All women want to be young as long as possible. Therefore, many are trying with all their might to get rid of facial wrinkles, which most often form in the nasolabial area, forehead and eyes. Today, one of the most proven and effective anti-wrinkle treatments is Dysport injections. The majority of medications are not compatible with alcohol, so I suggest you find out whether there are consequences of drinking alcohol when taking Dysport injections.
The meaning of the procedure
The main active ingredient in Dysport is neutoroxin type A, which interrupts neural connections between the brain and small facial muscles.
They temporarily lose mobility, allowing the skin located above them to recover in places where there are creases. To do this, the drug, which is the strongest natural poison in high concentrations, is injected intramuscularly using a thin needle into strictly defined points. The blocking is temporary. The first results can be noticed on days 2-3, and the drug fully manifests itself in about two weeks.
If after the procedure you follow all medical recommendations and do not drink alcohol for at least 10 days, the effect can last up to 3-4 months. Otherwise, a maximum of 3-4 weeks. But many patients, not understanding the reasons for the poor compatibility of Dysport and alcohol, ignore these restrictions, and then find themselves disappointed with the results.
conclusions
There is some controversy regarding the timing of the ban on alcohol during Dysport treatment. Some doctors consider it possible to limit the prescribed 2 weeks before treatment and 10-14 days after the injection to 3 days before the injection and a week after the injection.
There is also an opinion that drinking alcohol after a Dysport injection is not harmful, and ethyl alcohol is able to bind botulinum toxin only in vitro, outside the body. And indeed, there are rave reviews from women online that they celebrated their “new face” with a glass of wine or a glass of beer.
But is it worth risking your health, beauty, material costs, and finally, for the sake of alcohol? Wouldn't it be safer to celebrate after two weeks, according to the instructions?
Effects of alcohol
To better understand why Dysport and alcohol are still incompatible, it is worth learning more about how it does not affect the entire body. This is especially true for those who drink alcohol regularly, including beer and low-alcohol drinks. Over time, they develop irreversible processes that can significantly complicate the procedure with Dysport.
On the nervous system
Once in the body, alcohol is rapidly absorbed into the blood and distributed throughout the body. Therefore, the effect of intoxication occurs quite quickly. And since the brain is the main thing, and it is supplied with blood and oxygen in the first place, ethyl alcohol immediately enters it and affects the central nervous system.
The first effect of it is excitement, which very quickly gives way to depression. All reactions slow down, muscle weakness, drowsiness appear, speech becomes difficult, and the ability to concentrate decreases.
Similar symptoms are present when even small doses of botulinum toxin are administered, which also directly affects the central nervous system. This leads to very unpleasant consequences, and sometimes the body’s reaction becomes completely unpredictable and various complications can arise, which we will discuss later.
For blood circulation
Alcohol dilates blood vessels, activates the heart and speeds up blood flow. And this is very undesirable when introducing Dysport, which already has greater diffuseness than Botox - the ability to penetrate into neighboring tissues. Instead of concentrating at the injection points, the drug begins to disperse and is much weaker.
The wounds at the injection sites bleed more, which means that after the procedure there will be more bruises and there is a risk of the formation of extensive hematomas. Part of the drug is thus excreted, which also reduces its effectiveness. In addition, alcohol is an antagonist of botulinum toxin and quickly breaks it down.
For the liver and kidneys
These vital organs serve as a protective barrier for the body, helping it fight off harmful substances and toxins. The liver of a chronic alcoholic is always in a deplorable state, since day after day it has to remove the breakdown products of ethanol and the remains of cells killed by it. With the additional administration of botulinum toxin, which is essentially a poison, the load on the liver increases significantly and this can cause serious disruptions in its functioning.
It is no easier for the kidneys, whose task is to remove all unnecessary substances from the body. How they are activated under the influence of alcohol can be seen by its diuretic effect.
Alcohol is the same poison for humans, although much weaker than Botox. And the body strives to neutralize its negative effects as quickly as possible. Severe overload of the kidneys can even lead to their complete failure.
