Everything you need to know about Haytox, the Botox treatment for hay fever

Will Haytox fix my red-raw nose and puffball eyes forever?

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, more than 4.6 million Australians experience allergic rhinitis (the fancy science word for hay fever). And if you’re anything like me, double-dropping a Telfast does little to nothing to slow down your sinuses on a bad day.

One particularly bad spring day, after I had walked around the office with puffball bright-red eyes that made it look like I’d been crying, I decided enough was enough. As I blew my red raw nose, I decided to ask Google ‘How to fix ha yfeve forwever?’. Despite my blurry-eyed spelling, Google spat out the usuals like antihistamines, steroids, decongestants, and alternatives like acupuncture and Chinese medicine. Sigh, I’d tried it all. But there was one suggestion that surprised me, and that was Botox.

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You’re probably familiar with Botox, which is the commercialised name for botulinum toxin. It’s often used as a treatment for cosmetic enhancements and anti-wrinkle injections. Botulinum toxin works by paralysing the communication between our muscle fibres and neurotransmitters, causing atrophy, which is a decrease in size or degradation of muscle or tissue. The use of this toxin for the treatment of hay fever has been given the kitschy name of ‘Haytox’. And against what you might expect, it’s actually entirely non-invasive.

Unlike the use of Botox for anti-wrinkle injections where the toxin is injected into the surface via a needle, Haytox is administered more like a run-of-the-mill nasal spray. Now, I’m not going to lie, I was a little disappointed when I realised it wasn’t one of those procedures I could pass off as ‘medical’ with a bonus side of aesthetic effects, like chucking in a nose job when fixing your deviated septum (a girl can dream). But if you’re not a big fan of needles, the delivery of this treatment is great news for you!

How does it work?

Like its sexy cousin Botox, Haytox works by ‘freezing’ the muscles that stimulate our reactions to allergens that cause the effects of hay fever. Dr Frank Barbegello from Medico Estetica refers to Haytox as a front-end response to allergies, as it aims to stop how our bodies initiate symptoms when we come into contact with triggers. This is different to back-end responders like antihistamine tablets, which work to mediate the symptoms after you experience them.

Essentially, the aim is to prevent your immune system from ‘switching on’. It’s important to mention some doctors believe the treatment may not work as well for hey fever that is not allergy triggered.

What does it feel like?

The treatment is administered by spraying the mixture of Haytox with sterile salty water into your nose through an applicator in succession until the applicator is empty. If your practitioner is gentle, most people do not experience any pain, but you will hay fever attack. My advice is to pack tissues for the ride home in case you get the post-tox sniffles.

So, is it actually effective?

Like any medical treatment, the answer to this is subjective. Many clinics claim you can expect to see results anywhere from instantly to up to five days. The verdict on how long the effects will last is varied too. Some claim the treatment may last for three months, and others claim you may need a few back-to-back initial treatments to see effects and an ongoing treatment plan to maintain results.

Pricing varies too, with many clinics advertising that a quick huff of tox up the nose will cost you anything upwards from $250. Online reviews of Haytox show mixed results, some super fans swear by it. If it’s something you’re considering, it’s super important you consult your GP before you try something new like Haytox, and doubly important you thoroughly research your clinic, doctor’s credentials and reviews before you receive any treatment.

It’s too soon for me to tell if my experience with Haytox will be life-changing. I would love to forever avoid another expensive washing machine repair due to clogging it up from forgetting about used tissues in my pant pockets (‘Is the wad of used tissue in the room with us right now?’ kind of trauma). And maybe, god willing, I can wear eyeliner in spring without it smudging from my hay-fever-induced tears!

This article was originally published on May 12, 2023.

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