Why does Botox eventually stop working? Your body makes new neurotransmitters all the time, so the “blocking” effect of Botox gradually wears off as these chemicals start circulating in your body again. The muscles are no longer inhibited.
For the majority of patients Botox generally lasts three to four months, however anywhere from two to six months is not uncommon. Botox wearing off at six weeks is a little earlier than expected and there may be several reasons for this.
You are being underdosed! Scientific studies tell us that for the average person, you need 64 units to treat the three main areas: forehead lines, frown lines and crow's feet. Also, if you have strong muscles, you may just need more.
When we feel that Botox “wears off,” after a few months, the medication never really goes away. It is actually the muscle paralysis effect that wears off. The nerve endings that were paralysed are replaced by new endings which grow and are able to stimulate the muscles to move and frown again.
The most common reason that Botox does not work is that not enough was given. Botox is not a one size fits all treatment and the same dosage does not work for everyone. Some individuals may need additional Botox to reach an effective level of muscle weakness. The Botox may also be old, overdiluted, or fake.
Why does Botox eventually stop working? Your body makes new neurotransmitters all the time, so the “blocking” effect of Botox gradually wears off as these chemicals start circulating in your body again. The muscles are no longer inhibited.
As for the concern that your body will get “used to” Botox and stop working, doctors say there's little such evidence. “In my experience, many patients just require fewer units over time because their facial muscles are less dynamic and thus require less,” Dr. Schaffer said.
The short answer to how long you should wait between Botox treatments is anywhere from three to four months for the best results. We recommend scheduling around this time frame, which is when most people begin to notice that their results begin to dissipate.
Typically, the effects of Botox last for up to three to four months. Therefore, the recommended treatment is once every three to four months. Nonetheless, if your facial muscles begin to train themselves to contract less, the period of time for each treatment may be extended longer than three or four months.
Your activity level – If you are active and hit the gym frequently, you may notice your Botox wearing off quicker than someone who isn't quite as active. The amount of Botox injected – Botox is a drug, and each patient requires a different dose. Botox is measured in units, so a higher dose = more units.
On average, Botox lasts three to six months.
Some patient experience shorter results in the 2-month range. It's not uncommon for first-timers to experience a shorter result the first time and a longer result the second time. Regular users may notice the results last longer over time because the muscles are shrinking.
Use more units of BOTOX
The most effective way of getting BOTOX to last longer is simply using more units. The way BOTOX works is by disrupting the release of chemicals from nerve endings. The effect fades because our nerves have the ability to create new endings in a nearby area of that muscle.
It's unlikely that you will require Botox every two months, but you may need a top-up every three months or so if you wish to proceed with further treatments. Your cosmetic treatment provider can create a suitable treatment schedule for you.
Does zinc make Botox last longer? Research shows that taking zinc supplements may help extend the results of Botox. In a 2012 study, patients who took a supplement of 50mg zinc and an enzyme known as phytase experienced a 30 percent increase in Botox duration.
"If you do too much Botox on your forehead for many, many years, the muscles will get weaker and flatter," cautions Wexler, adding that the skin can also appear thinner and looser. Moreover, as your muscles become weaker, they can start to recruit surrounding muscles when you make facial expressions.
If you decide that a regular injection routine works best for your skincare needs, you should wait about 12 weeks between treatment sessions. This will help you keep a wrinkle-free face so that your results don't wear off enough in between to where the lines and wrinkles come back.
Frequency of injections shouldn't occur any sooner than three months in order to prevent the development of a resistance to Botox. You may be able to go for longer periods of time between Botox treatments if you receive Botox on a regular basis, possibly up to six months.
After that time period, you'll start to see your original facial lines begin to re-form. If you're in your twenties and using Botox as a preventative treatment, you may consider scheduling a treatment every 12 weeks. Otherwise, a maintenance series of injections scheduled every 12- 16 weeks is most likely sufficient.
In general, Botox lasts 3-4 months. There will certainly be patients in which in lasts longer, in that 4-6 month range, or shorter, in that 2-month range. It is also common for first-timers to notice that it may not last as long initially but may last longer after the second treatment.
If you stop BOTOX treatments after many years of regular injections, the only effect will be that your wrinkles will return, albeit a bit more slowly than if you had not been using BOTOX. It's true: Even after you stop, you will still look younger than you would have if you had never been injected.
When someone is receiving too much treatment with anti-wrinkle injections, the skin can become extremely smooth and the light bounces off in a uniform way. So, the skin appears shiny, which is why it can look 'frozen'.
There is no definite age when you should start BOTOX®—it's more about the state of your skin, and everyone's timeline is different. For wrinkle treatments, it's best to start when you notice forehead lines, frown lines, or crow's feet even when your expression is neutral.
How many units of Botox are allowed on the forehead? For horizontal forehead lines, practitioners can inject up to 15–30 units of Botox. For “11” lines between the eyes (or glabellar lines), up to 40 units are indicated, with higher doses needed in male patients .
You can receive the treatment as often as once every three months, however, in your twenties, you likely do not need the treatment with that frequency. For most patients, small doses every six to eight months will suffice for the prevention of deep wrinkles in your twenties.
Botox has the advantage of being around longer, making it a trusted brand. This means that most patients interested in injectables would opt for Botox. However, Xeomin is just as effective at reducing wrinkles in areas like eyebrows, the forehead, and around the eyes.