Wait, Can Botox Actually Get Rid of Acne?

Dealing with wrinkles AND acne has to be the cruelest double whammy of skin issues. You'd hope to be done with zits by the time you're getting forehead lines, but sometimes it doesn't work out that way. However, there might be a surprising way to handle both in one fell swoop. 

It turns out that a potential side effect of Botox could make it an acne-fighting secret weapon, according to Marie Claire. The magazine reports that a plastic surgeon in Chicago just published an intriguing study about Botox’s effect on acne. It’s the only study of its kind, and it’s small — just 20 patients were involved. But of those 20 patients injected with a single dose of Botox, 85% saw a decrease in pore size and oil production in the area of the injection.

No complications were observed, and 17 out of the 20 patients said they were satisfied with the procedure. Dr. Anil R. Shah concluded in the study that Botox may play a role in decreasing sebum production (AKA the excess oil that can cause acne), but noted that further study might be necessary.

The dermatologist Marie Claire consulted was conflicted on whether Botox could be a good treatment for acne problems. "When we inject Botox into the forehead and between the brow for cosmetic purposes, many patients found that they sweat less, also have a decrease in forehead acne," Dr. Melissa Kanchanapoomi told Marie Claire. But she wasn't sold on it being the best treatment for acne at this time.  

Still, with all the potential Botox side effects, at least there's one that's actually appealing.