What do people often ask about Botox ?

Scroll down for what people often ask about Botox,
anti-wrinkle injections?

Botox is technically a brand name, one of several licensed botulinum toxin products available. But that term has become so widely used in everyday conversation that we use it here as shorthand for all of them, with apologies and acknowledgements to Allergan Aesthetics,

If you are considering treatment, a consultation is your appropriate first step, allowing you to make a fully informed decision without any pressure. At the Cosmetic Doctors Company your consultation and any subsequent treatment will always be with one of our expert, medically qualified doctors.

To make a booking with one of our doctors please use the links below to telephone or email or to fill out .

Botox FAQs -frequently asked questions

What People Often Ask About Botox

Are Botox injections safe?

When administered by a medically qualified practitioner using a licensed product, botulinum toxin has an extraordinary safety record. In over thirty years of licensed cosmetic use, encompassing hundreds of millions of treatments worldwide, it has never caused a confirmed death in cosmetic use. Significant complications are rare and, in the vast majority of cases, temporary and manageable.

Why will I need a consultation before treatment?

A consultation is the most important part of the process. It allows us to take a full medical history, assess your facial anatomy, understand your goals, and determine whether treatment is appropriate for you. It is also where we discuss realistic expectations, potential risks, and obtain your informed consent. No responsible practitioner should treat without one.

What areas of the face can be treated with Botox ?

The most commonly treated areas are the horizontal forehead lines, the frown lines between the brows (glabella), and the crow's feet around the eyes.

Other areas include the brow, the bunny lines on the nose, the lip lines, the chin, the jaw (for slimming or teeth grinding), the neck bands (Nefertiti lift), and the underarms for excessive sweating.

Do Botox injections hurt ?

Most patients find the injections easily manageable. The needles used are very fine, and any discomfort is brief and localised. A topical anaesthetic cream can be applied beforehand for patients who are particularly sensitive.

At the Cosmetic Doctors Company in Esher, Surrey we routinely use an ice cube, briefly held on each treatment area, to reduce any discomfort to an absolute minimum. The procedure typically takes fifteen to twenty minutes and most people return to normal activities immediately afterwards.

How many injections will I need in a session ?

This varies depending on the areas being treated. A typical treatment of just the frown lines would entail 5 injection points. A full 3-area treatment of horizontal forehead lines, frown lines and crow's feet might involve 15 to 20 injection points in total.

Although this might sound like a lot of injections, remember that the needles are very fine and the vast majority of our patients tolerate a Botox treatment very well and happily return for repeat treatments. Our doctors will determine the appropriate number and placement during your consultation and assessment.

How long does it take for Botox injections to start to work ?

Results gradually begin to appear over the first two to five days, with the full effect visible at around ten to fourteen days. The gradual onset is one of the reasons results look natural, the change develops subtly rather than suddenly appearing overnight.

How long will my Botox injections last ?

Most patients find that results last between three and four months, though this varies between individuals. Factors including metabolism, the strength of the treated muscles, and the dose administered all influence duration.

With regular treatment over time, many patients find that results last progressively longer.

What are the common side effects of Botox injections ?

Side effects include temporary bruising, mild swelling, and very occasionally localised tenderness at the injection sites, all of which typically resolve within a few days. Although the majority of patients will experience no bruising or swelling, they remain a possibility.

Headache following treatment is occasionally reported and usually mild and short-lived. These are expected and manageable rather than serious concerns.

Are there things I should avoid after treatment ?

For the first few hours after treatment, avoid rubbing or massaging the treated areas, strenuous exercise, lying flat, and exposure to excessive heat such as saunas or sunbeds. These precautions will reduce the risk of bruising and rare risk of the product migrating beyond the intended area.

Will I need a follow-up appointment after treatment ?

We recommend a follow-up appointment at 2~3 weeks following your first treatment. This allows us to ensure you are happy and make any minor adjustments if needed.

It is also an important opportunity to refine the treatment plan for future sessions based on how your muscles have responded.

