A prewedding Botox treatment gone terribly wrong!

Dr. Irwin
December 7, 2014
Hi Dr. Irwin, I'm in desperate need of help. I just moved to San Diego to build a home with my fiance in San Diego. Our wedding is two months away and I went to a facility new to me, run by a doctor and nurse practitioner. I went in for minor botox between my eyes and crows feet. I inquired about juvaderm for tiny lines below and on the side of my mouth. I think she used Botox and now half of my face is paralyzed & I'm mortified. I have no smily on one side of my face. When I called the facility they suggested I try laser (at a fee) saying that it could lessen the botox - please help.

My heart goes out to you on this!  This can’t be a good feeling.   First, assuming that they’ve seen the problem, PLEASE DO NOT GO BACK TO AN OFFICE WHICH MAKES A MISTAKE AND THEN TRIES TO SELL YOU SOMETHING ELSE! 

Secondly, a laser will not lessen the Botox and you risk another complication too close to your wedding.   It is difficult to get Botox to wear off sooner but try to find out exactly how much they injected in units and then find a reputable board certified dermatologist (see this link) who can help you through this.  This is one situation where I think electrostimulation facials (but just do it on the one side), may help it to wear off a bit sooner. 

It would be interesting to see if the doctor  you mention is a board certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon.   Many doctors now set up clinics that seem to be dermatology clinics,  when the doctors are in fact, anesthesiologists, ERs docs or Obs.  Hard to believe this is legal in the U.S., but it is.

Good luck to you!  Dr. I

Dr. Brandith Irwin, MD

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Hi, I’m Dr. Irwin. I believe that consumers deserve a medically trained and unbiased skin care advocate.

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