
Feb
A recent article in The Wall Street Journal implied that getting a booster injection for COVID shortly before or after getting injections of BOTOX or other neurotoxins such as Dysport® poses a health risk.
The article prompted pushback from many in the aesthetics field who point out there is no data showing it’s necessary to separate toxin injections from vaccines. We also want to address this issue for men and women considering BOTOX treatments at our Natick, MA, office.
BOTOX is an FDA-approved neuromodulator made from botulinum toxin-A.
It temporarily suspends the muscle contractions that form lines and wrinkles made by facial expressions, called “dynamic wrinkles.” The results are smoother skin and a more youthful, refreshed appearance.
Outside of cosmetic uses, Botox is also used to treat conditions such as migraines, excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis), and over-reactive bladder.
Although BOTOX is made from a toxin, when injected by an experienced physician and in controlled amounts, BOTOX injection is a minimally invasive cosmetic treatment.
COVID vaccines and boosters are used to introduce your body to a coronavirus antigens. This will trigger an immune response and your body will keep a memory of the virus so your chances of contracting the virus is lower and, if you do, the severity of symptoms will be reduced.
Because BOTOX is injected locally and your body processes the toxin in a harmless way over time, it should not trigger an immune response.
Therefore, it is safe to get BOTOX and a COVID vaccine/booster!
For more information on BOTOX, click here and if it is your first-time getting BOTOX, click here to read our blog post on what you should expect at your first BOTOX appointment.
Dr. Michael Krathen is a board-certified dermatologist with over a decade of medical training and experience. He studied biology and Spanish, graduating summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania, where he also completed medical school. His training included a medical internship at the Beth-Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and a dermatology residency at the combined Boston University/Tufts Residency Program.
Author of various medical journal articles, Dr. Krathen taught at Stanford University School of Medicine and the VA Hospital in Jamaica Plain.