Is Botox Treatment For Acne Effective
Plastic surgeons that approve say that Botox can eliminate oil production, large pores, and breakouts. It is recommended that this treatment for acne only be done on people 20 years of age or older, as that is when hormonal changes are most likely permanent. For people that meet this age requirement, Botox can be one of the most effective and safest acne treatments available. Would you consider trying Botox as a treatment for your acne?
Meanwhile, there are plastic surgeons that disapprove of Botox treatment for acne. They argue that its often more diluted than the formula used to smooth wrinkles and injected over a larger portion of the skin where there is more oil production. Overall, opposing professionals consider it to be a painful, expensive, and possibly risky procedure if the provider lacks experience in this method. Additionally, there are much more effective and less expensive acne treatment options. Not only that, but acne is a multifaceted problem that involves more than excessive amounts of sebum. It also has to do with overactive bacteria, inflammation, and overproduction of pore-blocking skin cells. For this reason, it is much better to utilize products and treatment that take all factors into account.
Look To Treatments Containing Copper
Because Botox paralyzes facial muscles by blocking the nerves, there isnt much to be done to reverse the effect, although, according to a 2017 study, copper may inhibit the effects of the toxin.
Copper has been shown to help reverse the effects of Botox injections,” offers Zeichner. “It is unclear, however, whether copper supplements or copper containing topicals may be effective in reversing the effects of Botox. Copper peptides, an increasingly popular skincare ingredient, is known for offering some of the desired side effects of Botox when applied to the skin, and is found in a number of serums, like the Korres Golden Krocus Ageless Saffron Elixir Serum.
Safety And Efficacy Of The Use Of Botox On Acne
The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details. |
Recruitment Status : Terminated First Posted : October 2, 2008Results First Posted : April 30, 2015Last Update Posted : June 29, 2018 |
- Study Details
Drug: Botulinum Neurotoxin Type ADrug: Bacteriostatic saline | Phase 2 |
Study Type : | |
Treatment | |
Official Title: | Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study to Determine the Safety and the Efficacy of Using Botulinum Neurotoxin Type A Injections for Subjects With Mild to Moderate Acne Vulgaris |
Study Start Date : |
Experimental: Botox and Placebo on each side of faceBotulinum Neurotoxin Type A Bacteriostatic saline solution | Drug: Botulinum Neurotoxin Type A1.5-3 units of Botox/lesion |
Information from the National Library of Medicine
Exclusion Criteria:
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Heres Why Allergic Reactions To Botox Or Dysport Are So Extremely Rare:
- Botox, Dysport and related toxins are huge molecules. Consequently, they stay where they are injected with only a small amount of diffusion .
- Allergic reactions are usually caused by small molecules.
- These products are very carefully formulated by legitimate companies, and pure as in free of bacterial proteins. Products made by companies in some parts of the world are not to be trusted.
What Happens During This Procedure

A dermatologist injects very small amounts of purified botulinum toxin.
When treating fine lines and wrinkles, the dermatologist injects botulinum toxin into targeted muscles on the face or neck. 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, a dermatologist injects directly into the skin on the underarm. A single treatment can provide up to 6 months of relief from excessive sweating.
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Use A Gentle Facial Cleanser
The right hygienic regimen can keep your skin healthy and beautiful. However, you may be using an aggressive facial cleanser, which can cause an infection after BOTOX injections. Dr. Manios can advise you about alternative cleansers if necessary. You can return to your normal hygienic routine 24 hours after your procedure.
Learn more about how to get the most from your treatment with BOTOX. Walnut Creek patients can schedule an appointment with Dr. Manios online or by phone at 989-6560.
Can Botox Treat Acne Scars
Having acne on your face can be troublesome. However, whats even more troubling is the parting gift it leaves behind once it goes away acne scars. Unlike hyperpigmentation or discoloration patches, acne scarring permanently alters the skin texture, causing dent-like blemishes in places where the spots used to be. For people who are battling these stubborn acne scars, Botox can prove to be an effective treatment.
While Botox is generally known for removing fine lines and facial wrinkles, it is also an efficient method for clearing acne scars. It relaxes the affected area and helps limit stress on the scar tissue, which further results in less visibility of the scars. Botox is commonly administered alongside fillers to fill the scars and improve the skins appearance.
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Sign : Your Doctor Didnt Take You Into Account
Another nod to there isnt a one-size-all when it comes to neuromodulators, Dr. Grossman says your injector should be looking at your face, analyzing your muscle movements and strengths. Is he/she asking you about how you want to look? Is he/she asking the effects/results that you desire? Those are all important questions. Encino, CA plastic surgeon George Sanders, MD also advise that good old go with who you know route. Have your Botox done in an office where youve had other procedures. They value you as a patient and would never do anything to harm that relationship, like giving you dilute Botox, etc.
