Botox treatments are quick with minimal discomfort. The treatment requires no anesthesia or recovery time. Many people get Botox during their lunch hours and are able to return to work right after their appointment.

The procedure is not considered painful. Most patients report a brief period of discomfort during the injection, which does not persist once the procedure is complete.

While the experience of each patient may differ, it usually takes 3-5 days to see the effects of it . For some, it may take up to 2 weeks to realize the final effects.

The results of Botox typically last between 3-5 months from the date of injection. Over time the body metabolizes the Botox, leading to the slow return of muscle movement in the treatment area. Patients can choose to maintain their Botox results for longer periods by undergoing periodic maintenance treatments every 3-4 months.

Some patients may wonder if they are ‘too young’ or ‘too old’ to try Botox. There is no right or wrong age to start using Botox. Patients should be evaluated and receive a consult by a medical professional prior to treatment. Many millennials are starting to using Botox in their twenties when they first start to notice lines and wrinkles or as a preventative measure.

Yes, It is an FDA approved treatment for reversing lines and wrinkles. However, patients who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have certain neurological diseases should not receive Botox treatments.

A week before the treatment most physicians will advise patients to stop consuming alcohol or taking medications or supplements that thin the blood like aspirin, ibuprofen, Gingko Biloba, or Ginseng. This will help minimize bruising after the procedure.

Side effects from a Botox treatment may include bruising, swelling, redness, or tenderness around the injection site, all of which will resolve without intervention after a few days to a week.

While Botox, Dysport, and Xeomin treat the same symptoms in a similar manner there are differences between these products. For more details, please refer to the following blog posts.

The difference between Botox and Dysport comes down to varying formula characteristics:

Dosage: There is one important difference between Botox and Dysport: they are dosed differently. It takes three units of Dysport to equal the muscle relaxing strength of one unit of Botox. This distinction is very important, 50 units of Botox does not equal 50 units of Dysport. Please see a licensed injector for proper dosage.

Dilution: Dysport is diluted differently than botox. So if a patient is used to a certain number of Botox units for a treatment they will likely need to increase the number of units when switching to Dysport (or vice versa). However, greater dilution does not mean that Dysport is less effective than Botox. It just means that a higher quantity of Dysport is needed to achieve the same level of result. For clinics that price the products by the unit, you will find that that price per unit of Dysport is typically much lower than the price per unit of Botox, but to get a similar treatment result the final cost may be about the same.

Molecule size: The Dysport formula contains smaller molecules compared to Botox, which may be beneficial. Smaller molecules enable Dysport to work faster than Botox and a larger area of spreading. In some areas this is beneficial and in some areas this is not. That is why it is very important to go to a provider who has lots of experience and expertise in proper dosing and placement of your neurotoxin.

Diffusion: Dysport tends to diffuse more than Botox, causing it to spread to a broader area after it’s injected. This means a larger treatment area can be addressed in fewer injections, which can be beneficial when addressing larger treatment areas. However, this diffusion means Dysport is less effective in treating smaller areas where more precision is needed or areas with thicker muscles.

Onset: Compared to Botox, Dysport has the quickest “onset” of action; typically requiring 24 hours for all results to be realized. Botox can take up to 72 hours for results to fully establish.

The main difference between Xeomin and Botox has to do with the formulation. Xeomin is a “naked” neurotoxin. That is, Xeomin contains only a single ingredient (botulinum toxin A), while the formulation of Botox includes various protective proteins clustered around the active molecule. The benefit of Xeomin’s pure-form means users have a lower chance of developing resistance (antibodies) that can limit its desired effects.

Another difference between Botox and Xeomin is the onset of results. While the results of both treatments last for about the same duration (3-6 months), Xeomin requires up to 4 days for results to fully form, while Botox typically only requires about 72 hours.

The final major difference is behind the scenes: since the Xeomin formulation does not contain additional additives it does not have to be refrigerated before use. This feature simplifies distribution and storage of the product, which may make it more desirable than Botox to some clinical practices.