The Ultimate Guide to The Botox Treatment 2024

Botox (Botulinum toxin) or Botox Cosmetic is a wrinkle relaxer that is FDA approved to treat moderate to severe lines such as crow’s feet and forehead lines.

Botox is made of bacteria called Clostridium botulinum that is found in nature as well as in the intestinal tracts of certain fish and animals.

Botox cosmetic works by targeting and weakening the muscles that are used when smiling, frowning, squinting, and raising your eyebrows.

Botox was originally created to help people with muscle spasms of the eye lids, lazy eye and those that had crossed eyes.

Dr. Alan Scott, an Ophthalmologist first discovered what is now known as Botox and later sold the rights to Allergan in 1991.

Botox became FDA approved in 2002.

Botox cosmetic is FDA approved to treat frown lines, crow’s feet, and forehead lines.

A typical Botox treatment only takes about 10 minutes.

A Botox treatment should be administered by a licensed and trained Physician, Nurse Practitioner, or Registered Nurse.

Botox treatments are done in a clinical setting such as a Doctor’s office or a Medical Spa.

Healthy Solutions Medspa offers Botox treatments in Bucks County and the surrounding areas of Montgomery and Philadelphia County. Read some of Healthy Solutions Medspa Botox reviews here.

Botox can treat many areas and conditions such as relaxing wrinkles, neck spasms, treat migraines, bladder issues, excessive sweating, and foot and leg pain. Botox cosmetic is FDA approved for moderate to severe lines on the forehead and crows’ feet. There are other areas that are treated with Botox “off label” such as the platismal bands on the neck (also called tech neck), above the lips, corner of the lips, and masseter.

Yes. A Botox treatment can elevate the height of your eyebrows.

Yes. Botox can correct eyebrow asymmetry by lifting the eyebrow.

Most people feel that the Botox treatment is not that painful. The Botox treatment requires tiny needle injections that most people say feels like a pinch.

No. Most people find the treatment comfortable, and an ice pack is given post treatment to reduce any post injection site swelling.

Botox is typically done without numbing cream.

Results can last from 3-4 months.

Make sure to tell your Botox provider if you have any plans to have surgery, had recent surgery on your face, if you have trouble raising your eyebrows, if you have drooping eyelids or if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant or breast feeding. Tell your Doctor if you had Botox within the last than 4 months.

No. Botox is not an instant treatment. It takes a few days for you to start seeing results. Optimum results will be seen in 7-10 days after your treatment.

You may start to notice smoothing of wrinkle lines within 24 to 48 hours with optimum results in 10-14 days.

Botox results last up to 4 months.

No. Botox is not a permanent treatment. Treatment results can last about 3 to 4 months.

Your wrinkles slowly start to reappear as Botox wears off.

Botox can not be reversed or dissolved. It is a temporary treatment that will wear off between 3-4 months.

Botox is an affordable treatment. A treatment can start at $100.

Botox can range from $200-$600 depending on how many areas you want to get treated and your Botox provider’s price per unit or price per treatment area.

Botox typically can range from $10 – $15 per unit. It can range depending on the experience of the Clinician and the local market rate.

The recommended treatment for Botox on the forehead can range in price between $100-$300. Some people may need 10 units, while others may require 20 units as each person’s facial expression and level of movement is different. The amount of units may differ in each patient depending on age, strength of facial expression muscles, previous history of treatments and desired treatment outcome.

Botox treatment for the eyes refers to the crow’s feet area. This area requires between 12 and 24 units of Botox that can range from $120-$360. The amount of units may differ in each patient depending on age, strength of facial expression muscles, previous history of treatments and desired treatment outcome.

Botox treatments for the 11 lines, also called the frown lines or glabellar can require 20 units of Botox. This treatment area can range from $200-$300. The number of units may differ in each patient depending on age, strength of facial expression muscles, previous history of treatments and desired treatment outcome.

Botox for lips is a treatment to treat gummy lines or to do what is called a lip flip. The lip flip treatment can range from $50 – $100 and up.

The crow’s-feet can require between 12 and 24 units depending on the patient. This treatment can range from $120 to $360. The on label treatment for crow’s feet is 24 units. The number of units may differ in each patient depending on age, strength of facial expression muscles, previous history of treatments and desired treatment outcome.

A Botox eyebrow lift requires about 4-8 units of Botox and costs between $40 and $120.

