What Should You Do If You Think Your BOTOX® Isn’t Working?

Squinting is a facial movement that can cause grooves to form in the skin over time. During the summer, we squint and wriggle our foreheads more, meaning it’s more likely for wrinkles to form around the eyes and on the forehead. Wrinkle injections can solve this issue by relaxing the muscles around the eyes, but something people are often curious about is what happens if BOTOX^® doesn’t work? Our Newton, MA, practice has some tips for what patients can do if they feel like their wrinkle injections haven’t been as effective as they’d like them to be. 

BOTOX^® is a popular summertime cosmetic treatment for many reasons. Many individuals believe that wrinkle-relaxing treatments are ideal for this time of year because BOTOX^® isn’t adversely affected by the intense heat and sun exposure of summertime. Also, since injections are so quick and there isn’t much downtime needed after, patients are able to resume all of their normal summertime activities soon after getting BOTOX^®.

The success of BOTOX^® injections often depends mostly on technique and product, meaning if there’s an injector error—such as not using the correct technique or dosage, or the product is expired—it won’t be as effective. This is why it’s critically important to choose a trained, qualified, and experienced injector, such as Dr. Holly Happe.

Additionally, since BOTOX^® dosages don’t work the same on everyone, you may need more shots for an effective level of muscle weakness if the injectable hasn’t worked well for you. Some individuals can also become resistant to the effects of BOTOX^® in rare cases, even when everything is done correctly. The body may try to form resistance to the ingredients over time in some patients, and they may eventually not see results at all—or the results may be significantly diminished.

If you have tried BOTOX^® and it doesn’t seem to be working for you the way you want, you should talk to your injector. You may be eligible to try one of the alternatives to BOTOX^®, such as Dysport^® and Xeomin^®, which work the same way to soften wrinkles. 

The Dr. Happe Medical Aesthetics team can explain how botulinum toxin type A injections work as wrinkle treatments, as well as answer specific questions that patients have. Call us at (617) 597-2600 or fill out a contact form if you would like to schedule a consultation with us.