Can Covid-19 affect the efficacy of botulinum toxin?

After multiple anecdotal but widespread reports of decreased toxin longevity and patient dissatisfaction, a new study has indicated that Botulinum toxin’s effectiveness can be affected after Covid-19 vaccines.

Published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, the research was conducted specifically on the influence of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine and its impact on the safety and efficacy of Botulinum toxin type A injections.

The retrospective cohort study followed forty-five patients, forty of which were women, with a mean age of 48.3 years. It analysed the effectiveness of BTA treatments before and after two doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine. The findings revealed that the average interval required between BTA injections was significantly shorter post-vaccination, suggesting efficacy had been impaired.

The findings support wide-reaching anecdotal reports from aesthetic doctors that patients are noticing that their Botulinum toxin results are wearing off more quickly post-pandemic. Other doctors have reported needing higher doses of botulinum toxin to achieve the same results. Or, in rare cases, patients have stopped responding to toxins entirely.

Significantly, the study is notably small, meaning larger-scale research still needs to be conducted to ensure the best efficiency for patients going forward. Plus, the mechanism behind this effect still needs identification through further study, although it is rumoured that the production of antibodies may be somewhat involved.

In better news, the study also assessed the safety of BTA treatments post-vaccination, and no severe associated adverse effects were registered. Thus, the general advice remains to receive Covid-19 vaccinations if individuals have not done so already.