Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Preparing for Side Effects Before Your Procedure
• Part 2 of 3: Reducing Side Effects on the Day of Your Procedure
• Part 3 of 3: Understanding the Side Effects of Botox

Botox injections contain botulinum toxin, which is produced by the rod-shaped bacteria Clostridia Botulism. This injection is used to paralyze muscle activity. Botox is used in the field of cosmetology and medicine. In cosmetology, Botox is used to smooth wrinkles, while in the medical field, it is used in many situations, such as strabismus, hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), cervical dystonia (neck stiffness), chronic migraine, muscle disease and bladder dysfunction. Botox has some side effects; however, you don't have to worry as these side effects are only minimal and temporary. How to prepare for the side effects of the injection, you will learn below, start with Step 1

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Preparing for Side Effects Before Your Procedure

1. 1 Ask your doctor to answer all your questions about how you can get the least side effects. Before your first Botox procedure, your doctor may ask you about your complete medical history along with any history of therapeutic use of the drug.
   • It is very important that you answer your doctor's questions accurately and honestly, as some medicines are not compatible with Botox.
   • Even supplements such as vitamin pills and fish oil can thin the blood and cause more bruising after injection, so notify your doctor.
2. 2 Before using Botox injection, ask your doctor about stopping certain medications. Certain medications may need to be discontinued before using Botox:
   • Pain relievers (aspirin, ibuprofen)
   • Certain Medicines Remedies
   • Antibiotics
   • Drugs for heart disease
   • Drugs for Alzheimer's Disease
   • Narcotic drugs for neurological diseases
   • Vitamin and mineral supplements
3. 3 Plan to stop taking your aspirin medication at least four days before your procedure. Your doctor may advise you to stop taking medications containing aspirin at least 4 days before your procedure.
   • This is because aspirin causes bleeding, as it is an antiplatelet drug that prevents blood from clotting.
   • Taking aspirin before using Botox can cause excessive bleeding during and after the procedure.
4. 4 Avoid alcohol at least two days before using Botox. Alcohol can cause bruising in your body and, worst of all, bleeding occurs during the Botox procedure, so you should avoid drinking any alcoholic beverages at least two days before treatment.

Part 2 of 3: Reducing Side Effects on the Day of Your Procedure

1. 1 Taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can help relieve pain, swelling, and headache. These drugs can help you manage pain, headache, and swelling after Botox. NSAIDs inhibit the body's production of prostaglandin, a hormone responsible for pain and inflammation. You can take the following NSAIDs:
   • Acetaminophen (Tylenol)... It is available in a dosage of 200-400 mg tablets, you can take it every 4-6 hours or as needed.
   • Ibuprofen (Advil)... It is available in 200-400 mg tablets, and you can take it every 4-6 hours as needed.
2. 2 Take ice with you to reduce bruising after the procedure. It's a good idea to have ice with you; you can use it directly after the procedure to avoid bruising.
   • Be sure to wrap the ice in a cloth or towel to prevent damage to your skin.What's more, make sure to keep it in place for only about 15 minutes to prevent damage.
   • Cold ice constricts the blood vessels under the skin, reducing the amount of air released. The ice will also temporarily relieve pain and inflammation from the injection.
3. 3 Arrange for someone to guide you home. You should ask a friend or family member to take you home after your Botox procedure. Since your eyelids and facial muscles are relaxed and drooped after Botox, it can be dangerous for you to drive or operate any type of machine for at least 2 to 4 hours after your procedure.
4. 4 Avoid grueling exercise. Avoid exertion for 24 hours after your Botox procedure, as movement can cause the Botox toxin to spread to other parts of the body. Movement is good, just make sure it doesn't hurt.
   • If Botox is spread to other areas of the body, then adverse side effects may occur.
5. 5 Watch for serious side effects after your procedure, if they occur, report them to your doctor. Symptoms such as mild pain, inflammation, bruising, bleeding and drooping eyelids are normal after a Botox procedure. However, there are other, abnormal side effects that shouldn't happen after Botox, but they do. If any of the following signs occur, contact your doctor immediately:
   • Difficulty breathing and swallowing
   • Swelling of the eyes and unusual appearance of the eyes
   • Chest pain
   • Hoarse voice
   • Severe muscle weakness
   • Descent of both eyelids and eyebrows
   • Having muscle weakness in areas away from the injection site

Part 3 of 3: Understanding the Side Effects of Botox

1. 1 Be aware of the side effects of Botox. Botox has several side effects that are completely normal but can be quite unpleasant. These include:
   • Swelling at the injection site
   • Pain and tenderness at the injection site
   • Bruise
   • Drooping eyelids
   • Muscle weakness
   • Nausea, vomiting and headaches
   • Excessive sweating of your armpits
   • Difficulty swallowing
   • Flu-like symptoms
2. 2 Understand why side effects can occur. During the Botox injection procedure, a bacterial toxin is injected into your skin. The body recognizes this toxin as a foreign substance and an immune response occurs that leads to the symptoms described above.
   • In some people, this immune response against the toxin may be acute (a reaction medically known as hypersensitivity or anaphylaxis). However, this is rare among the majority of patients.
   • Edema usually occurs in patients with pre-existing blood disorders such as anemia, due to the fact that their blood tends to be a solvent, which leads to poor wound healing and therefore bruising.
3. 3 Be aware of the "toxin spread" and know that it is not permanent. You might come across this term in your own research. Basically, Botox is injected into small areas of the body, which means that the injection works in particular in the place where it was made, without affecting the surrounding areas of the body. This is at least normal. In some cases, this is not the case.
   • However, if you injure yourself while doing any heavy work, the toxin can spread to other sites around the injection site, which can spread the toxin, leading to drooping eyes.
   • This phenomenon is called the "spread of the toxin" effect. It is one of the most common side effects when using Botox; however, it is temporary and usually disappears on its own within a few weeks.
4. 4 It is known that in our time, Botox is a completely harmless drug, but it is contraindicated for some people. Therefore, Botox can be used by most people without any danger and harmful side effects.However, there are people for whom Botox is contraindicated. These include:
   • Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers should not use Botox as it can be harmful to the baby.
   • For people with neuromuscular diseases, Botox is not suitable for treatment, due to the fact that it can worsen their condition, since the whole principle underlying Botox is muscle paralysis.
   • Patients with heart or blood disorders are also contraindicated in abuse and are more vulnerable to staining.
   • People who are allergic to Botox. Unfortunately, there is no way to tell if a person is allergic to Botox or not. There are skin tests or dose tests that can satisfactorily determine if you are allergic to the toxin.