How Does Botox For Acne Work
Your dermatologist will perform a series of Botox injections. These injections will block the acetylcholine in the skins dermis. Acetylcholine is linked to the skins oil production. And oil of course turns the skin into a breeding ground for the bacteria that can cause acne outbreaks. With this procedure, patients are experiencing fewer flare ups and healthier, less oily skin.
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How Does Botox Work
There are many different types of botulinum toxin, but doctors mainly use purified botulinum toxin types A and B, which are not dangerous if used correctly.
Medical applications of Botox range from wrinkle reduction to treatment of hyperhidrosis , muscle spasms, neuropathic pain, migraines, overactive bladder, etc.
Here is a brief overview of some of the most common uses of Botox in medicine.
Sign : You Didnt Get The Real Deal
For startersand we cant stress this enoughyou should only go to a board-certified plastic surgeon, facial plastic surgeon or dermatologist to get any kind of injectable done. Beyond that, Troy, MI, plastic surgeon Anthony Youn, MD, says he recommends asking your provider where the neuromodulator is from or doing a quick search online if you have doubts. Ask whether the Botox was purchased directly from Allergan in the United States. This is really the most important question. You can also go online to see if the provider is listed under the Allergan website of official Botox providers.
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How Long Does Botox Last For Acne Scars
The amazing effects of Botox for acne scars are temporary. Depending on how your body metabolizes the product, the results of Botox injections can last anywhere between four to six months. However, because Botox is used with dermal fillers theres a possibility that it would take longer before it wears off.
Your dermatologist or plastic surgeon may recommend getting Botox for acne scar treatment at least once a year to maintain flawless-looking skin.
Things Botox Can Doother Than Relax Wrinkles

There was a time when Botox was treated like Voldemort: Everyone knew it had magical powers, but no one said its name. Now things have changedso much so that Botox is regularly the subject of conversation. So let’s expand the dialogue with a growing list of uses for the wizard of injectables.
1. Manage acne. Botox can curb oil production, reducing breakouts. “To totally treat acne, you’d need to use doses of Botox so large they’d prevent you from constricting your facial muscles,” says Joshua Zeichner, the director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. “But tiny amounts of Botox injected very superficially help reduce oil production, and you can still have facial expressions.” Though he’d recommend it for any patient struggling with acne, Zeichner would likely advise trying another dermatologist-prescribed treatment, like spironolactone or birth control pills, first. And though it can technically be used to quell oil production anywhere on the face, he cautions against using it all over because of potential effects on muscular activity . The most effective and common area for using Botox to curb oil production, he says, is the forehead.
2. Get a temporary face-lift. Jessica Wu, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Southern California, uses Botox to shape her jaw, lift the tip of her nose , and relax wrinkles around her eyes and forehead every three months.
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What Are The Possible Side Effects
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 week.
After receiving injections, people have experienced:
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Swelling
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Weakness in a neighboring muscle, leading to a temporarily droopy brow or eyelid
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Signs and symptoms of botulism, including problems breathing, swallowing, or speaking
The One Ingredient To Pay Attention To:
Dysport only and this is lactose, which is derived from milk and may contain milk protein. If you are truly allergic to milk, get your allergists approval before getting treatment. Or, use Botox instead.
The human albumin is something we all have in our bodies already and is made in the lab.
Hope this helps, Dr. I
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What Type Of Acne Does Toxin Work Best For
All that being said, a recent review of six studies that looked at botulinum toxins effect on acne found that in every case, the primary effect was a reduction in sebum rather than on comedones, acne papules, nodules, or cysts, notes Dr. Waldorf. In other words, Botox has been shown to decrease oil production, which, yes, definitely plays a role in acne formation, but its ability to actually clear up pimples remains more anecdotal than anything. Either way, given that its primary mechanism of action involves the sebaceous glands, it stands to reason that it would be more effective for comedones that are more oil-relatedblackheads, whiteheadsthan for deep cysts. In other words, using Botox for cystic acne probably isnt going to be a thing anytime soon.
When To Talk With Your Doctor
Botox can cause side effects in some people. Most mild side effects of Botox go away with time and dont require medical attention.
Side effects can vary based on the condition youre using Botox to treat. Some of the more common mild side effects include:
- injection site reactions, such as pain or redness
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Does Botox Cause Any Long
Yes. Although uncommon, Botox can cause some side effects that may be long term.