Beware of buying Botox on Groupon as you do not know if the facility will be giving you real or expired Botox. Also, you may be getting treatments from a provider who doesn’t have much experience injecting and thus they are discounting the treatment to get more hands-on training. You always want to select an injector with experience and one that has a great reputation.

To save on your Botox treatments, we recommend signing up for the Alle Rewards Program. This program notifies you via email of any Botox offers, Botox rebates, Botox coupons, and savings towards future Botox treatments. The best part about it is its Free! You also earn points every time you get a Botox, Filler, Kybella, or Coolsculpting treatment that can be used towards your next Botox appointment or other qualified treatment.

You can use our Botox calculator here to see approximately how much your Botox treatment will cost:

The number of units needed for a Botox treatment depends on how many areas you want to get treated. For example, the frown lines or the 11-line area between the eyes and above the nose require 20 units of Botox and can range from $200-$300.

20 Units of Botox can range between $200 and $300.

50 Units of Botox can range between $500 and $750.

For people wanting to get a few areas treated with Botox such as crow’s feet, forehead and frown lines, purchasing 50 units of Botox is not too much.

Botox is FDA approved. There has been more than 16 years of research and studies published in 528 peer-reviewed scientific journals and articles. Botox or Clostridium botulinum bacterium is a toxin causing paralysis but when used for cosmetic purposes by a licensed and trained clinician in small quantities is safe and effective. Botox is also FDA approved.

The Botox treatment is safe when performed by an experienced injector. Some side effects that may present but are rare are swelling or bruising at the injection site or pain. Some people that get Botox feel like they have a headache. Other risks include droopy eye lid, uneven or “spock” eyebrows, dry eyes or tearing of the eyes.

Botox side effects may include itching, rash, wheezing, asthma symptoms, or dizziness, feeling faint, dry mouth; discomfort or pain at the injection site; tiredness; headache; neck pain; and eye problems: double vision, or blurred vision.

Not everyone bruises after their Botox treatment. But bruising can occur. If you do, get small bruising at the injection site, it can last up to 10 days. You can cover bruises with makeup. It is recommended to stop taking fish oil or other blood thinning supplements and medications like aspirin a week before your Botox treatment to minimize bruising post treatment. You can take Arnica or Vitamin K to reduce bruising time.

No. There have been many studies done to show the safety of Botox cosmetic treatments and Botox side effects are rare.

Botox, when treated long term has been found to weaken the muscles which may cause you to need less Botox over time. Also, skin on the forehead may appear thinner where Botox was treated. There is also have been reports of mild discoloration but is rare.

Yes, as long as you have the treatment done with an experienced Botox injector. However, if your injector gives you too much Botox, there is a possibility to have a “frozen” look.

You can receive certain treatments prior to your Botox treatment or on the same day such as the Hydrafacial or Dermal Fillers. Certain treatments are not recommended doing the same day. It’s best to get a consultation to find out which treatment you can get done on the same day.

It is not recommended to break a sweat or workout for at least 24 hours after your treatment.

If you experience any side effects of Botox, they typically last about 24-48 hours.

Most people feel nothing when their Botox starts to work. Some people feel a bit heavy and tight in the treatment area.

Yes. Botox, when done correctly allows you to make facial expressions such as smiling, laughing, and raising your eyebrows without the wrinkles. Some patients desire less movement than others. Your provider can review your goals with you.

No, it is not recommended to get Botox if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.

No, it is not recommended to get Botox if you are Breastfeeding.

Avoid fish oil and blood-thinning medications such as Aspirin or Ibuprofen as they may cause you to bruise after treatment.
Avoid drinking alcohol 24 hours prior to your treatment to minimize bruising. Avoid making a Botox appointment right before a major event. You should give yourself at least 2 weeks before a special event. This will give you plenty of time to heal and allow you to come in for a follow up appointment in case you need a touch up.

Avoid rubbing or pressing on your face for 24 hours after your Botox treatment to avoid migration to other areas. Avoid exercise for at least 24 hours after your Botox treatment. Avoid saunas, sweating, or intense heat. Avoid wearing a hat or headband right after the treatment.

You can wash your face gently after your Botox treatment. Be sure not to put too much pressure or massage the treated area. Avoid heat, sweating, and exercising for 24 hours after your treatment.