Are there any serious side effects of Botox when used aesthetically ?

Serious side effects in licensed cosmetic use are exceedingly rare. The most clinically significant is temporary ptosis, drooping of the eyelid, which resolves as the product wears off. Spread of toxin effects is recognised but very rare at cosmetic doses.

The key point is that serious complications are significantly more likely with unlicensed products or unqualified practitioners.

What about the droopy eyelid (upper lid ptosis) side effect ?

Temporary drooping of the upper eyelid occurs when the product migrates slightly beyond the intended injection site and affects the muscle that lifts the lid.

It is uncommon, temporary, and preventable with correct injection technique and careful anatomical placement. It resolves completely as the product wears off, typically within two to six weeks.

Should I be worried that botulinum is a toxin ?

It is a reasonable question, and one worth answering honestly. Botulinum toxin is indeed a potent biological substance but the licensed aesthetic product bears little resemblance to the raw toxin in terms of dose and clinical context.

The concentrations used in cosmetic treatment are minute, and the product has been used safely in medical practice since the 1980s. The word toxin describes its mechanism; it does not describe its risk profile when used as a licensed pharmaceutical. We cover this more fully in our blog post

Will Botox make me look frozen ?

The frozen look is a consequence of over-treatment too much product, placed without sufficient regard for natural expression and movement. It is not an inevitable outcome of botulinum toxin treatment.

Used conservatively and with clinical precision, the result should be a softening of lines that leaves the face looking rested and animated rather than static. The goal is always natural expression, not its elimination.

We look at the ‘frozen’ concern in

Will I still look natural after Botox?

Yes, most definitely. If treatment is delivered conservatively and by a practitioner who understands facial anatomy and prioritises natural results.

At the Cosmetic Doctors Company, the standard we work to is that friends and colleagues notice that you look refreshed and well, not that you have had something done. The best results are the ones nobody can point to. We very much adhere to the

Why do some people look overdone after Botox ?

Overdone results are almost always a consequence of excessive doses, inappropriate placement, or a practitioner who has not assessed the individual face carefully enough. There is also a perception paradox worth understanding, the results that attract attention are the ones that went wrong.

The vast majority of well-delivered treatments go entirely unnoticed, because looking natural is the whole point. Additionally, the ‘overdone’ look often attributed to Botox is frequently a combination of too much dermal filler, too much surgery added to some Botox.

Why does Botox still remain so popular?

With so many new treatments around, why does Botox still remain so popular? Because nothing else does what it does. Botulinum toxin is the only treatment that addresses the muscular component of facial ageing, the repeated contractions that drive the formation of expression lines over time.

Biostimulators address collagen and tissue quality. Fillers restore volume. Botulinum toxin relaxes the muscles that create lines. Each plays a different role, and botulinum toxin's role remains unique and irreplaceable in a comprehensive treatment plan. Read more about

How much does Botox cost ?

We do not publish a fixed price list because treatment is never one-size-fits-all. The dose, the number of areas treated, and the complexity of the assessment all vary between patients.

Our Botox prices start at £295 and we are happy to provide a guide range when you get in touch, and all costs will be discussed clearly and in full before any treatment is agreed. No treatment will proceed without your fully informed consent.

Why do Botox prices vary so much between clinics ?

Pricing varies for several reasons:

the qualifications and experience of the practitioner,

the quality and provenance of the product used,

the clinical environment,

the standard of the consultation and aftercare provided,

And importantly the number of units of Botox used per treatment area. Bargain prices are frequently achieved by using only small doses of Botox. This likely will result in a less than optimum result and a short duration of action.

Very low prices frequently reflect compromises in one or more of these areas. The cheapest treatment is rarely the best value when it is being injected into your face.

What is Baby Botox?

Baby Botox refers to the use of very low doses of botulinum toxin to produce a very subtle softening of lines while preserving more natural movement. It suits patients who want minimal intervention, those new to treatment, or those with lighter expression patterns who do not require a full dose.

