Botox treatment during pregnancy
In our clinic, we are frequently asked if Botox treatment is possible during pregnancy. The short answer to that is: no. In the piece below, you can read more about Botox during pregnancy, Botox and breastfeeding and what is possible to do for your skin instead of a Botox treatment.
Botox is a safe medicine
Botulinum toxin(Botox) falls under the drug law which means that before it was allowed on the market, years of research were conducted on effectiveness, side effects and complications. To date, no adverse long-term effects have been recorded. Thus, Botox is an extremely safe medicine.
Botox during pregnancy
Too little is still known about Botox during pregnancy. Research does not rule out the possibility that Botox can pass the placenta, but there is also no evidence that it can.
Therefore, the decision of the medical cosmetic doctors’ profession is that Botox is not recommended during pregnancy. Cosmetic clinics in the Netherlands are following this decision. Thus, during pregnancy, botox treatment is not possible. However, there are situations where an exception is made; you’ll read about that later.
I didn’t know I was pregnant, now what?
There are times when a client was already pregnant during a Botox treatment, but did not know it yet. Now, a pregnancy is not as easy to plan as a Botox treatment. If that is the case for you, there is no need to panic immediately.
Although not enough studies have been done to guarantee the safety of Botox during pregnancy, there are some studies that may reassure you.
Li Yim and Weir 2010 [1] state in their study “Botulinum Toxin and Pregnancy-A Cautionary Tale” that the use of Botulinum toxin is relatively safe during pregnancy. Morgan’s study (2005) “Botulinum toxin A during pregnancy: a survey of treating physicians” [2] supports this.
William and his team also state in their study (2004) “Botulinum toxin type A therapy during pregnancy” [3] that Botox treatment during pregnancy does not affect the health of the child.
So there are some studies that indicate that Botox can be used safely during pregnancy, however, there is not enough evidence yet. We therefore recommend that you consult your (cosmetic) doctor if you found out that you were pregnant during treatment.
Breastfeeding and Botox
If you are breastfeeding after pregnancy, you should still wait to have Botox treatment. Unfortunately, not enough is known about the dangers of using Botox while breastfeeding, which is why we do not recommend Botox treatment while breastfeeding.
Research did show that Botox, when injected locally into the muscle and skin, does not enter breast milk. No traces of Botox were found in breastfeeding or in the child’s system in this study. However, not enough studies have been conducted to state this with 100% certainty.
What can you do during your pregnancy?
During pregnancy, the blood flow in the skin increases(Skin Fund, Skin Changes During Pregnancy, 2018), this can cause you to have small burst vessels on your face. Therefore, choose a mild superficial treatment. Consider:
- Facials,
- Face mask,
- and, for example, a connective tissue massage.
What not to do during pregnancy
- Botox should not be used during pregnancy
- Also filler treatment should not be done during pregnancy, the reason again being that too little is known about the effects.
- Chemical peels and creams containing vitamin A are also not recommended during pregnancy. So in choosing an alternative, be well informed as well.
Exceptions
In case of medical reasons, Botox treatment during pregnancy is possible. These include chronic migraines and teeth grinding. In this case, it is up to the patient and the cosmetic doctor is to carefully consider the risks and benefits of Botox treatment during pregnancy. The government therefore recommends that you be properly educated by an officially trained cosmetic doctor(Central government, Stricter rules on cosmetic surgery, 2017).
Experienced specialists
The above clearly shows the importance of having a botox or filler treatment performed only by an experienced and certified physician. Make sure that your doctor is BIG registered, preferably NVCG certified (Dutch Society of Cosmetic Medicine) and affiliated with the physician federation KNMG.
Conclusion
To make a long story short; studies have been done on the effect of Botox treatment during pregnancy. Totally, not enough studies have been done to establish with 100% certainty that Botox does not affect pregnancy and thus the baby.
If you are unsure about a Botox treatment during your pregnancy, always have a certified cosmetic doctor properly educate you.
The doctor can advise you and discuss with you whether the Botox treatment is cosmetic or medical. It is very important to weigh the risks against the benefits. And usually during your pregnancy you are busy with whole other things than Botox and wrinkles!
About Us: The Body Clinic
The Body Clinic has been a leading clinic in injectables in the Netherlands for 15 years. We specialize in Botox and Filler treatments, skin improvement and skin rejuvenation and as best tested by the Consumer Association and with a 9.0 and 1,700 reviews the best rated clinic on Kliniekervaringen.nl. Our doctors have been working at The Body Clinic as cosmetic doctors for 15 years. The doctors at The Body Clinic are BIG registered, members of NVCG and cosmetic doctor KNMG.
Making an appointment
If you would like to make an appointment for a consultation or treatment, please contact us. We have a clinic in Amsterdam and in the Arnhem region (Duiven). You can make an appointment online or call 020-4638668 or reach us by email [email protected].
Literature List
- Li Yim, J.F.T., & Weir, C.R., (2010). Botulinum Toxin and Pregnancy-A Cautionary Tale. Strabismus, 18 (2), 65-66. https://doi.org/10.3109/09273971003793930
- Morgan, J.C., Lyer, S.S., Moser, E.T., Singer, C., Sethi, K.D., (2005). Botulinum toxin A during pregnancy: a survey of treating physicians Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, 77, 117-119. https://jnnp.bmj.com/content/77/1/117.info
- William, J., Newman, B.S., Thomas, L., Davis, M.D., Bismal, B., Padaliva, B.S., Cassondra, D., Covington, B.A., Chandler, E., Gill, B.S., Anna, I., Abramovitch. B.S.P., David Charles, M.D., (2004), Botulinum toxin type A therapy during pregnancy. Movement Disorders, 19 (11), 1384-1385. https://doi.org/10.1002/mds.20205
