Many women today use BOTOX as part of their regular beauty routine. If you are one of these women and have recently become pregnant, you may be curious whether you can continue your usual BOTOX treatments at my Naples medspa. Is using BOTOX while pregnant safe? Can it still provide consistent results, and will it affect an unborn child?
In this blog post, I’ll explain why using BOTOX while pregnant is a complicated issue and share some guidance for anyone who may be considering continuing BOTOX during pregnancy.
How Does BOTOX Work?
BOTOX is a neuromodulator that smooths away lines by relaxing muscle contractions to prevent the formation of dynamic wrinkles. It does this by interrupting the signal from the brain telling the muscle to contract. This softens expressions around the eyes, brows, and mouth and helps create a smoother, younger-looking complexion.
Generally, How Safe Is BOTOX?
BOTOX is FDA-approved and widely considered to be very safe in the hands of an experienced injector. When injected in the proper doses using proper techniques, adverse effects are extremely rare. The most common side effects are swelling or bruising around the injection sites. In some cases, improperly injected BOTOX may cause excessive drooping, but this typically fades within a couple of months as the product wears off. Overall, BOTOX is considered to be a very low-risk treatment for those who are not pregnant.
What Do Studies Say About the Safety of BOTOX & Pregnancy?
Although BOTOX is considered safe for non-pregnant people, few extensive studies have examined the safety of BOTOX during pregnancy. Because such studies would involve the potential harm to an unborn child, researchers have been hesitant to test BOTOX’s effects on fetal development. We have yet to find a way to study this more in-depth without putting babies at risk for unknown side effects.
One study interviewed women who had used BOTOX during pregnancy and found no trends of fetal abnormalities. However, the sample size was very small, with only 16 women participating. As of now, we just don’t have enough clinical data to definitively state whether BOTOX during pregnancy is safe, especially in the long run.
Should You Skip Your BOTOX Appointments While Pregnant?
In the end, the safety of both mother and child is always the top priority. It never hurts to wait until after giving birth to resume your regular BOTOX treatments to ensure you enjoy satisfying results without any underlying worry. BOTOX results last about 3 months, so you will only need to hold off on 2 or 3 regular treatments.
The good news is that any BOTOX use helps prevent wrinkle formation, so the wrinkle-reducing results you enjoyed in your pre-pregnancy treatments will help preserve your smooth skin through your pregnancy. In the meantime, wearing plenty of sunscreen is the best way to keep your skin looking youthful, fresh, and baby soft.
To see examples of the results you can expect from BOTOX, please visit our before-and-after photo gallery.
If you would like to learn more about the safety of BOTOX at my medspa in Naples, please contact us online or call (239) 262-5662.
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