Having a child is an amazing and joyful experience. That said, it can be quite exhausting, particularly for breastfeeding women; for this reason it’s normal to be looking for a quick pick-me-up for the skin. Many new mothers want smoother, more radiant skin especially when their skin is looking a bit more dull than usual.
Botox can make your skin look younger in seconds, and it has been one of the most popular beauty treatments for both men and women for a long time. But is it safe for you to do it while you’re still trying to breastfeed? Let’s have a look.
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What Is Botox?
Botox is an injectable form of the neurotoxin botulinum toxin, which prevents nerve impulses from the brain from reaching the injected muscles. Botox slows down muscle action, smoothing out the skin above it and reducing wrinkles visibly. A lot of women use it in order to give their skin a lovely and natural refresh, and it also minimizes the obvious appearance of skin impurities like fine lines and wrinkles, which may make your skin seem more dull than it really is. For this reason, it is quite normal for women, and particularly for mothers, to look into the possibility of undergoing this treatment option in order to get a more rejuvenated appearance.
Is It Safe To Get Botox While Breastfeeding?
The safety of Botox on breastfed newborns has only been briefly studied in a few small trials. There were no signs of the toxin in the mother’s milk or the infant in the instance of a nursing mother who had Botox. It is assumed that the amounts injected during a treatment are insufficient to enter breast milk since the neurotoxin used for cosmetic Botox treatments is minuscule and cannot result in botulism.
There isn’t much research, however, that either supports or contradicts this supposition. Because of this, doctors who administer Botox prefer to use caution and advise women to wait to get the treatment until they have finished breastfeeding. This is mostly because the doctors want to prevent any issues or risks from developing in you or the child following the treatment.
Is Pump and Dump A Reliable Fix to Getting Botox Treatments While Breastfeeding?
The practice of pumping out and discarding possibly dangerous substance-contaminated breast milk is known as pumping and dumping. After drinking, some women utilize the pump and dump technique to get rid of any alcohol-containing milk. When enough time has elapsed and the alcohol has left their body, they resume breastfeeding.
However, eliminating hazardous chemicals from breast milk by pumping and dumping is ineffective. As long as the chemical is in the mother’s circulation, toxins continue to be present in breastmilk. Regardless of whether the mother pumps and dumps, alcohol normally exits the body within several hours.
The injected chemical in the case of Botox takes many weeks or months to break down, and it is unknown with certainty whether it passes into breast milk.
Most medical professionals advise moms to wait until after the breastfeeding phase is finished to get Botox since the possible hazards of the treatment for the infant outweigh the advantages for the mother.
What Negative Effects Can Botox Have On Mothers?
The possible negative effects of Botox for nursing moms are the same as those for other cosmetic Botox users.
Botox rarely causes adverse effects, which are often minor if they do occur. They consist of:
- Redness,
- Swelling ,
- Bruising,
- Numbness.
More serious consequences are quite uncommon and those consist of:
- Headache
- Nausea
- A sore neck
- Speech loss
- Breathing or swallowing issues
- Blurry or double vision
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Rashes
- Fatigue
- Mouth ache
- Closed eyelids
When an untrained, non-medical practitioner conducts the treatment, severe adverse effects often happen. The majority of these negative responses are also additional reasons why doctors urge their patients not to have Botox therapy while nursing. Although there is a danger for the mother, there is also potentially a significant risk for the child that is nursing.
All that said, Botox is a fantastic procedure for a wrinkle-free, refreshed appearance. It is preferable to delay the treatment until after your infant has stopped breastfeeding, if you are nursing, nevertheless. Limited research indicates the technique isn’t risky, but in the absence of solid proof, medical professionals advise avoiding any possible hazards to the breastfeeding child.
Once you have stopped nursing, be sure to schedule an appointment with a respected, trustworthy doctor who has a lot of expertise with Botox injections.
