Antibiotics and Anti-wrinkle Treatments
A common question that is asked by our patients at Select Aesthetics is regarding the use anti-wrinkle treatments (we use Botox) whilst taking a course of antibiotics. The aim of this article is to provide some clarity for patients regarding the use of Botox whilst taking antibiotics, and the effects that can potentially occur with certain precriptions in this group of medications.
Antibiotics and Botox have completely different effects on the body. Antibiotics, in general, should therefore not reduce the effectiveness of Botox or have any adverse effects to your anti-wrinkle treatment. However, there are a small number of antibiotics which potentially could react with Botox and therefore impact the results of your treatment. These limited antibiotics can either increase the strength of Botox or prevent the Botox from working fully.
Antibiotics that may increase the strength of Botox
Antibiotics in the Aminoglycosides group may increase the strength of Botox. This is because they reduce neuromuscular transmission (i.e. they affect the level of messaging that the muscles receive from the brain). Therefore, if used together, would further increase the paralysis of the muscles injected. Examples of antibiotics in this group are:
Amikacin
Neomycin
Kanamycin
Streptomycin
Lincomycin
Tobramycin
Gentamicin
Clindamycin
Other examples include:
D-penicillamine
Polymyxins
Cyclosporine.
If you are taking any one of the above antibiotics, we advise you to finish the course of medication before coming in for your Botox appointment.
Why does it matter if my antibiotics increase the strength of my Botox treatment?
Botox works by causing a temporary paralysis effect in the muscles which it has been injected into. If the antibiotics that you are taking also reduce the strength of your muscles, this can ultimately result in the paralysis effect being too strong, leading to adverse effects of the treatment, such as eyebrow drops or causing an unwanted ‘frozen’ look.
Antibiotics that may reduce the effectiveness of Botox
Some antibiotics may reduce the effectiveness of Botox. These include drugs in the Aminoquinolones group (antimalarias), such as:
Chloroquine
Hydroxychloroquine
If you’re taking any one of these antibiotics, we advise you to finish the course of medication before coming in for your Botox appointment.
Will Botox have an adverse effect on antibiotics?
There is no evidence to suggest that Botox has any notable effects on the ability of your antibiotics to fight the bacterial infection that is being treated. Therefore, provided your prescribed antibiotics do you not fall into the groups mentioned above, it is safe and appropriate to go ahead with your Botox treatment whilst taking antibiotics.
Other things to consider when on antibiotics
Should you be taking antibiotics to treat an infection near the site where the Botox is going to be injected, you should wait until the infection has cleared before going ahead with treatment, due to the risk of the active infection being spread to other areas of the face when the needle in injected into the skin.
It is recommended that you bring your medication with you to your consultation. Your aesthetic medical professional at Select Aesthetics will be able to determine if it is appropriate for treatment to be carried out, based on the drug itself, potential complications and what the antibiotic has been prescribed for. Additionally, advice can be obtained from your G.P. prior to commencing any treatments.