BOTULINUM TOXIN THERAPY: WHAT IS IT AND IS IT SAFE?

August 26, 2026

Botulinum toxin therapy is one of the most popular cosmetic treatments available.

The are many brands of botulinum toxin available for use. The name brands that you may be familiar with are Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA), Xeomin (incobotulinumtoxinA), Dysport (abobotulinumtoxinA), Jeuveau (prabotulinumtoxinA-xvfs), Daxxify (daxibotulinumtoxinA-lanm) and Letybo (letibotulinumtoxinA-wlbg). These are all neuromodulators.

To help you decide whether this treatment is right for you and to have the treatment performed safely, the American Academy of Dermatology provides the following facts.

 

Warning – Should I buy botulinum toxin online?

Buying botulinum toxin online jeopardizes your health. This product should require a medical license to purchase. If you do not need to show proof of a medical license when purchasing the toxin, the product differs greatly from what a dermatologist uses.

Injecting a product that you can buy without showing a medical license can cause serious complications. Cases of long-term muscle paralysis, Bell’s palsy, and permanent eye damage have occurred.

Getting botulinum toxin injections in a non-medical setting also can be extremely dangerous. To protect your health, you should never get botulinum toxin injections at a:

  • Non-medical spa.
  • Party.
  • Salon.
  • Someone’s home.

 

What happens during botulinum toxin injections?

When treating fine lines and wrinkles, Dr. Oshman injects small amounts of Xeomin into targeted muscles on the face. This temporarily relaxes the targeted muscles, causing fine lines and wrinkles to diminish. The effect lasts about 3 to 4 months — and sometimes longer.

When treating excessive sweating, Dr. Oshman injects Xeomin directly into the underarm skin. A single treatment can provide up to 6 months of relief from excessive sweating.

 

Will I lack facial expressions after treatment? 

Dr. Oshman wants her patients to look natural. To do this, she injects just enough to weaken and relax the targeted muscles without affecting other muscles. This allows patients to maintain their natural facial expressions. The targeted muscles will not be able to move until the toxin wears off.

 

Will I lose my sense of feeling where I have the injections? 

No. This treatment does not affect your ability to feel.

 

When is it safe to have another treatment? 

You can have another treatment when excessive sweating returns when sweating is treated or facial movements return when wrinkles are treated. With repeat treatment for lines and wrinkles, the muscle may thin, leading to longer-lasting results.

 

Is there downtime?

Most people return to their everyday activities immediately. As soon as you leave the treatment room, you can apply makeup. There is a risk of bruising with any procedure where injections are involved. A bruise may take two weeks to resolve.

 

What must I do after the procedure?

To prevent the injected substance from spreading to areas where you do not want it, you’ll need to take a few precautions:

  • Do not rub or massage the areas where you received the injections.
  • If you apply makeup, take care not to press or rub it in.
  • Wait two hours before you engage in strenuous physical activity. This includes lifting heavy items, working out, and any other physical activity that raises your heart rate.

 

What are the possible side effects when injected with neuromodulators?

If a patient develops side effects, these tend to be mild and temporary. The injections, rather than the botulinum toxin itself, cause most mild side effects. For example, a patient may occasionally bruise. If this happens, the bruising lasts about 1-2 weeks.

After receiving injections, people have experienced:

  • Swelling
  • Redness
  • Soreness
  • Bruising
  • Mild headache (uncommon)
  • Weakness in a neighboring muscle, leading to a temporarily droopy brow or eyelid (rare)

 

What is the safety record for having a neuromodulator injection?

More than 20 years ago, a dermatologist and his wife, an ophthalmologist, began using botulinum toxin therapy to treat signs of aging. Today, medical professionals inject millions of patients each year.

When used by Dr.Oshman to treat signs of aging or excessive sweating, no serious side effects like problems breathing or swallowing have ever been reported.

Dr. Oshman continues to make patient safety her No.1 priority.

Call Dr. Oshman for a free cometic consultation. 203-454-0743

Why not look and feel your best today!

Posted in Cosmetic Procedure