If you’re looking to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on your face, Botox is the perfect treatment. Whether you’re a Botox regular or you’ve been considering it, you may need to put your plans on hold if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning on becoming pregnant.
We know (from experience) that women want nothing more than to look and feel their best throughout pregnancy. Those “good” days can sometimes seem hard to find when you share your body with another human. Just because Botox doesn’t come recommended, it doesn’t mean there aren’t tons of other pregnancy-safe ways to do it. Let’s understand the reasons why Botox is on the “things to skip” list for pregnant and breastfeeding women with the answers from our experts below.
Is Botox safe while pregnant?
The short answer to this question is we don’t recommend the treatment during pregnancy and breastfeeding, but for good reason. Even though Botox is THE most studied and researched treatment of its kind, there is simply not enough evidence to say whether or not Botox is safe during pregnancy.
Botox is a drug from botulinum toxin and is used for both cosmetic treatments and to treat some medical conditions. Injections can freeze facial muscles and prevent lines and wrinkles from forming.
According to the FDA, Botox is a Category C drug during pregnancy which means there have been no sufficient or dedicated studies to prove the drug is safe or unsafe (aka women weren’t lining up to test it out and for good reason – it’s more than just them now). It’s important to understand that Botox has not been proven to be harmful to the fetus during pregnancy, but it’s also inconclusive on whether it is 100% safe – so we always err on the side of caution.
Category C means that the benefits to the woman need to outweigh the potential risk to the fetus for the treatment to be used. For example, if Botox is being used for migraines, Botox may be recommended, but this is not usually the case for cosmetic purposes.
As a result, patients and providers agree to delay Botox injections until the baby has been delivered and is no longer being breastfed.
Potential complications of having Botox during pregnancy
Due to the risks involved, there have been very few studies on the effects of Botox in pregnancy which makes it difficult to understand what the complications can be.
The key concern as with any new medication taken during pregnancy is always birth defects, but without enough evidence to support, complications remain inconclusive.
What if you have Botox, and then find out you’re pregnant?
If you’ve already had Botox and then found out you’re pregnant, you might be wondering if you’re still safe.
Studies have been conducted on pregnant women who had Botox injected when they did not realize they were pregnant at the time, and no untoward effects were recorded.
Can you get Botox while breastfeeding?
OOnce your baby has arrived, you may be wondering how soon you’ll be able to have Botox. You can have Botox after giving birth but, if you’re breastfeeding, you may need to wait a little longer. According to the FDA, it’s unknown whether Botox can affect breastmilk, so it is not usually recommended that you have Botox while breastfeeding either.
There is research to suggest that Botox may not enter your bloodstream, but this data is inconclusive and scarce as well due to data and women understandably not wishing to take part in this study. Unless you’re having Botox for medical reasons, it’s usually better to wait until your baby is weaning.
Pregnancy safe alternatives to Botox
We understand that you still want to look and feel your best while pregnant or breastfeeding. You can’t mimic Botox results 100%, but there are treatments available that can help to diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles until you’re able to have Botox injections again.
Take a look at the list below:
Hydrafacial
A hydrafacial can help to boost your overall skin complexion. This treatment uses a five-step process to cleanse, exfoliate, extract and hydrate your skin, leaving your skin glowing. This treatment is completely safe during pregnancy and can help you to look and feel great throughout your pregnancy, keeping skin hydrated and healthy.
Chemical peels
Chemical peels stimulate the epidermis and dermis of your skin to encourage the growth of new cells which can improve skin tone and texture. There are different types of chemical peels available, and that are pregnancy-safe, so please contact our team for more information.
At-Home Care
Schedule a consultation with one of our skin care experts. They will introduce you to the pregnancy-safe skin care product lines we carry and choose the best products for your skin. While you’re away from our clinics growing that baby, you can still enjoy beautiful, glowing skin.
To book a consultation at our Denver or Greenwood Village clinics, please contact us today.
You may also like:
