Is it possible to inject Botox during menstruation: the subtleties and complexities of the popular procedure

Impact on a woman’s body

The main active component of Botox is botulinum toxin, an organic poison that affects the nervous system. In medicine and cosmetology, the substance is used in very small doses that are safe for the body. By penetrating muscle tissue, botulinum toxin prevents the transmission of impulses to the facial muscles, preventing them from contracting .

Temporary paralysis of the facial muscles helps smooth out facial wrinkles and improve the condition of elastic fibers, allowing the skin to recover naturally.

How Botox affects the body

Botox is a special drug that is used in cosmetology to reduce or completely smooth out wrinkles and minor defects. Most cases of its use are associated with the face - wrinkles around the lips, on the forehead, crow's feet near the eyes, and so on. But the drug is also used on other parts of the body, if necessary. Validity period is from 3 to 7 months.

Botox is the name given to all injections that are designed to smooth out wrinkles and rejuvenate the face. And this is a whole range of drugs (botox, dysport and others) based on botulinum toxin, the poison that causes botulism. But since it was “Botox” that first appeared on the market and received the love of the mass consumer, it was this name that became a household name applied to the entire group.

In cosmetology, a highly diluted toxic substance is used. It is not capable of causing serious harm or leading to irreparable consequences even as a result of regular use.

The principle of action of the drug is simple: a small amount is injected under the skin in the area where wrinkles appear. After a certain time (from several minutes to several hours), it blocks the muscle, literally paralyzing it with its action. The muscle relaxes, straightens and the wrinkle disappears. Depending on the depth and age of the defect, it may either become smaller or disappear completely.

Is it possible to do the procedure during menstruation or not?

During menstruation, many changes occur in the female body. During menstruation, the immune system is weakened, and a woman is most vulnerable .
Sensitivity to pain and external irritants increases, so the procedure may cause more discomfort than usual.

Against the background of hormonal changes, the emotional and physical state of the patient is extremely unstable , which increases the likelihood of developing inflammatory processes.

Doctors do not prohibit Botox injections during menstruation, but in order to avoid negative consequences, they advise rescheduling the session to another date. Also, several days before and after critical days are considered unfavorable for the administration of botulinum toxin.

During the period of hormonal changes, the skin is more susceptible to infectious lesions, such as acne or rashes, so the reaction to the botulinum toxin drug may be unexpected (read about which Botox brand is better here). Each woman's body tolerates premenstrual syndrome differently - some experience swelling on the face. In such cases, experts advise abandoning the procedure at least a week before the onset of menstruation, so as not to reduce the accuracy of Botox.

The essence of the procedure

The rejuvenation effect is achieved by subcutaneous injection of hyaluronic acid. It is already present in the human body and is even produced naturally, which is why it is so easily perceived by them. But after 25 years, as soon as metabolism begins to slow down, the production of hyaluronic acid also decreases. This immediately negatively affects the condition of the skin. Gradually it becomes thinner, loses tone, and becomes covered with fine wrinkles.

It is unrealistic to restore its concentration with the help of masks and creams - they are not able to penetrate the protective hydrolipidic barrier. There are two options to “push” it to the required level: insert it using a needle or hardware procedures. Or take it in the form of tablets and capsules for healing and rejuvenation of the whole body.

How effective is the procedure?

There is an opinion that Botox injections during menstrual periods do not give the desired results .

For many women, the reason for menstruation is a good reason to refuse the procedure.

An experienced cosmetologist will tell you about all possible side effects and explain how botulinum toxin works:

• 
  On the delicate days of the month, the skin of the face constantly changes its characteristics, but this does not affect the effectiveness of therapy, since the active substance is injected into the muscle tissue and not under the skin.

• Botox blocks the transmission of nerve impulses to the muscles and relaxes them. Hormonal changes do not affect muscle sensitivity to the drug.
• The body may reject botulinum toxin, but this is due to individual intolerance and not to the menstrual cycle.

During critical days, the risk of encountering side effects of the drug increases, but this does not significantly affect the relaxation of muscle fibers and, therefore, the effectiveness of the procedure. Therefore, menstruation is not a strict contraindication to botulinum therapy.

Possible undesirable consequences of the procedure during this period

Most often, women undergoing botulinum therapy during menstruation complain of severe pain from injections. This is explained by the body’s increased sensitivity during menstrual periods and greater susceptibility to pain at this time. It is not surprising that even with the use of the thinnest needles, injections that are usually tolerated by the patient during menstruation cause her significant pain. Often, women even require preliminary anesthesia with lidocaine (usually this is done without injection, by simply lubricating the skin with an anesthetic solution).

Sometimes a woman with a low pain threshold will have to apply a local anesthetic.

Naturally, if the injections cause pain on normal days, then during menstruation they are likely to be even more painful.

On a note

It is believed that some Botox analogues - Relatox, Neuronox - are very painful when administered by themselves. Women feel pain when injected with these drugs even outside of menstruation. During menstruation, both the pain of such injections and the duration of pain can increase significantly.

The same is true for pain and itching that develops at injection sites after the procedure. These sensations are one of the most common side effects from Botox injections. If you give these injections during your period, the likelihood of such complications will be much higher.

It is also useful to read: Using Botox in the area around the eyes

Also, on critical days, the risk of other unpleasant sensations that occur after botulinum therapy increases. For example, the patient may experience the illusion of a foreign body under the skin, a feeling of tightness and constriction of the skin. Such effects persist for several days, after which they disappear completely.

Another consequence is swelling and hematomas at the sites of Botox injection. Like the previous side effect, they often occur when a woman is in a completely normal condition, but menstruation significantly increases the risk of their development. These defects are temporary, usually disappear in 2-3 days, but they spoil the impression of the procedure for many women and often provoke fear that they will persist for a long time.

Other consequences of botulinum therapy during menstruation occur much less frequently:

• Pimples and acne at injection sites;
• Flu-like syndrome is one of the most unpleasant. It is accompanied by signs of mild fever, leading to nasal congestion, sneezing and malaise. It goes away quite quickly and is not complicated;
• Allergy. As a rule, it has nothing to do with menstruation, but due to the weakened state of the woman, it can occur more pronouncedly than outside the period of menstruation.

An allergic reaction after botulinum toxin injection cannot be associated with menstruation.

It is important to understand that some of the listed consequences can develop even if they have not previously manifested themselves in a woman. In particular, if during previous procedures the injections were painless for the patient, then during menstruation they may well be accompanied by severe pain that persists for some time after the injections.

Since changes in a woman’s body during menstruation do not affect the activity of botulinum toxin in tissues, the frequency of facial defects from procedures at this time does not differ from the frequency of those that occur outside the timing of menstruation. If after the procedure the patient develops ptosis, a “sad face,” or asymmetry of the eyebrows or lips, the cause of the defect lies in the doctor’s mistakes, but has nothing to do with menstruation itself.

If a woman experiences a serious side effect (for example, eyelid ptosis), then this is a doctor’s mistake, and not the influence of menstruation.

Likewise, the effect of the injections and the speed of its onset practically do not depend in any way on menstruation. In women who undergo the procedure during this period, wrinkles disappear as quickly and for as long as when undergoing it in a normal state.

Review

I was also scared of all sorts of exacerbations if Botox is administered during menstruation. It's good that I didn't listen. I injected it exactly at the junction of PMS and menstruation, injected it in the morning, and things started in the evening. Nothing scary or special at all. Everything is exactly the same. The doctor warned that the injection might be painful, but everything was fine. She even suggested Xeomin because it is more purified than Botox and less likely to cause pain, but I decided to bear with it. I injected Botox all the time, so it’s better not to change. There was no pain, no hematomas or swelling. So there is nothing to be afraid of.

Kristina, Nizhny Novgorod

Advantages and disadvantages

In order to decide whether to do Botox injections on special days of the month or not, you need to familiarize yourself with all the pros and cons of carrying out the procedure during menstruation.

Flaws:

1. The likelihood of complications and inflammation increases.
2. It takes longer to recover from injections.
3. The skin may react unexpectedly to botulinum toxin. Ailments such as peeling, spots, and rashes are possible.
4. Irritability and general dissatisfaction increase.

Advantages:

1. Despite these disadvantages, the final result of therapy will not change.
2. It is not necessary to change your plans because of your period, but it is necessary to inform your cosmetologist about hormonal changes.
3. Some women experience dull pain in the last days of their cycle.

Reviews of Dysport during menstruation

Samoilova Ksenia Olegovna, 37 years old, Novosibirsk I once decided to inject Botox in the last days of my period. She endured the procedure, but felt unwell. Next time I will definitely take into account that the procedure is contraindicated during this period. Kadnikova Ekaterina Viktorovna, 46 years old, Tomsk During menstruation, my health deteriorates greatly. Even painkillers do not always help. Even going to work is problematic for me. Therefore, it never occurred to me to perform cosmetic procedures during this period. Malinina Yulia Aleksandrovna, 44 years old, Nizhnevartovsk My cosmetologist categorically prohibits me from visiting her during her period during PMS. This is explained by the vulnerability of the body. I have no reason not to trust her. I didn't have any problems with the injections. The result after administration of the drug becomes most pronounced approximately 2 weeks after its administration.

Contraindications

Despite the fact that menstruation is not a strict contraindication to botulinum therapy, there are several serious limitations during this period:

1. Do not inject under or around the eyes.
   To eliminate crow's feet, strong painkillers are used, the use of which is undesirable on menstruation days.
2. Botulinum toxin injections should not be given if there is inflammation or damage on the treated area, such as acne, wounds or rashes.

3. 
   Even an experienced cosmetologist may have difficulty administering the drug if premenstrual syndrome has caused swelling on the face.

4. For women whose sensitivity increases significantly during menstrual periods, it is better to reschedule the session to another time.

It is better to start injecting with minimal dosages in order to carefully monitor the body's reaction. You can administer an additional dose of the substance at any convenient time, but getting rid of the excess is quite problematic.

Reasons for refusing injections during menstruation

And all because of the following problems that may arise:

1. Various manipulations during this period, at least somehow related to medicine, are not very pleasant. They can cause either just mild discomfort or real stress to the whole body. And cause new wrinkles to appear. A vicious circle of hopelessness.
2. The increased pain of the procedure is also unlikely to be a pleasant bonus. In normal times, injections are virtually painless. Especially if the doctor is qualified enough. But during menstruation, the situation may change - the increased sensitivity of the body will complicate everything.
3. Bleeding, although rare, is quite possible. Injections are still small pricks. No blood should flow from them under normal conditions. Periods greatly increase the likelihood. And you hardly want to end up in the hands of a cosmetologist during a simple everyday procedure with heavy bleeding on your face.
4. After the procedure, the healing and adaptation process may be delayed and worsened. Bruises, puffiness, swelling - all this already appears in some patients. And menstruation will only make things worse.
5. A side effect periodically becomes inflammatory processes due to the body's reaction to the drug. This is not to say that the probability of this event is extremely high, but during menstruation it increases.

Please also note that injections are carried out with different drugs. And if everything is more or less clear with Botox, then whether it is possible to do Dysport during menstruation is a completely separate conversation. This is practically the same drug, but it contains a higher percentage of botulinum toxin. Doctors say that Dysport is more effective. But all its consequences on the body are not yet precisely known. So during menstruation it is better to refrain from experiments.

Side effects

If it is not possible to reschedule the session to a more favorable day, then it is useful for those who are planning to do the procedure to know what negative consequences they are likely to encounter:

• discomfort is the most common ailment after Botox injection during menstruation;
• swelling or swelling often remains at the injection site;
• when an infection occurs, the inflammatory process is inevitable, since the female body is very vulnerable these days;
• the fair sex sometimes begins to suffer from headaches;
• Light bleeding may begin - an extremely rare occurrence.

Some of the described ailments appear due to the unprofessionalism of the cosmetologist. A competent specialist knows exactly how to do the job most effectively, painlessly and with minimal consequences for the patient.

We suggest reading articles about whether Botox can be done during breastfeeding, during pregnancy, and also at what age Botox injections are required.

Compatible with menstruation

Cosmetologists discourage women from mesotherapy after learning that the date of the session marks the beginning of the cycle. This is due to the fact that mesotherapy during menstruation is officially contraindicated.

The results of injection or hardware methods of delivering the drug to the skin tissue are not affected by the female cycle. The processes occurring in the skin during and after the procedure do not depend on hormonal levels, which change throughout the month.

Classifying menstruation as a contraindication for mesotherapy is associated with unpleasant side effects. The risk of their occurrence increases due to hormonal and related physical and psychological changes that occur in the female body at the beginning of the cycle.

Mesotherapy and biorevitalization during menstruation: do or postpone the procedure?

Busy work schedule, household chores, unforeseen circumstances. A woman has to take all this into account in order to find time to care for herself painlessly for her family and career. And our biological rhythms strive to intervene in this turmoil.

Is it possible to do biorevitalization or mesotherapy during menstruation? The opinions of cosmetologists and their patients on this matter differ: some believe that the procedures may not give the desired effect, others are afraid of large hematomas and swelling, and others insist that there are no real reasons to refuse the desired “beauty injections” in this case. Whose side is the truth on and should we be afraid of negative consequences? TecRussia.ru examines the issue thoroughly:

↑ How do “critical days” affect the results of injections?

Shortly before the start of each regular menstruation, a woman’s concentration of sex hormones in her blood changes significantly, which inevitably affects her physical and emotional state:

• the mood becomes unstable, sometimes familiar things can cause an extremely violent reaction from the nervous system;
• there is a tendency to attach an overly negative connotation to many events and experiences;
• Inflammatory processes are much more active (who among us was not covered in pustules during this period?);
• the pain threshold decreases - sensitivity to external physical influences increases, and it becomes much more difficult to endure them;
• blood clotting decreases.

At the same time, most metabolic and other significant processes in the body do not undergo any noticeable changes. Therefore, from a medical point of view, the basic effects of mesotherapy cocktails, Botox, fillers, biorevitalizants and most other cosmetic drugs do not depend on which day of the menstrual cycle the injections were given.

↑ Physiological features that you should pay attention to

Some specific reactions of our body to hormonal changes can further complicate the implementation of “beauty injections”:

• Closer to menstruation and at its very beginning, pain sensitivity changes. For some women, the difference is so strong that multiple injections performed during mesotherapy or biorevitalization turn from simply uncomfortable into intolerable - especially when it comes to working with delicate areas around the eyes or near the lips. In addition, the emotional coloring of pain also changes – towards a brighter and more negative one. It is no longer possible to cope with such double stress with the help of a conventional anesthetic cream like Emly - you need drugs that, in addition to the analgesic component, contain a moderate tranquilizer - for example, Tempalgin (sold in pharmacies without a doctor's prescription).
• Those patients who are “warned” of the approach of menstruation by purulent pimples may have temporary contraindications to the procedure, since any inflammatory processes in the soft tissues of the face can become a potential source of infection at the sites of intradermal and subcutaneous administration of the drug.
• During menstruation, the ability of blood to clot changes - it becomes more fluid, which creates the risk of the formation of large hematomas on the face. Only the most superficial intradermal injections will be safe. Anything that goes deeper is likely to injure blood vessels. And if on ordinary days this is not scary, then during menstruation it can lead to the formation of diffuse blue discoloration, which will then “bloom” for several days, gradually changing its shade to greenish, brown and yellow. However, many cosmetologists believe that the risks of such a development of events are small, since blood clotting in healthy women during “critical days”, although reduced, still remains within the physiological norm.
• Before menstruation, when the body actively accumulates water, swelling in response to the administration of hyaluronic acid preparations may be more pronounced - even if it is not a dense filler, but a light biorevitalizant or a multicomponent meso-cocktail. However, if a woman does not initially have a tendency to retain fluid in the facial area, there will most likely not be a significant difference.

↑ What are the conclusions: is it possible or not?

In practice, most cosmetologists still dissuade their patients from injection procedures during menstruation. This approach is due to two main reasons:

• Firstly, as we have already found out, it is much easier to subjectively tolerate injections into the soft tissues of the face at the beginning or middle of the cycle, and not closer to the end.
• Any changes in one's own appearance, even temporary ones - such as papules that persist for several days at the injection sites - can be extremely painful for a woman during menstruation. If we add to this the general instability of the nervous system and the tendency to see everything in a black light (and this is what critical days are “famous for”), then the reaction to the results of the procedure can be completely unpredictable. It is much easier to work with a patient when she is rested and calm.

