3 days after treatment of frown lines (also known as 11’s).
If droopy eyelids should happen, prescription eyedrops can correct the problem until the effect of Botox wears off. Droopy upper eyelids can happen no matter who performs the treatment but are less likely to be an issue when the treatment is performed by a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist or plastic surgeon experienced in Botox treatments and knowledgable in managing problems, should they occur.
Droopy eyebrows can also occur from Botox injections in the forehead. Sometimes patients think they have droopy upper eyelids when, in fact, the eyebrows are drooping and making the eyes look less open or “droopy”.
This can be prevented by proper placement of Botox injections in the forehead, and also by identifying patients who are likely to develop this side effect and avoiding Botox for the forehead in susceptible patients.
An experienced Cosmetic dermatologist or plastic surgeon accustomed to assessing the appearance of the face, and offering a range of cosmetic treatments can make the proper recommendation and minimize side effects. (Renuka Diwan, MD, Cleveland Dermatologic Surgeon)
Botox, like any medical treatment, can have unexpected outcomes. Although these are very rare in trained hands, they do occur. I definitely recommend a consultation with a plastic surgeon to ensure your first experience is as safe as possible. (Bryan Correa, MD, Houston Plastic Surgeon)