Possible long-term side effects of Botox include:
- urinary retention in people taking Botox for bladder problems
- corneal ulceration in people taking Botox for blepharospasm
If youre concerned about possible long-term side effects with Botox, talk with your doctor.
Excessive Sweating And Acne Treatment
In addition to wrinkle reduction, Botox may also help in the management of excessive sweating and acne. It blocks nerve endings controlling sebaceous and sweat glands, reducing sweating and acne manifestations .
Botox is mostly used in the treatment of excessive armpit sweating or odor.
The injection is applied directly to the sebaceous or sweat glands and prevents the formation of sebum or sweat for about six months.
After that, it needs to be re-applied.
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Botox Doesnt Actually Erase Wrinkles
Since Botox is, of course, a treatment for wrinkles and fine lines, I initially figured a few injections would pull these unwanted imperfections right off my face.
But as it turns out, for most patients, Botox is more preventative than restorative. Its active ingredient freezes facial muscles to keep you from contracting them in ways that deepen lines and wrinkles.
Any line that is present at rest, whether it is an etched in frown line, or a deep wrinkle, is not going to disappear with Botox. Botox is not an iron, says medical, cosmetic, and surgical dermatologist Dr. Estee Williams, MD.
Therefore, the earlier you get Botox, the more preventative its effects hence the trend of getting Botox as early as your 20s.
When To See A Doctor

However, this is not to say that you should ignore bumps that form on your forehead after a Botox injection. While your doctor or dermatologist may have briefed you on what to expect after Botox treatment, you should raise the bumps on your forehead as an urgent issue if:
- They last for more than two days
- They are accompanied by other symptoms
- They grow in size or multiply
- They start to become painful or tender to the touch
There are several reasons why youd suddenly develop a more serious complication to Botox treatments, but in cases of bumps, its most likely that you received a bad Botox unit. While deliberate under or over-dosing of Botox isnt common, its not unheard of, especially if you happen to have received an expired dose. A good rule of thumb to follow is that if you still see bumps, swelling, or other visible traces of your Botox treatment after two days, you should inform your provider immediately.
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What To Do During Botox
What you do during Botox is not as important as what you do before and after Botox, but here are some things you should keep in mind for a good treatment session:
- Go au naturel – Your skin will be cleaned with rubbing alcohol or an antiseptic before you get Botox, so feel free to show up to your appointment with nothing on your skin. If you wear makeup, they will take it off anyway.
- Stay still but pay attention – If you are afraid of needles, don’t make yourself writhe with discomfort by thinking about them. Set your mind on something random, like monkeys juggling pineapples. The Botox will be over before you know it. Stay still but pay attention and follow your practitioner’s instructions. He/she will tell you to smile, relax, frown, etc. during the injection process.
- Use an ice pack – Ice before, during, and after Botox can help reduce any potential signs of bruising.
How Does Botox Treat Acne
A Chicago plastic surgeon conducted a study that found 85 percent of the 20 patients he treated with botulinum toxin injections for acne saw a decrease in pore size, oil production and breakouts in the treated area.
Many physicians believe Botox for acne reduction works because it stops the production of sebum in the face. A Botox treatment that targets acne involves injecting a small amount of the neurotoxin into key muscles of the face.
Acne occurs when the sebaceous glands release too much oil into the skins pores. Bacteria use the oil, or sebum, as food and causes the pore to become inflamed, resulting in a pimple. By stopping the production of sebum, you decrease the amount of oil on the face and minimize the chance of acne.
In addition to clearing breakouts, Botox has several off-label uses that include eliminating excess sweating, controlling leaky bladders and minimizing scars.
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What Are The Serious Side Effects Of Botox
Serious side effects that have been reported with Botox include:
- corneal ulceration in adults and children using Botox for blepharospasm
- spread of toxin effects*
- trouble swallowing
- worsening of migraine
If youre concerned or have questions about possible side effects of taking Botox to treat migraine, talk with your doctor.
*To learn more about this side effect, see Side effects explained below.
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about Botoxs side effects.
Sign : Theres Something Really Different About Your Brows
In another nod to the brow equation, Dr. Bomer points out that if your lateral brow elevates upon brow raising naturally before Botox Cosmetic, and, if while the forehead is getting injected there are no injections in the forehead over the lateral brow, this will lead to the Spock Brow.Not every brow naturally elevates laterally, so not every face requires lateral forehead injection to maintain a natural appearance. If your eyes look hollow before Botox, it is helpful not to have injections at the top of the cheek/side of the eye as this will hollow the eyes more and push the cheek out unnaturally when smiling. Best to keep the injection at the lateral eye and above to raise the tail of the brow without dropping the cheek.
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