Botox, a plain guide before your first appointment

What Botox is

Botox is the brand name of onabotulinumtoxinA, a purified protein that temporarily relaxes the muscle it is placed in. When a muscle that creases the skin moves less, the line above it softens. That is why it is used most often for dynamic lines, the ones that appear when you frown, raise your eyebrows or smile.

Botox belongs to a group called neuromodulators. Other brands in the same group include Dysport, Jeuveau, Xeomin and Daxxify. They work in a similar way and differ in formulation, how they are prepared and how they tend to spread and settle. If you are choosing between brands, read botox vs dysport and jeuveau vs dysport.

Common areas

• Forehead lines across the brow
• Frown lines between the eyebrows, often called the 11s
• Crow's feet at the outer corners of the eyes
• The jaw muscle, sometimes for a slimmer jawline or clenching, see masseter botox
• A small dose along the upper lip, known as a lip flip

Botox does not add volume. If your concern is hollowness or lost fullness, a filler may be what a provider suggests instead. Botox vs filler explains the difference.

How the appointment usually goes

Most first visits start with a consultation. The provider asks about your health history and medications, looks at how your face moves, and talks through what you hope to change. A good consultation includes a frank conversation about what Botox can and cannot do for your lines.

If you go ahead, the skin is cleaned and the provider may mark the points to treat. The injections themselves use a very fine needle and take a few minutes. Many people describe a brief pinch. Some clinics offer ice or a numbing cream for comfort. You usually sit upright for a short while afterward and then go back to your day.

Session length and how many sessions

The treatment itself is quick, often 10 to 20 minutes, with the consultation adding time on a first visit. One session is usually enough for a given area. Many clinics invite you back about two weeks later to check how the result has settled, and some adjust at that visit. Keeping the effect means returning for maintenance visits, which is the main factor in long-term cost.

Recovery and aftercare in general terms

There is little downtime for most people. Small bumps at the injection points usually fade within the hour. Mild redness, tenderness or a small bruise can appear and tends to settle within a few days. A headache on the first day is reported by some people.

Providers often give a short list of aftercare instructions, such as avoiding rubbing the treated area and holding off on strenuous exercise or lying flat for a few hours. Follow the instructions your own provider gives, since they know exactly what was done.

Results are not instant. Many people notice a change in a few days, with the full effect around two weeks.

How long results usually last

For many people, Botox results last about 3 to 4 months, and some find the effect lasts a little longer once they have had several treatments. It varies with the area treated, the strength of the muscle, metabolism and the product used. The muscle gradually regains movement and the lines return. Nothing about this is permanent, and no provider can promise an exact timeline. For a longer look, read how long does botox last.

Reasons a provider may say no or ask you to wait

Botox is not right for everyone, and a careful provider will screen before treating. Common reasons a provider may decline or suggest waiting include:

• Pregnancy or breastfeeding
• An active skin infection, rash or cold sore in the area
• Certain medications, including blood thinners, or recent treatments that affect healing
• Certain neuromuscular conditions, such as myasthenia gravis, or some autoimmune conditions
• A known allergy to any ingredient in the product
• An important event in the next few days, when there would be no time to settle

Ask a licensed provider.

What it costs

Price varies by clinic, ask for a quote. Some clinics price by the area treated and others by the amount of product, so two quotes can look different and still describe the same plan.

What moves the price

• The number of areas treated and how strong those muscles are
• The product brand, since neuromodulators are priced differently
• The provider's training and experience
• Your city, since clinic costs differ widely across the country
• Follow-up and touch-up policy
• How often you return for maintenance visits

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons publishes national average fees each year in its procedural statistics report, and those averages exclude facility costs. A local quote is the only reliable number. Read the full botox cost guide.

Questions to ask at the consultation

• Who will perform my treatment, and what is their license and training?
• Which product do you use, and why that one for me?
• Do you price by area or by amount of product?
• What result is realistic for my lines, and what is not?
• What should I expect in the first two weeks?
• Is a follow-up visit included, and what happens if one side settles differently?
• How often do your patients usually come back for maintenance?

Find a clinic that offers Botox

Search the directory for Botox to see med spas and medical practices near you that list it, then request an appointment in a few steps. Browse by city on the med spa near me page, or start with botox houston, botox los angeles, botox atlanta and botox dallas tx.

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