How Long Does Botox Take to Work? A Breakdown by Area
Botox is an excellent non-surgical aesthetic procedure that helps enhance your facial beauty and improve imperfections. From smoothing out fine lines and wrinkles to more popular treatments like “brow lifts” and “jaw slimming,” Botox is a promising way to age gracefully and maintain youthfulness. Additionally, Botox can effectively improve conditions such as migraines and TMJ.
Thinking of getting Botox and wondering how long it takes to work? Read on to learn all about Botox, how long it takes to work for different areas of the face, and more.
How Does Botox Work?
Botox injections temporarily relax muscles in the face and give you a smoother, more youthful appearance. First, a doctor injects Botox into the muscle under your skin to help it relax. This paralyzes the muscle so it cannot contract. As a result, this allows you to have natural facial movement, such as when you smile or raise your brows, while enjoying a wrinkle-free appearance. The effects of Botox last up to 4 months. However, this depends on your body’s response and how much time has passed since your last treatment.
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How Long Does It Take for Botox to Work the First Time?
Generally, Botox injections work one to three days following your first treatment. However, the length of time it takes for Botox to work the first time depends on numerous factors. These include the area you are treating, the volume of the injection, and the amount of physical movement after treatment.
According to most studies, it takes about 2-4 days for Botox to work and for noticeable results to treat wrinkles and fine lines. However, this also depends on how deep the lines and wrinkles are. For other Botox treatments, such as facial slimming or migraine relief, results are not immediate and take weeks before achieving the full effect.
How Long Does It Take Botox to Work Between Eyebrows?
On average, Botox takes about 3-4 days to work between the eyebrows. Also known as glabellar lines, these wrinkles are vertical lines or furrows in the region between the eyebrows and above the nose. Glabellar lines occur naturally over time with facial animation when we communicate. When low doses of Botox are injected into this area, it paralyzes muscle activity and reduces glabellar wrinkles.
How Long Does It Take Botox to Work in the Forehead?
The length of time that it takes for Botox to work on the forehead depends on numerous factors. On average, Botox takes 3-4 days to produce noticeable results on the forehead. However, you can expect to see the full effects of Botox 10 to 14 days after the procedure. One factor that impacts how fast Botox will work in the forehead is how deep the vertical or diagonal wrinkles and lines are, to begin with. The results take longer if your forehead lines are deeper and more pronounced.
Another factor that impacts how quickly forehead Botox will work is the size of the forehead muscles. Injecting Botox into larger, stronger muscles like those in the forehead takes longer to weaken them. Therefore, results take longer to kick in.
How Long Does It Take Botox to Work for Crow’s Feet?
Within 24 hours of injection, you can see improvement in your crow’s feet lines. More significant results are visible within 2-3 days. Typically, it takes about 3-6 weeks for wrinkles to relax with Botox fully. It is important to note that the finer the lines and wrinkles are, the faster the Botox will work. Therefore, you can expect to see results more quickly in crow’s feet lines.
How Long Does It Take Botox to Work for Migraines?
Botox is licensed for chronic migraine treatment. Chronic migraine is defined as 15 or more days of headache per month, with at least eight of those days being migraine. Based on studies, migraine treatment with Botox reduces headache days by an estimated 38 days per year and greatly improves the quality of life.
Botox is injected into different areas around the head and back of the neck when treating migraine. The recommended dose is between 155 to 195 units of Botox. This is generally administered as a series of 0.1 mL (5 units) injections to about 35 areas around the head and back of the neck. Regular follow-up treatment is required to sustain results.
The effects of Botox for migraines take up to 2-4 weeks to be noticeable. However, it is important to note that the timing varies for everyone. You may experience relief within a few days of getting Botox injections. However, it can also take a few weeks. It is important to note that the full effects of Botox for migraines take up to 3-6 months to develop.
How Long Does It Take Botox to Work for Facial Slimming?
It typically takes 4 to 6 weeks. Facial slimming is achieved by injecting Botox into the masseter muscles at the back of the jaw. As a result, this softens the jaw angles and creates a slimmer jawline. Similar to the forehead, the masseter muscle is a larger muscle compared to the other muscles of the face. Therefore, the results of Botox for facial slimming take longer to work.
How Long Does It Take Botox to Work for TMJ?
