What Are the Long-Term Side Effects of Botox Injections?

Botox is a neurotoxin that is currently popular within the cosmetic industry. This is because it is an effective way to deal with and even eradicate wrinkles and facial lines. The botulinum toxin revolutionized not only the cosmetic industry but also the dental field.

This is because apart from being used in skin care regimens, Botox is also used to treat dental issues such as bruxism, jaw clenching, and TMJ disorders. As effective as Botox is, its desired effects can last only 3 to 6 months, after which you will need to undergo another round of Botox injections to keep the wrinkles and facial lines at bay.

Having this in mind, the question that most people tend to have as they undergo this procedure is if any long-term side effects may arise due to the prolonged use of Botox.

Before diving into this, let’s look at how Botox works.

How Does the Botulinum Toxin Work?

Botox works by blocking the signals that facilitate muscle contraction. This means that around the injection site, once Botox is introduced, the muscles within the area will not be able to contract. This is what makes it effective in dealing with wrinkles and facial lines.

The same property makes it ideal for combating Jaw clenching, bruxism, and TMJ disorders. In this case, the toxin is injected by our Caro dentist into the masseter muscles within the jaw to facilitate the jaw’s movement during chewing, grinding, and biting.

This cause the muscles within the jaw to relax, dealing with dental issues.

The Common Uses for Botox

Botox is popularly known for dealing with facial lines and wrinkles. However, it can also be used to treat several other conditions and issues, such as:

• Chronic or persistent migraines
• TMJ disorders
• Dealing with excessive underarm sweating (a condition also known as hyperhidrosis)
• Cross eyes or lazy eye
• Neck spasms
• Eye twitching
• Overactive bladder
• Contouring muscles
• Jaw clenching and teeth grinding or bruxism

The Long-Term Side Effects of Using Botox

Botox is FDA approved and therefore is considered safe for use, particularly if administered by a licensed and experienced dentist. If poorly administered, it may result in the development of side effects.

The prolonged use of Botox treatment near you has also been linked to the occurrence of some long-term side effects, such as:

• Your Skin May Become Visibly Thinner

Some people have complained about noticeable skin thinning after using Botox for several years. This side effect may not be common, but in cases where it does occur, the skin may look much thinner and the affected muscles weaker. This can result in the development of issues such as heavy-looking eyebrows.

• It Can Permanently Deal With Migraines

In cases where Botox is being administered for chronic migraines, it has been observed that patients reported not having any more migraines after regular use.

• Muscles Can Get Significantly Weaker At the Points of Injection

This side effect can be observed over a prolonged period, particularly if you have been using Botox to deal with forehead lines and wrinkles. While the target is to prevent the muscles from moving or contracting, muscles within the target area tend to weaken over time.

• Muscles tend to Atrophy Overtime Within the Treatment Region

This is one of the neuromuscular changes that can be described as a long-term effect of using Botox.

• Your Skin Will Appear to Be Much Smoother, Particularly Around the Injection Sites

This will be the case even after you stop getting regular Botox treatment.

• General Weakness of the Body

This long-term effect can be seen in patients using Botox to deal with drooling that is linked to neurological disorders such as cerebral palsy. Injecting Botox into the target salivary glands can deal with drooling, but it concurrently brings about a general weakness in the body.

• Discolored Skin

Prolonged use of Botox can result in uneven pigmentation on the skin. This occurs when the toxin is unevenly distributed after being injected. The wavy texture that develops due to the uneven distribution of the toxin within the target area

Therefore, getting same-day dental implants while getting your regular Botox treatment is considered safe.

Contact us today at Thumbs Up Dental- Caro Location for your Botox treatment.