# Is Botox really safe?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-botox-really-safe/112977
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [June 8, 2002, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-botox-really-safe/112977 "2002-06-08T15:56:48Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@dreamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dreamer)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2002, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-botox-really-safe/112977/1 "2002-06-08T15:56:48Z")
My Grandmother just went to see her doctor because she’s been having some twitching in her eyes and he gave her a couple injections of Botox in her forehead that suppossed to stop the twitching. That got me around to thinking about the whole Botox craze and if it is really safe. Upon reading on this article from this
[site](http://www.antell-md.com/departures.html) I’m not so sure we really know for sure if it is safe, and if the recent soar in usage for vanity reasons, isn’t going to cause some serious problems for people in the future.
> [@](#):
>
> Before it’s recent surge in popularity, clostridium, the bacteria from with Botox is derived, was most frequently found in contaminated home-canned foods. When swallowed, it can cause botulism, a form of poisioning that results in vomiting, throat constriction, and paralysis of the respiratory muscles. Without a speedy tracheotomy or a dose of antitoxin treatment, the victim often suffocates to death within 24 hours.
Would you try it?
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### Author:  [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2002, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-botox-really-safe/112977/2 "2002-06-08T16:39:57Z")
For a genuine medical disorder, sure. Many useful medications are poisonous when used inappropriately, but effective when used correctly. This is a problem?
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### Author:  [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2002, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-botox-really-safe/112977/3 "2002-06-08T16:59:08Z")
One of my girlfriends was kinda wrinkly in her forehead area, and it bothered her quite a bit.
She tried botox and was very pleased with the results. I can’t imagine that the botox treatment was any more harmful than the major facelift that she was considering as her other option -including general anaesthetic which is not required with botox.
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### Author:  [@dreamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dreamer)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2002, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-botox-really-safe/112977/4 "2002-06-08T18:50:25Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Qadgop the Mercotan \*
> \*\*For a genuine medical disorder, sure. Many useful medications are poisonous when used inappropriately, but effective when used correctly. This is a problem? \*\*
I’m merely asking whether it is safe for the long-term use of those who use it for non-medical purposes.
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### Author:  [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2002, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-botox-really-safe/112977/5 "2002-06-08T20:06:40Z")
IANAD (although Qadgop is), but I have looked at this botox thing.
The quantities used are much much much much much much much much much much much much smaller than those that induce illness or death in canned foods.
Compared to a facelit - which, being surgery is invasive as heck, and gone wrong can lead to things like paralysis and massive scarring - botox is probably _safer_, and has the advantage that it _does_ wear off, meaning a bad result will go away.
Is it a poison? Sure - so is Tylenol if you take too much. Use only as directed, under the supervision of a competant physician, and it’s probably as safe as anything you’re likely to find in medicine.
Long-term? Probably OK, too - it’s been used for muscle spasms since, I believe, the late 70’s so we do have some info on long-term use. Shoot up your wrinkly forhead too much you might get some muscle atrophy there, but, again, as long as you don’t go too nuts with it that can be reversed by simply ceasing to use botox.
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### Author:  [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2002, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-botox-really-safe/112977/6 "2002-06-08T23:01:25Z")
What **broomstick** said. Used correctly, even for non-medical reasons, there is no evidence of long-term danger. That doesn’t mean that something might not turn up later, but it has been used for over 20 years, and the scientific basis of botox is relatively well understood. It’s sure a hell of a lot safer than alcohol. And remember, a few dozen people die every year from reactions to penicillin. I know of no deaths attributed to botox use.
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### Author:  [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2002, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-botox-really-safe/112977/7 "2002-06-08T23:42:46Z")
There have been several TV exposes on Botox. People who got a shot directly into a major facial nerve. Paralysis (possibly permanent) resulted for that part of the face served by the nerve.
It is a quite tricky process and the average “I saw it being done once so now I’m an specialist” doctor is a potential threat.
Here’s part of a Reuters article:
" RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov 21 (Reuters Health) - The rapid rise in popularity of Botox (Botulinum toxin) injections for treating facial wrinkles has resulted in its misuse by practitioners other than dermatologists or plastic surgeons, dermatologists warned here.Using the toxin inappropriately can result in severe facial paralysis and deformity, according to Dr. Edileia Bagatin from the Federal University of Sao Paulo, speaking at the World Congress in Cosmetic Dermatology."
(Note that of course Dermatologists _never_ goof, it’s those evil non-Dermatologists that are the threat. Yeah, right.)
Botox is _supposed_ to be injected into muscle, not nerves. If the doctor doesn’t know where the nerves are (or yours are in a nonstandard location), you can have a problem. You want to play dice with your face???
But what really gets me is that it is such a short term effect. Six months later and all you have to show for it is a hole in your bank account.
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### Author:  [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2002, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-botox-really-safe/112977/8 "2002-06-09T00:44:37Z")
**ftg** is right. That’s why I said “used correctly”. I too would be leery of getting injections from just any doc. In the same way I’d be leery of having a dermatologist do my back surgery.
And outcomes are not always perfect. Would I use it to erase wrinkles? No. Would I use it to stop blepharospasm, or uncontrolled closing of the eyelids? Yes.
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### Author:  [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2002, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-botox-really-safe/112977/9 "2002-06-09T00:47:02Z")
Well, **ftg** , both Qadgop and I have been mentioning the _used as directed_ and _competant physician_ angle.
Truth is, sticking a needle into a nerve, whether it involves and injection or not, can do damage of either a temporary or permanent nature. So it ain’t necessarialy the botox at fault here.
Having been the recipient of (necessary) facial surgery that occured near the trigemminal nerve I am well aware of the seriousness of the “facial damage” issue. I will also point out that a COMPETANT doctor will take pains to determine the exact location of your facial nerves and be very careful when working around them. Once again, we’re back to the difference between a Qadgop and a quack.
Too much botox WILL cause paralysis, and one of the likeliest side effects of a botched botox forhead is a droopy eyelid. But it goes away. Eventually.
As for the pocketbook aspect - well, geez, I eat every day, have to keep re-filling the car’s gas tank, buy new toilet paper occassionally… lots of things we buy don’t last forever.
I must say I _am_ put off by the “botox parties” I’ve heard about - that sort of thing is fine for selling Tupperware, but not medical procedures. I suspect they aren’t very common, just getting a lot of media play because of the wealth/fame of the participants and because it sells cornflakes.
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### Author:  [@dopetalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dopetalker)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2002, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-botox-really-safe/112977/10 "2002-06-09T11:23:58Z")
It sounds like something a person would use for that area under the back and above the legs (“I’d like a shot of this in the botox, please…”)
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### Author:  [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2002, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-botox-really-safe/112977/11 "2002-06-09T13:12:28Z")
The _real_ question is, do you want to end up looking like Cher?
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### Author:  [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2002, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-botox-really-safe/112977/12 "2002-06-09T15:22:33Z")
\
The Saturday Night Live fake Botox commercial was a hoot. (basically showed people who looked like they had strokes)
(funnier than that sounds)
\
Brian