Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 6, 2026
07:05
Ultrasound-guided Botulinum Toxin-A Injections: A Method of Treating Sialorrhea
Published on: November 9, 2016
24.9K
Management of Complications Following Botulinum Toxin Facial Injections: A Narrative Review
Sara Freixo1, Alexandre Camões-Barbosa2
1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Hospital de Braga, Braga, PRT.
Cureus
|February 5, 2026
Summary
Facial botulinum toxin (BoNT) injections are generally safe, but complications like eyelid ptosis can occur. Management is mostly conservative, with topical eye drops being a common treatment for ptosis.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Dermatology
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- Botulinum toxin (BoNT) is extensively utilized in treating neurological conditions and for aesthetic purposes.
- Facial injections, while generally safe, can lead to complications impacting function or appearance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review reported facial complications after botulinum toxin (BoNT) injections.
- To outline current management strategies for these adverse events.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search was conducted on PubMed up to November 2025.
- 20 relevant studies were selected and their data synthesized narratively due to heterogeneity.
Main Results:
- Upper eyelid ptosis was the most common significant complication, typically managed with topical alpha-adrenergic agonists.
- Diplopia, though rare, was functionally impairing and managed conservatively or with targeted BoNT injections.
- Other complications like asymmetry and local reactions were generally mild and self-limiting.
Conclusions:
- Facial BoNT injections carry a risk of clinically relevant complications, necessitating awareness and management.
- Conservative management is predominant, with apraclonidine and oxymetazoline being key for ptosis.
- Limited evidence underscores the need for prospective studies and standardized treatment protocols.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Directly Acting Muscle Relaxants: Dantrolene and Botulinum Toxin
1.2K
Directly acting muscle relaxants like dantrolene and botulinum toxin (BoNT) have distinct mechanisms and applications. Dantrolene, a hydantoin derivative, acts on the ryanodine receptor (RYR1) in skeletal muscle cells. RYR1 are calcium channels present at the sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane. In response to excitation, they release calcium ions from the sarcoplasmic reticulum to the cytosol. Calcium promotes actin-myosin-mediated contraction of muscles.
The binding of dantrolene to the RYR1...
The binding of dantrolene to the RYR1...
1.2K
01:10Review and Preview
8.4K
In statistics, several tools are used to interpret the data. Measures of central tendency represent the characteristics of the data, such as mean, median, and mode. Additionally, measures of variance like standard deviation and range are used to find the spread of data from the mean. Relative standing measures the distance between data locations. Commonly used measures of relative standings are percentile, z score, and quartiles.
Percentiles are a type of fractile that partition data into...
Percentiles are a type of fractile that partition data into...
8.4K
01:13Review and Preview
11.5K
Data are individual items of information obtained from a population or sample. Data may be classified as qualitative (categorical), quantitative continuous, or quantitative discrete. Because it is not practical to measure the entire population in a study, researchers use samples to represent the population. A random sample is a representative group from the population chosen by using a method that gives each individual in the population an equal chance of being included in the sample. Random...
11.5K
01:36Types of Toxins
3.7K
Humans continually engage with an environment rich in potentially harmful chemicals. These are introduced to our bodies through inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact. These chemicals exist in various forms, such as air and environmental pollutants, agricultural chemicals, organic solvents, and heavy metals.
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
Environmental pollutants like...
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
Environmental pollutants like...
3.7K
01:14Muscles for Facial Expressions
4.9K
The craniofacial muscles are a collection of approximately 20 thin skeletal muscles situated beneath the skin of the face and scalp. These muscles, primarily responsible for the vast array of human facial expressions, originate from the bones or fibrous structures of the skull and extend outwards to connect with the skin. While most skeletal muscles in the body are enveloped in thick fascia, facial muscles generally have a more delicate fascial covering, with the buccinator muscle being a...
4.9K
01:24Hemodialysis II: Procedure and Complications
865
DialyzersA hemodialysis (HD) dialyzer is a plastic cartridge containing thousands of parallel hollow fibers, which serve as semipermeable membranes. These fibers are typically made from cellulose-based or other synthetic materials. During HD, blood is pumped into the top of the cartridge and distributed among these fibers. Simultaneously, dialysis fluid, known as dialysate, is introduced into the bottom of the cartridge, bathing the outside of the fibers. Across the semipermeable membrane,...
865