Botulinum toxin injection works effectively for eliminating fine facial lines and wrinkles. However, it may have someadverse effects during pregnancy. This article explains the uses and side effects of Botulinum toxin injection.
There is a need to take caution when taking some medications and cosmetic procedures during pregnancy; substances can be transferred from the patients’ body to the child affecting the baby during, breastfeeding. For this reason, there is a need to know more about the effect of Botulinum toxin injection on the body before getting it after giving birth. Botulinum toxin injection relaxes the muscles eliminating fine lines and wrinkles on your face. The injection is also used medicinally to treat headaches, abnormal swellings and other conditions. The Botulinum toxin injection effect is not permanent;its effect last 3-4 months after injection.
Cosmetic doctors are unsure whether Botulinum toxin injection can be transferred from the breastmilk to the baby. Botulinum toxin injection contains toxins that can cause paralysis. If Botulinum toxin injection is not administered by a qualified cosmetic doctor, it can cause side effects to the patient. This is why there are concerns about the safety of Botulinum toxin injection for breastfeeding mothers and their babies. There are no reports to show that Botulinum toxin injection can be passed into breast milk. This is because no research has been conducted to find out the effect of Botulinum toxin injection in breast milk. Therefore, consult your cosmetic doctor if you are considering Botulinum toxin injection during your breastfeeding period.
What Do Pump and Dump Milk During Breastfeeding?
Pumping and dumping is a method used by mothers when they think the breast milk contain containing substances harmful to the babies. Pumping and dumping refer to expressing breast milk and throwing it away instead of breastfeeding it to your baby. The method does not remove harmful substances from the milk. Instead, it helps to maintain supply as the substance metabolizes outside the body and also prevents breast engorgement. You will need to wait until the toxic substance is completely removed from the body through metabolism. There is no clear evidence to show how long a toxic substance in botulinum toxin injection take to metabolize from the body or whether it gets into the breast milk. Since botulinum toxin injection remains in the tissue for a couple of months, pumping and dumping cannot be an effective solution.
When to Resume Botulinum Toxin Injection
Just as cosmetic doctors hold varying opinions on whether it is safe to use the ant-wrinkle injection while breastfeeding, they also differ on the right time to resume the injection after delivery. The safest time is when one is no longer breastfeeding; it is however safer to consult your cosmetic doctor before resuming the injection.
Uses of anti-wrinkle injection include:
- Treating some eye muscle tissue problems
- Treating muscles stiffness issue
- Reduce underarm sweating.
According to Becker & Amirlak (2012), Botulinum toxin injection is used for the prevention of migraine
What Are the Side Effects of Botulinum Toxin Injection?
According to Small (2014), Botulinum toxin injection is associated with mild side effects on the area of injection that may include slight pain, swelling and bruising. Other side effects may include fatigue, headache and dry mouth. Azam et al. (2015) state that the anti-wrinkle injection may have riskswhich include;
- Weakness of muscles
- Having trouble talking
- Signs of allergic reactions include rashes, itching, hives and wheezing.
- Vision problems
- Droopy eyelids
According to Deltombe et al. (2019), Botulinum toxin injection can cause muscle weakness.
Although some cosmetic doctors believe that Botulinum toxin injection toxins cannot pass into the breastmilk, it is important to monitor your child for any signs that may arise if, as the mother, you had breastfed your child after getting the toxin injection.
The Procedure of Getting Botulinum Toxin Injection
Your cosmetic doctor will first clean your face to make it safe from any possible contamination during the injection. He or she may ask you to move your facial muscles to identify the best areas to do the injections, before administering the anti-wrinkle injection on the points identified. The amount of injection depends on the area receiving treatment. The procedure takes approximately 15 minutes.
Benefits of Botulinum Cosmetic Treatment
Botulinum Toxin Injection Treatments Are Quick
It takes a very short time to administer the anti-wrinkle injection; for example, the forehead procedure takes about 15 minutes to complete.
It Is a Non-Invasive Treatment Procedure
Botulinum toxin injection is an alternative to facial surgical procedures and therefore offers a solution to facial wrinkles to patients who are not willing to undertake surgery.
Botulinum Toxin Injection Provides Immediate Results
Patients start seeing results 1-2 days after injection and full results 7-10 days after injection. Any temporary side effects like swelling and redness are gone a few hours after injection. Its effect can last for as long as four months but it can be prolonged to a year by additional injections after the main injection.
Botulinum Toxin Injection Is Safe
Even though this treatment is associated with some side effects, it is considered safe for patients who want to achieve a youthful facial appearance. Chances of getting complicated side effects are minimal if the procedure is conducted professionally.
Frequently Asked Questions About Botox
How Can I AvoidWrinkles Instead of Botulinum Toxin Injection While Breastfeeding?
There are plenty of natural ways to prevent your face from getting wrinkles. These include avoiding smoking, wearing protective clothing and broad-spectrum sunscreens; on should also reduce exposure to sunlight.
Which Facial Features Can Benefit Most from Botox?
While Botulinum toxin injection treatment can be done on almost all areas of your face, it responds better to the following facial features:
- Forehead wrinkles
- Forehead lines
- Corners of the mouth
- Crow’s feet
- Smoker’s lines
- Sagging brows
- Marionette lines
Conclusion
Botulinum toxin injection is beneficial for medical or cosmetic reasons. When used for cosmetic purposes, it provideseliminates wrinkles and fine lines that give an old-age look to your face. However, no single cosmetic treatment is perfect for everyone and results can vary from one patient to the other. Botulinum toxin injection’s effect on breast milk is unknown; therefore, breastfeeding patients should avoid the ant-wrinkle injection for safety of their babies. It is better to have these injections when you are no longer breastfeeding. Book an appointment with a qualified cosmetic doctor if you intend to get an injection treatment that last longer and gives a better result.
References
Azam, A., Manchanda, S., Thotapalli, S., & Kotha, S. B. (2015). Botulinum toxin injection therapy in dentistry: A Review. Journal of international oral health: JIOH, 7(Suppl 2), 103.
Becker, D., & Amirlak, B. (2012). Beyond beauty: Onobotulinumtoxin A (BOTULINUM TOXIN INJECTION®) and the management of migraine headaches. Anesthesiology and pain medicine, 2(1), 5.
Deltombe, T., Lejeune, T., & Gustin, T. (2019). Botulinum toxin type A or selective neurotomy for treating focal spastic muscle overactivity?.Annals of physical and rehabilitation medicine, 62(4), 220-224.
Small, R. (2014). Botulinum toxin injection for facial wrinkles. American family physician, 90(3), 168-175.
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