If you are asking the question ‘Can Botox be reversed’ then there are likely to be one of two reasons for this. The first reason is that you have just recently had Botox and are not happy with the results. The second reason is likely to be that you are considering having Botox but are worried in case something goes wrong and want to know if it can be reversed. The simple answer to whether Botox can be reversed is no!
Unfortunately there is no known ‘antidote’ to Botox although this does not necessarily mean there is nothing that can be done if you experience certain unwanted results. The most common unwanted problems that may be able to be corrected are as follows:
- Uneven appearance on one side of the face to the other: If for example your crow’s feet have been reduced more on one side than the other side, then it is possible for a skilled practitioner to ‘even out’ your appearance by adding more Botox to the least affected side.
- Drooping eye lid: One of the potential side effects of Botox is that the upper eye lid (Levator muscle) is inadvertently affected causing the lid on that side to droop. This will give a particularly undesirable look but thankfully your practitioner will be able to prescribe you with some special eye drops to help give that eye lid a lift. These drops will have to be put in every day until the effects of the Botox completely wear off.
Unfortunately however if it just a case of too much Botox being injected then there is nothing that can be done to reverse the effects. For example, if you have had too much Botox injected in to your forehead you may develop the ‘Frozen face’ look and unfortunately there is no way of reversing it. That is the bad news about reversing Botox but the good news is that the effects are not permanent. The body naturally metabolises Botox and after a period of about 4 months most of the effects (either positive or negative) will be completely reversed. You can read more about how long the effects of Botox last by reading a previous post that I wrote: How long do the effects of Botox last?
Although Botox cannot be reversed this should not particularly give you cause for concern as complications of Botox are extremely rare. Practitioners will be especially cautious if it is the first time you have had Botox injections as they can never be 100% certain how your body will respond to it. Your practitioner will generally start by administering low doses of Botox and then increase it until they get the desired effects. It is far easier to add more Botox than it is to deal with people who have been over injected.
In summary, the Botox procedure cannot be reversed but having said this it is very rare that it would need to be reversed. An experienced practitioner till take particular care if you are a new patient or if it is your first time so as not to over inject you with Botox. It is very rare that people get undesirable effects from Botox and if you are one of the unlucky ones then you at least know it will not be permanent, lasting an average of 4 months.
For more information on Botox you can visit TreatmentSaver.com