The strongest effect of the Botox® lasts for at least that first 2 months. The clinical effect of Botox® is the weakening of the muscles, not the elimination of wrinkles. The elimination of wrinkles is multifactorial, including neurotoxin, skin care, skin resurfacing, and other treatments. Most patients continue to have a reduction in the formation of wrinkles for up to 6 months or more after Botox® treatment. Some clients who repeat the treatments regularly before full return of the muscle activity over several years report a longer duration of benefit.
When you talk to different friends or different providers about their opinion about how long Botox® lasts, you get a variety of answers. You hear a variety of dosing recommendations because there is no standard dose (although there are dosing recommendations and protocols published in specific studies). This is also why comparison of per-unit pricing is not helpful for the consumer trying to research their provider options. The bottom line is that the true answer depends on the desired outcome and how the clinical endpoint is defined. And, there are many variables to consider: the product, the reconstitution, the injector technique, the provider’s perspective, and your preference or expectations. THIS is why it is important to seek medical aesthetics cosmetic care from a trusted provider who takes time to have a comfortable two-way conversation with you about your concerns and your questions.
A multicenter clinical trial was published in April 2021 in Dermatologic Surgery (PMCID: PMC8021233) looking at subject satisfaction with 2 treatments of abobotulinumtoxinA (Dysport®) over the course of a year in the glabellar lines. An initial treatment of 50 units of Dysport® was injected into the glabellar lines in 120 subjects at baseline and at 6 months. The primary end point was patient satisfaction (their assessment of themselves) at 12 months. They measured their satisfaction on a scale as well as the FACE-Q scale and glabellar line severity scale (GLSS). Almost all of the subjects (95%) were satisfied with abobotulinum treatment every 6 months; results were supported by high subject satisfaction, long duration, rapid onset, natural-looking results, and overall psychological wellness and safety.
(Note: The results were not graded on whether or not the clients could still move their glabellar muscles at all, or the “frozen” look. A little movement left is a good treatment!)
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What can you do to make your results last longer?
