Botulinum Toxin FAQ

Botulinum toxin treatment is an injection that temporarily reduces the nerve signals that move muscles, weakening the muscle's strength. It is used to soften expression lines on the forehead, between the brows, and around the eyes, or to reduce the bulk of well-developed muscles, such as in a square jaw. The procedure takes about 10 minutes under numbing cream, and you can return to daily activities right away.

Botulinum toxin results usually begin to appear 3–4 days after treatment and are most noticeable around 2 weeks. When reducing muscle bulk, such as for a square jaw, it takes 4–8 weeks for the volume to decrease. Duration depends on the area, dose, and individual, and results often last about 4–6 months.

Botulinum toxin resistance is a phenomenon in which the body produces antibodies against the toxin, so the same dose has a weaker or shorter effect. It is known to be more likely with frequent injections at short intervals or large doses at once, so it is important to use the necessary dose at appropriate intervals.

Besides temporary bruising, swelling, and pain at the injection site, botulinum toxin can, depending on the area, make expressions look awkward or the face look asymmetric. After forehead injections, the eyebrows may droop or the eyelids may feel heavy, and after jaw (masseter) injections, chewing may feel weaker; most of these recover as the effect wears off.

For about 4 hours after botulinum toxin treatment, avoid rubbing the treated area hard. Avoid alcohol, saunas, and intense exercise for 2–3 days, and wait 2 weeks before deep facial massage (Korean gyeongrak massage) or strong massage. Face washing and makeup are possible the same day.

Masseter botulinum toxin slims the jawline by reducing the bulk of the chewing muscle (masseter), with results appearing gradually over 4–8 weeks. Treatments are usually given every 4–6 months at first, and in many cases the interval can be extended as the muscle shrinks with repeated treatment; the dose is decided based on the size and strength of the muscle.

Mouth corner botulinum toxin reduces the strength of the muscle that pulls the corners of the mouth down so they turn upward, and it is considered when downturned mouth corners make you look sad or angry at rest. Too much can make the mouth look awkward or uneven when smiling, so it is important to locate the muscle and set the dose accurately, and it is often combined with mouth corner filler.

Forehead and frown-line botulinum toxin injections soften the horizontal forehead lines and vertical lines between the brows that form with facial expressions. Starting before the lines deepen may help keep them from becoming deeply etched. If the eyelids droop or the eye-opening muscle is weak so that you use your forehead muscles to open your eyes, the eyes may feel heavier after forehead injections, so caution is needed.

Crow's feet botulinum toxin can help soften the wrinkles that form beside the outer corners of the eyes when you smile. It tends to work well for wrinkles that form with movement, but for wrinkles that remain deep even at rest, botulinum toxin alone has limits, and skin treatments such as skin boosters are considered as well.

Botulinum toxin for nasolabial folds can help when strong muscles that lift the upper lip during a smile deepen the folds or cause a lot of gum to show when you smile (a gummy smile). However, nasolabial folds are often caused by volume loss or cheek sagging, so depending on the cause, nasolabial fold filler or lifting may be more suitable.

When enlarged salivary glands below the ears or under the jaw make the area below the jawline bulge or the lower face look wide, salivary gland botulinum toxin can be injected into the glands to reduce their size. If the line under the jaw is still not defined after jaw (masseter) botulinum toxin has reduced the muscle, enlarged salivary glands may be the cause, so the treatment is done after checking whether the cause is the muscle or the glands.

Nostril botulinum toxin can help make the nostrils look less flared when they spread widely as you smile or breathe, by reducing the strength of the muscle that widens them. However, it does not make the nostrils smaller or change the shape of the cartilage, so its effect is limited when the nostrils are wide even at rest.

Trapezius botulinum toxin is a procedure that reduces the bulk of a well-developed trapezius muscle between the shoulders and neck, which can make the neck look short or the shoulders look rounded and raised, to create a smoother neck and shoulder line. It can help ease a heavy feeling in the shoulders from tight muscles, and because it is a large muscle, it tends to need a larger dose than other areas.

Botulinum toxin for a cobblestone chin relaxes the chin muscle (mentalis) when it tenses as you close your mouth and makes the chin skin look bumpy like pebbles, to smooth the chin. This tension often occurs when the chin is short or set back, so chin filler may also be considered if needed.

Calf botulinum toxin can help create a smoother calf line by reducing muscle bulk when well-developed calf muscles look prominent. If the cause is fat or bone shape rather than muscle, the effect is limited, and for a while after the procedure, your calves may feel weaker when walking or running.

Temporalis botulinum toxin is a procedure that reduces the bulk and tension of the temporalis muscle at the temples when it is well-developed and makes the sides of the head look wide, or when teeth grinding or clenching makes the temple muscles tight. It is often well-developed together with the masseter, another chewing muscle, so it is sometimes done together with jaw (masseter) botulinum toxin.

Botulinum toxin products differ by manufacturer in aspects such as purity and how far they spread, and both Korean-made and imported products are available. We use authentic Korean-made products at the full labeled dose.

The cost of botulinum toxin depends on the treatment area, the product used and the dose. Because the dose needed varies with the area and muscle condition, an exact cost can be given after a consultation.