Why Does BOTOX Wear Off?

Results from BOTOX can last from 2–7 months, and typical results last 3–4 months.

How Does BOTOX Work?

BOTOX injections interrupt certain nerve signals, mostly signals that cause muscle contraction. This means they relax the facial muscles that cause wrinkles—it’s also why BOTOX is effective against many medical conditions, like chronic migraine and excess sweating. 

Why Does BOTOX Wear Off?

When you get BOTOX injections, it does not affect the way your nerves work—the toxin in the injection simply gets in the way of the neurotransmitters that are being sent toward your muscles. In addition, your body does recognize that the toxin in BOTOX injections is a foreign substance, so over time, your metabolism flushes the toxin out. At the same time, your body continues to produce neurotransmitters. This means that as the toxin leaves your body, eventually the neurotransmitters start reaching the affected muscles again.

What Affects How Long BOTOX Lasts?

Lots of things can affect how long BOTOX lasts in your body. One of the most important aspects is your own body chemistry—some people will naturally process the chemical more quickly than others. 

Some factors that can make BOTOX last short periods of time include having a very high activity level, having very deep wrinkles before treatment, and being very animated. That last one might sound strange, but some users find that after treatment, even as their facial muscles recover, they use them less often, making it take longer for facial wrinkles like crow’s feet and laugh lines to reappear.

Location of injections affects longevity as well; generally, BOTOX injected in the forehead or between the eyebrows tends to last longer. In addition, repeated use appears to lengthen the effectiveness of BOTOX, meaning that if you come in for follow up injections regularly, you may be able to start going longer between injections.

Want to learn more about BOTOX or our other injectable treatments? Contact us today for a consultation!