Can Moms Get Botox While Breastfeeding?

botox Dan Belkin Botulinum Toxin Mary P. Lupo MD breastfeeding

By Camille Hutchison , Parent Herald Nov 30, 01:09 pm

Various factors might affect your physical changes. Whether it's a first child or not, there is also a list of products, activities, and foods that one should avoid, especially during pregnancy. Some of them still apply even after the arrival of the newborn. However, many moms wonder if they can undergo a procedure like botox while breastfeeding their child.

After pregnancy, moms might feel anxious to use some of their luxuries as they would consider if it's safe for them and the baby.

On the other hand, pregnancy is sensitive aside from rollercoaster emotions, anxiousness, vulnerability, and overwhelming feeling due to rising levels in the first three months. Furthermore, moms felt the massive indescribable feeling during pregnancy due to the profound changes that pregnancy and a new baby will bring.

Many moms get self-conscious after the baby's delivery as they think they are not like they were before and would consider undergoing a procedure that would somehow bring back their physical appearance before pregnancy.

What is Botox?

Botox is the most standard cosmetic procedure in the United States. Roughly 5 million treatments are executed annually. This procedure is an in-office injectable treatment that temporarily smoothens fine facial wrinkles and lines. The result can be immediately seen after several days to weeks and usually lasts 3-4 months before retreatment is needed.

On the other hand, Dan Belkin, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist at the New York Dermatology Group in NYC, explains that Botox is only the brand name.

Botox is the "Botulinum Toxin" brand name, a neuromodulator that soothes muscles when insinuated locally into the skin. Other brands are lumped under the banner but consumed for the same purpose, including Dysport, Jeuveau, and Xeomin.

Noting that botox relaxes particular muscles of expression on the face, lessening the wrinkles and gently contouring areas like the brow.

Botox only takes a near-microscopic amount of a particular active ingredient per vial of Botox to meddle with the movements of the muscles, which gradually smoothes the skin over the specific injected muscles, per Very Well Family.

Can Botox affect breastfeeding?

Mary P. Lupo, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at the Lupo Center for Aesthetic & General Dermatology in New Orleans, says that no studies and evidence that botox injected in specific muscles will interfere with the breast milk and would harm the child.

However, Dr Lupo points out that although there are no proofs that would back up the claim regarding the botox affecting the milk from moms who breastfeed. It's still best to wait until you are no longer breastfeeding, just for your safety, especially for your baby.

Moreover, Botox is a prescription medication meaning it comes with potential side effects whether you're breastfeeding or not. Such side effects may entail neck pain, headache, vision disturbances, fatigue, allergic reactions, and pain or bruise in the injected area.

Despite the ability of Botox to give one youthful-looking skin quickly, some women prefer to wait up to 48 hours to breastfeed their baby after injections, per Infant Risk.