Is Botox Really Safe?

The short answer is yes. Many people worry about Botox injections. After all, Botox is botulinum toxin A, which is responsible for the deadly food poisoning known as botulism. Remember, however, that almonds contain cyanide. In fact, it's what gives them their flavor. But does fear of the deadly poison drive you to eat a Mounds even when you feel like a nut? No, because the dosage is so low that you could not possible eat enough almonds to die of cyanide poisoning.

In similar fashion, the dosages of toxin in Botox are very small. And they are localized in the injection site where they only work to correct the shape of specific muscles.

But what about the 16 people killed by Botox I saw on the news? News media are always looking for the best angle to tell a story, and it often leads to a distortion of the facts. First, the reported deaths are only suspected to be related to botulinum toxin A injections. Second, the majority of the deaths were in cases where botulinum toxin A was being used to treat spasms associated with cerebral palsy or other neurological conditions. These people received much higher dosages than used in cosmetic treatments. Of the 16 purported deaths, only one was suspected of being connected to cosmetic Botox. Finally, since it won FDA approval in 2000, Botox cosmetic has been used in nearly 20 million procedures, making the likelihood of death by Botox very very small.

Is Botox really safe? Botox is 200 times safer than having a dog, 2000 times safer than bathtubs, and almost a million times safer than driving in, riding in, or walking near an automobile.

To learn more about the risks and benefits of Botox injections, contact Face Beautiful Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery, serving Escondido, California.