What to do if you can’t sign up for “beauty injections” at another time:

• It will be much safer to schedule a visit to a cosmetologist not on the first days of your period, but on the 4th-5th or later.
• You need to make sure that you do not have problems with blood clotting: even small deviations, which normally would not affect the result, can intensify during menstruation and lead to the appearance of large, persistent hematomas.
• Women prone to swelling should prepare in advance for the fact that their face will look scary in the first few days. It will not be possible to significantly influence the situation, but in a maximum of a week everything should return to normal.
• Those who are confident in their own emotional stability, are not afraid of pain and are ready to challenge stress can safely plan the procedure even on the first day of the cycle: it will be unpleasant, but there are no direct medical contraindications to this for a healthy person.

Physiological features that you should pay attention to.

Some specific reactions of our body to hormonal changes can further complicate the implementation of “beauty injections”.

Closer to menstruation and at its very beginning, pain sensitivity changes. For some women, the difference is so strong that multiple injections performed during mesotherapy or biorevitalization turn from simply uncomfortable into intolerable - especially when it comes to working with delicate areas around the eyes or near the lips. In addition, the emotional coloring of pain also changes – towards a brighter and more negative one. It is no longer possible to cope with such double stress with the help of an anesthetic cream like “Emly” - you need drugs that, in addition to the analgesic component, contain a moderate tranquilizer - for example, Tempalgin (sold in pharmacies without a doctor’s prescription). Those patients who are “warned” of the approach of menstruation by purulent pimples may have temporary contraindications to the procedure, since any inflammatory processes in the soft tissues of the face can become a potential source of infection at the sites of intradermal and subcutaneous administration of the drug. During menstruation, the ability of blood to clot changes - it becomes more fluid, which creates the risk of the formation of large hematomas on the face. Only the most superficial intradermal injections will be safe. Anything that goes deeper is likely to injure blood vessels. And if on ordinary days this is not scary, then during menstruation it can lead to the formation of diffuse blue discoloration, which will then “bloom” for several days, gradually changing its shade to greenish, brown and yellow. However, many cosmetologists believe that the risks of such a development of events are small, since blood clotting in healthy women during “critical days”, although reduced, still remains within the physiological norm. Before menstruation, when the body actively accumulates water, swelling in response to the administration of hyaluronic acid preparations may be more pronounced - even if it is not a dense filler, but a light biorevitalizant or a multicomponent meso-cocktail. However, if a woman does not initially have a tendency to retain fluid in the facial area, there will most likely not be a significant difference. What are the conclusions: is it possible or not?

Firstly, as we have already found out, it is much easier to subjectively tolerate injections into the soft tissues of the face at the beginning or middle of the cycle, and not closer to the end. Any changes in one's own appearance, even temporary ones - such as papules that persist for several days at the injection sites - can be extremely painful for a woman during menstruation. If we add to this the general instability of the nervous system and the tendency to see everything in a black light (and this is what critical days are “famous for”), then the reaction to the results of the procedure can be completely unpredictable. It is much easier to work with a patient when she is rested and calm. What to do if you can’t sign up for “beauty injections” at another time:

It will be much safer to schedule a visit to a cosmetologist not on the first days of your period, but on the 3rd-5th or later. You need to make sure that you do not have problems with blood clotting: even small deviations, which normally would not affect the result, can intensify during menstruation and lead to the appearance of large, persistent hematomas. Women prone to swelling should prepare in advance for the fact that their face will look scary in the first few days. It will not be possible to significantly influence the situation, but in a maximum of a week everything should return to normal. Those who are confident in their own emotional stability, are not afraid of pain and are ready to challenge stress can safely plan the procedure even on the first day of the cycle: it will be unpleasant, but there are no direct medical contraindications to this for a healthy person.

Summing up

According to reviews from most patients, Dysport injections are well tolerated and very effective in the fight against facial wrinkles: on the forehead, between the eyebrows, crow's feet and nasolabial folds. But they are inferior to Botox in the battle against hyperhidrosis, as they often provoke compensatory sweating.

The results from the injections, which are easy to see in the photo, if all medical recommendations are followed after the administration of Dysport, appear within 2-3 days, and in this it is also superior to Botox. But it lasts less - only 3-4 months, at best - up to six months when the drug is re-administered, since it has a slight cumulative effect.

The quality of the product used plays an important role. The patient has the right to demand that it be diluted in his presence, and also to check the expiration date and storage conditions of the product. According to the instructions, it should be kept in the refrigerator at a temperature of 2 to 8 degrees. And under no circumstances should it be frozen. The diluted drug must be used within 8 hours, and its remains must be disposed of.