BOTOX® Cost - Budgeting for BOTOX® Treatments

Botulinum Toxin takes effect 3 to 7 days after treatment. The improvement generally lasts for 3 to 6 months, before the effect gradually fades and muscle action returns.

botox treatments

Doctors set their fees by the area, by the BOTOX® treatment, or based on how much material they inject. Each area to be treated is considered a zone; for example, the crow’s-feet on both sides of your face would be considered one zone; horizontal forehead lines constitute another zone; the frown lines between your eyebrows would be another zone. Each zone is usually priced separately, but most doctors discount the fee for the second and third areas. If the price for one zone is approx. £250, having a second area done at the same time may cost you only an additional £200. The most common combination of areas to have done in one go is: glabellar, forehead and crow’s-feet. The muscle bands of the neck may be priced higher than the glabellar because more toxin is often required to get the job done. If you decide to do a little more for this line or that because he is there already, don’t be surprised to be charged an additional amount. Ask ahead of time what the fee will be for your treatment so you are prepared.

A single BOTOX® treatment will normally be sustained for approximately three months, with some variation. In areas where there are two sides to be injected, as in the forehead or crow’s-feet, the toxin may fade unevenly and the lines on one side return more than the lines on the other. When you begin to notice a gradual fading of its effects, you should have your next treatment. Don’t wait until all of it has worn off – keep up with your treatments. When you are able to contract your facial muscles, go back for a touch-up. If you stay on top of it, you will look consistently unlined all the time. If you wait six months between treatments, until all or most of it has worn off, it will be a tell-tale sign that you are a BOTOX® user since you will look different at the tail end of your BOTOX® treatment to just after it. Basically, you can expect to have a treatment 3 – 4 times a year. Beware of discounted BOTOX® treatments – you may be paying less because you are getting less. Some doctors over dilute Botulinum Toxin Type A or keep it around for too long so it loses its potency, so they can stretch more treatments out of a vial. The result is that your wrinkles won’t stay frozen as well or for as long. Instead of getting a good result for 4 months, it may only last for 2, and there goes your saving!


Freezing Your Assets for a Wrinkle Free Look

  • Have your first BOTOX® treatment with someone who comes highly recommended and has a lot of experience, so that in future you will know what is acceptable.
  • Start small with one area, typically the lines between the brows or crow’s-feet. Once you see the results, you can decide to have more areas worked on at your next BOTOX® treatment.
  • If you are squeamish about needles, ask your doctor for a topical anaesthetic cream.
  • To relieve the discomfort of the injections, apply an ice pack before and after the BOTOX® treatment.
  • If your treatment didn’t work, you may have been given an overly diluted solution and need more, or it could have been injected into the wrong spot. It is exceedingly rare to be resistant to it.
  • Take along a concealer to cover needle marks or tiny bruises right after your BOTOX® treatment, so you will be happy to be seen in public.
  • Plan your day around having your BOTOX® treatment – you should remain upright for 3-4 hours afterwards.
  • It is possible to get a slight headache after the first few sessions. This will usually go away within a couple of days.


Brilliant BOTOX® Treatments

Very little can go wrong with Botulinum Toxin, and the good news is that if it does, it is temporary. The only complications you can have are an occasional eyelid droop, an asymmetry or a crooked mouth. Side effects are rarely serious and always temporary, and even if you don’t like the results, they are guaranteed to go away as the toxin wears off. The problems are purely about technique and some injectors are just simply better than others. The minimum amount to be effective, no more and no less, is what is recommended. If you’re worried about safety, ask your doctor whether he injects himself, his wife, or his staff, all of which are common.