To the lymphatic drainage
The lymphatic system performs several very important functions in the human body. And one of the most important is its cleansing of toxins and cell metabolism products. Accordingly, alcohol stimulates increased production and movement of lymph.
After Dysport injections, swelling always occurs at the injection sites. This is a normal protective reaction of the body to damage to the skin. But when there is too much lymph (it is what collects under the skin at the site of injury), the swelling intensifies and can persist for a long time.
Possible consequences
Although alcohol and Dysport do not interact directly with each other, there should be no alcohol in the blood when the drug is administered.
Ethyl alcohol in the body:
- Disturbs the distribution of botulinum toxin in tissues;
- Affects the rate of absorption of the drug;
- Retains fluid in the body;
- Disables control over the situation, leads to carelessness and violation of instructions.
Why not? When muscle relaxants are administered in the presence of alcohol, the distribution of botulinum toxin in the muscles is disrupted. This disorder has a particularly strong effect on small, mobile facial muscles.
Drinking alcohol changes the rate of absorption of the neurotoxin, making the effect unpredictable. Increased blood flow leads to migration of the toxin into surrounding tissues, reducing the concentration of the drug at the point of administration of Dysport.
In addition, after the introduction of Dysport, there are prohibitions that must be strictly followed. For example, you should not touch the injection sites, massage them, and you should not tilt your head for 3-4 hours.
You cannot inject botulinum toxin and actively move, dance, or sweat. A person does all this if he drinks; drinking alcohol makes him forget about all these prohibitions.
Alcohol retains fluid in the body, and this is especially undesirable in the first day. The stimulating effect of ethyl alcohol also increases the activity of peripheral nerve receptors that regulate muscle contractions.
And this is exactly the opposite of the inhibitory, paralyzing effect of Dysport on the muscles that it has when administered. Thus, alcohol partially neutralizes the effect of botulinum toxin.
Drinking alcohol while taking Dysport causes side effects such as:
- swelling of the upper eyelids;
- drooping, raising eyebrows;
- pain at the injection site;
- blurred vision;
- contributes to allergies, increasing the load on the liver.
An unpleasant surprise when Dysport interacts with alcohol is the complete absence of the expected cosmetic effect or its short-lived effect.
The tightening, rejuvenating effect of the drug appears in some cases already 2 days after the injection. In other cases, you have to wait a week for visible results.
Side effects
Although we tried to minimize the possibility of complications and side effects after injections, it is impossible to completely get rid of them. Most often, patients have to deal with the following negative consequences:
- extensive bruises and hematomas;
- long-term swelling;
- facial asymmetry;
- ptosis of the upper eyelid or eyebrows;
- violation of facial expressions;
- difficulties with articulation;
- decreased visual acuity;
- double vision;
- headaches, dizziness.
Alcohol consumption can intensify these symptoms. In addition, signs of general intoxication of the body are more pronounced: nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness, irritability, drowsiness, difficulty concentrating.
Using the drug for a hangover
During a hangover, ethanol products remain in the blood. Administration of the medication at this time is contraindicated. The medicine contains a toxic substance with a profound effect. In tandem with ethanol, negative consequences will not be long in coming: allergic reactions, neutralized effect of botulinum toxin.
The drug acts locally. Increases blood circulation at the injection site. Alcohol also increases local blood flow and dilates blood vessels.
If combined with alcohol syndrome, plethora and hyperemia are possible. The effect of the drug will be blocked. Women are at risk of complete muscle paralysis (partial distortion of facial expressions).
Other contraindications
For the reasons listed above, combining Dysport with alcohol is strictly prohibited. This also includes taking any drugs. But there are other contraindications that are worth knowing about. Injections are not given if:
- pregnancy and lactation;
- congenital or acquired myasthenia;
- oncological and autoimmune diseases;
- skin problems at injection sites;
- hemophilia and other blood diseases;
- active viruses and infections in the body;
- tendency to form keloid scars;
- severely weakened immunity;
- elevated body temperature.
If the patient is prescribed a course of antibiotic treatment, at least one week must pass after completion of antibiotic treatment. Blood thinning medications are also not taken before the procedure. It is not recommended to give injections during menstruation.
