BOTOX® Cosmetic Side Effects By Stephen Dowell, DDS on October 20, 2019

Lines, wrinkles, and creases are an unfortunate side effect of aging. And because sun exposure and repetitive muscle movements can exaggerate these signs of aging, many find that they struggle with frown lines and other facial wrinkles much earlier than they anticipate.

BOTOX® Cosmetic is a prescription injection that temporarily prevents the muscle contractions that are responsible for facial wrinkles. This aesthetic treatment, offered at Dowell Dental Group, serving Minerva, Carrollton, and Dover, OH, is safe and effective for most patients.

Here, patients who are interested in restoring a more relaxed and youthful appearance can learn about BOTOX injection side effects that may develop following treatment.

Discomfort

BOTOX Cosmetic is administered as a series of injections. It is injected to block the nerves that cause the muscle contractions that are responsible for dynamic wrinkles such as frown lines, forehead creases, and crow’s feet. The needle used during BOTOX treatment is small, but the injections can still cause some discomfort.

Discomfort will vary based on the patient’s tolerance for needles and other shots. Most discomfort subsides shortly after BOTOX treatment, but it can persist for several hours, or even a couple of days.

Redness

Redness around the treatment site is another common side effect of BOTOX injections. As with discomfort, redness will vary for each patient.

Redness is likely to be more severe for patients with sensitive skin, and for those with a lighter skin tone. A person’s sensitivity to sunburns and other cosmetic treatments, like waxing or threading, are a good indicator of how much redness they can expect after BOTOX treatment.

Some of our patients may notice that the skin is just slightly redder for the first hour or so after treatment, while others may experience moderate redness around injection sites for a few days after BOTOX treatment.

Bruising

Some, but not all, of our patients will develop bruising after BOTOX treatment. Bruising tends to be limited to the area directly around injection sites, and is often pretty light in color. Because patients typically don’t develop severe or deep bruises, it should be easy to conceal any bruising with makeup. Bruising is likely to fade quickly, and should clear up completely within a week of treatment.

Headache

A headache is a less common side effect of BOTOX treatment. Most patients recover from BOTOX treatment without developing any type of headache, but a small percentage may experience a mild to moderate headache after receiving BOTOX injections. If a headache does occur, it should last no more than 48 hours.

BOTOX side effects tend to be mild and short-lived. If patients experience symptoms other than those discussed above after treatment, or if side effects last longer than usual, it is important to report them to one of our doctors so that any potential complications can be ruled out.

Send Us a Message

BOTOX Cosmetic can treat dynamic facial wrinkles to gradually reverse the signs of aging and give you a more youthful appearance. To learn more about BOTOX treatment and its potential side effects, send us a message at your earliest convenience, or call us to schedule an appointment with one of the doctors at Dowell Dental Group.