Both men and women of ages 21 and over can benefit from Botox treatments. Many people in their 20’s have started to get treatments earlier than their older counterparts for preventive reasons. Botox is not recommended if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. You should avoid getting Botox if you have a skin infection. It is best to get a consultation to see if Botox is right for you.

Select a reputable and authorized physician provider from the Botox find a physician directory and ask to see the Botox vial during your treatment. The Botox vial will have the Botox logo and a holographic image that says Botox on it. If it does not, it is not real Botox.

If you notice that your Botox treatment such as the eyebrows look uneven, don’t panic. This can easily be fixed at your provider’s office. He or she will add a few more units of Botox to even out your treatment.

Some technicians recommend doing microblading before Botox treatments so that your eyebrows are created before your Botox treatment. You should wait at least 2 weeks after microblading your eyebrows to get your Botox treatment.

It is recommended to have microneedling done at least 2 weeks after your Botox treatment.

It is recommended to wait at least 2 weeks before doing a chemical peel after receiving an injectable treatment.

You should wait at least 2 weeks before getting any laser treatments done on your face after receiving a Botox treatment.

No. It is not recommended to get a facial after Botox to avoid massaging the treatment area. You should wait at least a week to get a facial post Botox.

No. It is not recommended to get a massage after your Botox treatment. You should wait at least a week to get a massage after Botox. Laying down for the first four hours after treatment is not recommended, putting pressure on your face and massaging the forehead is not recommended post Botox

For those looking for alternative treatments to Botox may opt for wrinkle reduction creams or retinols, allergy medications for bags under the eyes, chemical peels to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, laser resurfacing treatments, microneedling, dermal fillers for wrinkles such as Juvederm or Restylane, or surgery.

A facelift requires surgery and can last 10 years or more. Botox is a temporary wrinkle relaxing treatment that needs to be maintained with treatments every four months. Unlike a facelift, Botox treatments do not require anesthesia. In addition, there is no major downtime such as swelling or bruising after a Botox treatment that there is with a facelift.

There is only one Botox but there are other similar neurotoxins on the market called Dysport, Xeomin Jeuveau and the newest on the market Daxxify.

Botox was FDA approved in 2002 and was the first neurotoxin used for cosmetic purposes. Botox Cosmetic treats moderate to severe lines on the forehead and crows’ feet.
Dysport is a prescription injection for temporary improvement of moderate to severe frown lines between the eyebrows (glabellar lines). It was FDA approved in 2009 in the United States. Dysport may act quicker in some patients than Botox in seeing results. The biggest difference between Botox and Dysport is the quantity of units needed due to the potency of Dysport. Dysport requires 2-3 units to 1 unit of Botox so if an area requires 25 units of Botox, you may need 50 plus units of Dysport. While Dysport maybe cheaper than Botox, the quantity of units of Dysport physicians need to use is more than Botox and thus there is not a big difference in price. In addition, Dysport has been shown to drift more than Botox causing relaxation of neighboring muscles. Unlike other toxins, Dysport contains cow milk protein and therefore cannot be used for those that are allergic to milk.

XEOMIN® is a prescription medicine that is injected into muscles and used to improve the look of moderate to severe frown lines between the eyebrows (glabellar lines) in adults for a short period of time (temporary). FDA approved in 2011 in the United States. The cost of Xeomin is about the same as Botox and the number of units needed for treatment is the same as Botox. Xeomin is said to have a slower onset at day 4 vs Botox is 72 hours. It is a pure form of botulinum toxin and can be used for patients with resistance build up to other toxins.

It is best to discuss all your options with a physician during your consultation.

Yes. A study done in 2009 showed that Botox used in the forehead improved mood due to reduced frowning.

Yes. Men and Women get Botox. More men are getting Botox now. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, in their 2018 Plastic Surgery Report there was a 381% increase in men getting Botox since 2000.

It is a term used for men getting Botox.

It’s a term used for a smaller amount of Botox injected or less than the amount that is recommended for the area. It doesn’t last as long as a recommended treatment of 4 months. It may last about 2 months.

A Botox party is when a group of 5 or more plan to get Botox treatments done at the same time in a casual atmosphere. The hostess that plans the party and her friends usually get discounted Botox treatments. It’s best to have these in a medical setting and not at someone’s house.

In 2018, The American Society of Plastic Surgeons estimated that more than seven million people received botulinum toxin injections in 2018.