Although the principle is sound - conservative treatment that leaves room for natural animation can be a valid starting point. However, how long your Botox lasts is largely determined by the doses used. This means that Baby Botox never lasts for very long.

At what age should you consider starting Botox injections ?

There is no single correct answer, it depends on the individual's facial movement patterns, skin quality, and goals. Some patients with strong, habitual expression lines benefit from beginning treatment in their late twenties or early thirties before those lines become established at rest.

Others are better served by waiting. A clinical assessment will determine which applies to you; age alone is never the deciding factor. Read

Is preventative Botox worth it in your twenties ?

For some patients, yes. Those with strong, habitual expression patterns, deep frown lines or forehead lines visible even in repose at a young age may genuinely benefit from early, conservative treatment.

For others, with lighter movement patterns and good skin quality, there is no compelling clinical case for starting early. A proper assessment will determine which applies.

We discuss this in detail in our dedicated

What is a Nefertiti lift ?

The Nefertiti lift uses precisely placed Botox to sharpen the jawline and soften the neck.

In the right patient, the results are quietly impressive; a sharper jawline, softer platysmal bands, a cleaner neck contour. None of this is dramatic, and it should not be. The goal, as always, is a result that looks like a better version of the patient rather than evidence of treatment.

For more information see our post

Do Botox injections change your face over time ?

With consistent, conservative treatment over time, patients tend to develop fewer and less pronounced static lines in the treated areas, which is precisely the intended effect.

The face does not change character or lose its identity. What changes, gradually and coherently, is the accumulation of the lines that repeated expression would otherwise have produced. Used well, the result is a face that ages more gracefully.

What happens if I stop having Botox treatments?

The product wears off naturally and the treated muscles gradually return to their previous level of activity. Lines and wrinkles return to approximately how they would have looked without treatment, they do not become worse as a consequence of having had treatment.

There is no rebound effect, no dependency, and no lasting change from stopping.

Can Botox prevent wrinkles from forming?

Yes, this is the principle behind preventative botulinum toxin treatment. By reducing repetitive muscle movement before lines have become permanently established in the skin, treatment can slow or prevent the formation of static wrinkles in the treated areas. The evidence for this is clinically sound.

Whether it is appropriate for a specific individual depends on their movement patterns, skin quality, and age - not a one-size-fits-all recommendation.

Can Botox improve my skin quality as well as lines ?

Botulinum toxin addresses muscle activity rather than skin quality directly. However, by reducing the repetitive creasing of skin by overactive muscles, it slows the rate at which dynamic lines become established permanent creases. This has an indirect benefit on skin quality over time.

For direct improvement in skin texture, hydration, and collagen content, and medical-grade skincare are more appropriate tools.

What is the difference between Botox and biostimulatory treatments?

Botulinum toxin produces a temporary, targeted effect by relaxing specific muscles. Biostimulatory treatments, such as Sculptra, Profhilo, and polynucleotides work by stimulating the body's own collagen and elastin production, producing gradual improvements in skin quality and structure over months.

They address the biological processes of ageing rather than its immediate surface expressions. The two approaches are complementary rather than interchangeable.

What is the difference between Botox and dermal fillers ?

Botulinum toxin relaxes muscles; it addresses the dynamic component of facial ageing, the lines produced by repeated expression. Dermal fillers add volume; they address the structural component, restoring the fullness that depletes with age.

The two treatments work on different tissues and at different depths, and they complement each other in a comprehensive treatment plan rather than competing.

Is there any difference between the different commercial brands of botulinum toxin ?

Yes, in theory but probably not much difference in practice. Although all licensed brands contain botulinum toxin type A, they differ in their formulation and the units in which they are measured. In the UK the currently licensed brands, as of June 2026 are Botox, Azzalure, Bocouture, Alluzience, Letybo and Nuceiva.

The individual companies responsible for the manufacture, licensing and distribution of these six brands of