You will start to feel improvements within a day or two of treatment. However, it takes several days before you notice a big improvement in TMJ symptoms. In one study, TMJ symptoms improved in 90% of participants.* That being said, Botox is a highly effective way to help relax the muscles in your jaw and provide pain relief from TMJ.
Now that you know more about how long it takes for Botox to last, learn how long Botox results last!
How Long Does It Take for Botox to Work for a Brow Lift?
A Botox brow lift is a popular technique that provides a temporary lifting effect to the eyebrows. As we age, our muscles stretch, and our skin loses elasticity, which can cause our eyebrows to begin to drift downward.
Therefore, this procedure can help lift the brows by at least 5 ml and make the eyes seem more awake. To create this effect, 20-30 units of Botox are strategically injected in the central area between the eyes (glabella), along the brow, and at the tail end of the lateral brow in the orbicularis oculi muscle.
Botox injections help to relax the forehead muscles that drag the brows down. As a result, this allows the arch of the brows to float upwards, creating a physical lifting effect for the brows. You should notice the effects of a Botox brow lift within the first 48 hours following your treatment. A Botox brow lift can last anywhere from three to five months.
How Long Does It Take for Botox to Work for a Lip Flip?
A Botox lip flip is a quick treatment where a few units of Botox are strategically injected into the lip line, near the vermilion border, and near the corners of the mouth—a Botox lip flip works by relaxing a small area of the orbicularis oris muscle surrounding the lips. As a result, this allows the lip to flip upwards and makes the upper lip look more pronounced. If you are insecure about your gummy smile or your upper lip curls upwards, recedes, or disappears when you speak, you are a good candidate for a Botox lip flip.
Essentially, this technique helps reduce the amount of lip movement when smiling, preventing excess teeth from showing and hiding the gums better. Overall, a lip flip creates a fuller, plumper, and more balanced-looking upper lip. On average, the results of a lip flip are visible within a few days following treatment, with full results in about one week.
How Long Does It Take for Botox to Work for Hyperhidrosis?
Hyperhidrosis is a condition characterized by abnormal and excessive sweating. This condition is usually unrelated to body temperature or exercise. A common area for profuse sweating in individuals with hyperhidrosis is the armpits. Botox has been FDA-approved for people who sweat excessively from their armpits. It may also be used “off-label” to reduce sweating in other body areas like the hands, feet, and face.
The treatment works by injecting Botox into the armpit area. You will receive anywhere from 15 to 20 injections that form a grid pattern in the armpit. The injections help to block the nerve signals that instruct the sweat glands to become active. It takes up to 4 days for the results to take effect.
Depending on each person and the area being treated, the results can last up to six months. Botox can be an effective treatment for hyperhidrosis, with one study finding a 90% decrease in sweat production 2 weeks after the procedure.*
Experience Botox in Huntington, New York
Botox injections are an effective solution to consider if you want to achieve a more youthful appearance by reducing your crow’s feet and similar wrinkles, slimming your face, or lifting your brows. Additionally, if you struggle with chronic migraines or TMJ, Botox is a successful way to manage pain and improve your quality of life. Learn more about the benefits of Botox by reaching out to North Shore Medical Wellness today. We are a respected provider of Botox treatments in Huntington, NY, with years of experience.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us by calling (631) 438-8184 to book a consultation or contact us online. We look forward to helping you age gracefully with a treatment plan tailored to fit your needs.
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- Botulinum toxins for the prevention of migraine in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018.
- Prospective analysis of the use of OnabotulinumtoxinA (BOTOX) in the treatment of chronic migraine; real-life data in 254 patients from Hull, UK. Headache Pain. 2014.
- An Evaluation of Use of Botulinum Toxin Type A in the Management of Dynamic Forehead Wrinkles – A Clinical Study. Journal of Clinical Diagnosis Res. 2016.
- Botulinum toxin type A for the management of glabellar rhytids. Clinical Cosmetic Investigation of Dermatology. 2010.
- Type A botulinum toxin in the treatment of chronic facial pain associated with masticatory hyperactivity. Journal of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery. 2003.
- Onset, longevity, and patient satisfaction with incobotulinumtoxinA for the treatment of glabellar frown lines: a single-arm, prospective clinical study. Clinical Intervention of Aging. 2013. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc / articles/PMC7781989/