Botox™ Common Questions

Q: Can those who are pregnant have Botox injected?

A: It is not wise to knowingly undergo Botox injections if you are pregnant, because the possibilities of harm to the baby from Botox is not known. Fortunately, there are cases of babies born to mothers who had Botox injections when they were pregnant early on, without knowing, and their babies were born healthy. This doesn’t mean it’s safe to do, so wait until after delivery and after you finish nursing before you resume or start your Botox injections.

Q: Do I need to be concerned that after a few years of using Botox injections to relax my muscles in my forehead, that I will be permanently paralyzed?

A: There is never a paralysis that lasts after the Botox wears off. You don’t need to be concerned about this issue. The relaxation of the muscles may start to last longer than the three to four months that initially is seen, but that may be related to the retraining of those muscles as you had not been able to make those faces for a few months and might have grown out of your habit. After the Botox wears off, you may subconsciously minimize any voluntary activity of those muscles preventing you from frowning, as an example.

Q: Is there anything that can be done for a deep groove in my forehead?

A: Botox works very well for most lines in the forehead but you need to see an experienced Botox injector to ensure that there won’t be an unwanted effect on neighboring muscles. As an example, if your upper eyelids have already started to sag from age, then depending on the area of the forehead that needs treatment, the Botox might affect the lower forehead muscles that are useful in helping keep up the eyebrow/eyelid complex. In fact, some people get these grooves in their skin because, at rest, their muscles are actively lifting their forehead so as to keep open their eyes because their upper eyelids are so droopy. In those patients Botox can’t be used well and a filler such as Restylane or Perlane may help, and in others, they may need a surgical brow lift.

Q: I have migraines, can I have Botox for this?

A: Patients who get Botox for cosmetic uses may benefit from less headaches than they normally experience. I prefer however, that if my patients have migraines, that they are evaluated by a neurologist and see if their trigger points can be identified and the number of units needed be discussed.

Ready to find out more?

Patients in the area who are interested in learning more about Botox injections, dermal fillers, or other treatments available at our practice are encouraged to contact Dr Shelton at (212) 593-1818.