Frequently asked questions about Botox

Botox is an extremely safe drug that has been used for over 25 years. As one of the most popular injectables on the market, it is an excellent treatment option for people with frown lines, forehead lines or severe crow's feet. It is particularly useful for eliminating moderate to severe wrinkles between the eyebrows.

Botox has been authorized in France since 1990 to treat certain diseases related to muscle contracture in ophthalmology and neurology. Its use in the treatment of wrinkles is old, but it was legalized in 2003.

The nerves signal the muscles of the face to contract, which then creates wrinkles and folds on the surface of the skin. Botox works locally to temporarily block movement signals from these nerves to the specific muscles where it is injected.

As a non-surgical treatment, Botox helps improve so-called dynamic wrinkles or expression lines by decreasing the activity of the muscles involved.

Many patients think that Botox and Hyaluronic acid are identical, but this is not the case.
They can both be used for wrinkles and although they share many similarities, they offer different benefits and results.

What is Botox?

We have already seen in detail earlier in these questions and answers what Botox is. A muscle relaxant that works on expression lines, but not on static wrinkles (“wrinkles at rest”) caused by the breakdown of collagen.

What is Hyaluronic Acid?

Hyaluronic Acid is a polysaccharide naturally produced by our body, mainly used to treat “resting wrinkles” and plump up various areas of the face.

What are the differences between Botox and Hyaluronic Acid?

Duration : Although the effect in both treatments is temporary, the duration is not the same. The approximate duration of Botox is between 4-6 months, while Hyaluronic Acid injections depend on many other factors such as where it was applied, how quickly each person's body naturally reabsorbs it, along with a variation in duration of 6 to 12 months.

Goals : Botox is mainly used to correct the wrinkles which form by wrinkling or contracting certain parts of our face, in particular in the upper third of the face such as the forehead, between the eyebrows, and the famous "crow's feet". On the other hand, Hyaluronic Acid fillers are used to reduce wrinkles and to give volume to the lips, cheekbones or chin.

Results : The results of Hyaluronic Acid injections are immediate, although the final result is usually visible after two weeks when the product has fully settled. The results of Botox start to be visible after 3 days and its final effect is visible after 10 days.

Frequently asked questions about hyaluronic acid >

Virtually anyone who wants to treat their frown lines or crow's feet, women or men, are good candidates for Botox, although there are some limitations and contraindications.

There are few contraindications:

• Certain neuromuscular diseases such as myasthenia gravis or multiple sclerosis.
• Pregnancy and lactation.
• Known hypersensitivity to botulinum neurotoxin or albumin.
• Treatment with aminoglycosides (antibiotics).

Different brands are present in the market. Your practitioner will suggest the best product for your needs. Galderma laboratories market Alluzience and Azzalure (therapeutic name Dysport), Allergan laboratories market Vistabel (therapeutic name Botox) and Merz laboratories market Bocouture (therapeutic name Xeomin).

The face is undoubtedly the area most affected by Botox injections:

• Botox for horizontal forehead folds
• Botox for lines between the eyebrows and above the bridge of the nose
• Botox for crow's feet or wrinkles at the corners of the eyes
• Botox to rejuvenate the eyes
• Botox around the mouth
• Nefertiti Facelift
• In some cases it is possible to perform injections in the masseters to reduce the width of the jaw, in the neck to reduce the platysmal bands, in the corner of the mouth to reduce the wrinkles of bitterness

Botox is also used to treat male impotence or the erectile dysfunction

The majority of patients tolerate the injections well. Sometimes they can feel uncomfortable, but Dr Christophe Desouches has several techniques to make them as painless as possible.

While Botox will immediately begin to act on the targeted area by reducing muscle activity within the first 24 hours, results are visible after 3-4 days.
During the first days, the effects on the face can be variable (even asymmetrical at times) then stabilize on the 10th day.
We are considering a possible touch-up after 2 weeks.

The effects last about 4 to 6 months.
With repeated injections, the results tend to persist longer.
Younger patients may also experience longer lasting benefits due to better skin quality. Treatments can be repeated as the effects of botulinum toxin wear off.

Redness or bruising at the injection sites.
Sensitivity disorders with a feeling of muscle tension or fixity.
Imperfections of correctable results during retouching at one month: persistence of fine lines, asymmetry, raised eyebrow, mimicry disorders.

One week before the injection, it is recommended not to take medication that alters the fluidity of the blood (aspirin, anti-inflammatories, etc.) in order to reduce the risk of bruising.

Yes, these are complementary treatments that can be performed during the same session, but not on the same area, to obtain optimal results.

Some patients who want Botox injections for the forehead or peri-ocular wrinkles can also request Hyaluronic Acid injections for the lips, or to increase the chin or the cheekbones.

Frequently asked questions about hyaluronic acid >

The price of Botox injections for a facial treatment is between 180€ and 350€ depending on the products used and the number of injections.

Botox price, one bottle: 350€

Most of the cost results from the price of Botulinum Toxin, as only high quality products are used to ensure patient safety. No coverage by health insurance is possible because these are acts for aesthetic purposes.

More detail on the price of surgery and aesthetic medicine by Dr Christophe Desouches >