Botox , Side Effects

Question

Has Botox some side effects like droopy eyelids. Is Botox safe?
Helen


Answer

Botox is considered to be generally safe and has received FDA approval as a result. Like any other form of medical treatment, there are associated side effects Botox, such as droopy eyelids.The most common side effects of Botox include mild discomfort at the site(s) of injection, temporary redness at the injection site and possible bruising. Rarely, patients may experience a headache. The incidence of an eyelid droop is very rare occurring in about 1% of patients. It is temporary and usually resolves in a few weeks. Botox is contraindicated in individuals with neurological conditions. . Botox only lasts 3 months, so if you did get a droopy eyelid it would subside when the Botox wears off.
There is no full proof technique to avoid botox side effects. Nobody can actually guarantee that you won't have complication, because there can be occasional variations in a person's muscle distribution width. So side effect can happen to anyone.
Botox is one of the most widely-investigated products on the market. There are over 20 years of strong evidence that points to its safety when it is injected properly by an experienced doctor. botulinium-based drugs are used to treat cerebral palsy and other ills. These patients are receiving Botox in doses that are many, many times larger than the small dose that is used for cosmetic treatments. Like any treatment, it does have some side effects, even when used perfectly. These can include pain, bruising, and allergies in extremely rare cases. Avoid aspirin, ibuphen, vitamin E, and some herbal products to reduce bruising seven days before treatment. Apply ice at the site to minimize bruising & swelling.
It is critical to inject the right dosage or strength of Botox in the right muscles of the face to minimize some common side effects, such as droopy or heavy eyelids or eyebrows.

Bruising is a risk with any injection, so avoid taking anything that can thin your blood for at least 10 days before your treatment such as aspirin. To reduce your risk of a droopy eyelid with a brow injection, do not rub the area that was injected and avoid strenuous activity for several hours after your treatment . Several things I encourage my patients to avoid after Botox: 1) avoid rubbing the treated area for 24 hours, 2) avoid facial massage, Microdermabrasion for 24 hours after the procedure, 3) avoid aspirin, fish oil, excess vitamin E for 1 week before and 24 hours after the procedure
Botox injections can cause side effects if not done properly. However, complications are more frequent when doing the mouth, neck, etc A good plastic surgeon will start with a lower dose and adjust the dosage to get the desired results...we begin first time patients in limited areas and very carefully diagram areas treated and amounts used. From the initial response we can modify what we will later do.
Your plastic surgeon should examine your eyes to determine if you have a compensated preexisting eyelid ptosis. In this case, Botox in the frontalis will reveal your eyelid ptosis. If there is no preexisting ptosis then Botox can cause paralysis of the levator palpebrae. 0.5% apraclonidine drops have been used to improve a Botox induced eyelid ptosis (~2 mm elevation) by contracting the Mueller muscle inside the eyelid.
Droppy eyelids from botox are extremely rare. What is more common is a lower or flatter brow from too much relaxation from botox in the forehead. If your forehead becomes completely relaxed then you may not be able to raise your eyebrows - this leads to a feeling of heavy brow and can make the brow flat and seem like you have droopy eyelids but the eyelids really are just weighed down by the heavy, relaxed brows that are no longer raised up by forehead muscles. The goal of botox is to acheive a balance betwen the muscles that pull down on the brow (the muscles between the eyebrows) and the muscles that raise or elevate the brow - the forehead muscles - so that the net effect is a slight overall improvement of the brow arch making the eyes look more youthful and rested.

The skill part of injecting Botox is understanding the anatomy of the facials muscle, especially around the eye. It is also critical to inject the right amount of Botox in the right places to avoid side effects. If too much Botox was injected above your eyebrows or if some Botox migrates into the levator palpebrae muscle that elevates the upper eyelid, you could get a lid droop .Most of the "side effects" described for Botox are associated with the Botox spreading to adjacent areas that you don't want to treat. Droopy eyelids can occur if botox is administered too close to the brow or if Botox treatment to the glabellar area (corrugator muscles - located medially above your brow) involves migration of the medication to effect other muscles outside your treatment zone. This is very uncommon, but having droopy eyelids can occure when the botox reaches the muscle that lifts up your eyelid. With a smaller volume of seroum with the same amount of botox, the botox is less likely to reach that muscle. Also to avoid reaching that muscle its important to stay away from the eye or the orbital part of the eye.