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Botox and Fillers and Breastfeeding

There is no published research that I have been able to find and trust on the passage of fillers into milk so I cant say that they are safe or unsafe. I just do not know.

There is some information from one mother who caught botulism from eating fermented salmon eggs. She continued to breastfeed. No botulinum toxin or botulism was found in the breastmilk or the baby. The doses that are used medically are far lower than that which would have caused the mother’s botulism so the amount in breastmilk is assumed to be too low to produce adverse effects.

In February 2024 a study of 4 mothers was published https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/fpsam.2023.0326

Objective: To detect the presence of botulinum toxin in breast milk from lactating subjects treated with facial botulinum toxin injections, as measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Methods: For this pilot study, lactating women were injected with standardized facial botulinum toxin type A (BTXA) (range 40–92 U). Collected breast milk samples over 5 days were analyzed for the presence of botulinum toxin. Exclusion criteria included (1) lactating women still using their breast milk for their infant, (2) muscular disorders, (3) any medication that could interfere with neuromuscular function, (4) uncontrolled systemic disease, (5) pregnant, and (6) neuromodulator injection in the past 90 days.

Results: Four lactating women were recruited. Eight samples had no BTXA detected, whereas 8 of the 16 total had detectable amounts, which were well below the reported lethal oral dose for an infant.

Conclusion of the authors: Although the exclusion of lactating women from receiving cosmetic botulinum toxin injections is out of an abundance of caution to the theoretical risk to the infant, this study helps support the notion that facial botulinum toxin injections do not warrant an interruption in breastfeeding. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed.

Caroline Hudson, Parker Wilson, David Lieberman, Harry Mittelman, and Sachin Parikh.Analysis of Breast Milk Samples in Lactating Women After Undergoing Botulinum Toxin Injections for Facial Rejuvenation: A Pilot Study.Facial Plastic Surgery & Aesthetic Medicine.ahead of print

References
1. Lee KC, Korgavkar K, Dufresne RGJ et al. Safety of cosmetic dermatologic procedures during pregnancy. Dermatol Surg. 2013;39:1573-86.
2. Middaugh J. Botulism and breast milk. N Engl J Med. 1978;298:343.

Both these cosmetic procedures have to be undertaken with this limited information in mind. It is your choice .

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