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How Botox Works
Botox is onabotulinumtoxinA, a purified protein that blocks the nerve signals telling a muscle to contract. When a small, precisely placed dose is injected into a specific facial muscle, that muscle relaxes and the skin above it stops creasing. Lines that formed from repeated expression soften, and new ones are slowed from forming.
It only affects the muscles that are treated. Surrounding muscles keep working normally, which is what allows a natural result rather than a frozen one.
Who Botox Is For
Botox suits patients who want to soften dynamic lines, meaning the lines that appear when you move your face. Common reasons patients come in:
- Frown lines between the brows
- Horizontal forehead lines
- Crow's feet at the outer corners of the eyes
- Prevention, to slow lines that are just starting to set
It does not fill volume loss. If your concern is hollowness or deep static folds, dermal filler is the better tool, and many patients use both.
What to Expect
Treatment takes about 15 minutes. Your provider marks the injection points, then places a series of small injections using a very fine needle. Most patients describe a brief pinch. No anesthesia is needed.
You can return to work immediately. Avoid lying flat, rubbing the treated area, or strenuous exercise for the rest of the day.
Aftercare
Small red bumps at the injection sites settle within an hour. Mild bruising is possible and covers easily with makeup the next day. Stay upright for four hours and skip the gym until the following day.
Results begin to appear in three to seven days and reach their full effect at about two weeks. Most patients return every three to four months to maintain the result.
Session Length
About 15 minutes
Downtime
About 15 minutes
Session Count
One session, repeated every three to four months
Results Timeline
Three to seven days, full effect at two weeks
Results Duration
Three to four months
Device or Brand
Botox® Cosmetic (onabotulinumtoxinA, Allergan)
FDA Status
FDA approved for the temporary improvement of moderate to severe glabellar lines, lateral canthal lines and forehead lines
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Botox last?
Typically three to four months. Patients who treat consistently often find the interval lengthens over time as the treated muscles weaken.
Will Botox make me look frozen?
Not when it is dosed and placed correctly. The goal is a softened expression, not a still one, and dosing is matched to your muscle strength and your preference.
What is the difference between Botox and filler?
Botox relaxes muscles to soften lines caused by movement. Filler adds volume to restore areas that have lost fullness. They address different problems and are often used together.
Does Botox hurt?
Very little. The needle is extremely fine and each injection takes a second. Most patients need no numbing at all.
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Dr. Todd A. Besnoff, MD
Medical Director
Top Doctor in Tampa Bay
Dr. Besnoff has been referred to as one of the Top Doctors in Tampa Bay (as seen in the recent Tampa Bay Magazine Top Doctors issue) and Top 100 Aesthetic Provider in America! Dr. Besnoff has assisted and/or performed hundreds of thousands of surgical procedures since 1995 in specialties such as plastic surgery, gynecology, tissue donation and life-saving emergency treatments. In fact, Ultimate Image has been known to have performed more BOTOX® / Dysport® treatments in Tampa Bay than any other provider.