01 · Neurotoxin
Botox & Neurotoxin
Upper face for softer lines. Lower face for a lifted, sculpted jaw and neck. The neurotoxin most people in Orange County have never had done right.
What it is
The clinical, plainly stated.
Botox, Dysport, Jeuveau, and Daxxify are purified neuromodulators that quietly tell a targeted muscle to stop over-firing. The result is less pull on the skin above it, which is why expression lines soften.
Neurotoxin is usually my first conversation with a new patient. It is the gateway. We can do a lot with it before we ever talk about filler. I dose for movement, not erasure. My goal is a face that still emotes, just without the deep, repeated creases or the over-clenched jaw.
My signature is lower face. The platysmal bands that run down your neck and lay across your jawline pull the face down all day. When you relax them with the right placement, you get a subtle lift, plumper cheeks, and a more sculpted jawline. It is called a Nefertiti lift, and most people out here have never heard of it. They feel it the first time they get it.
Areas + dosing
Where it goes, and how much.
Doses below are typical ranges in Botox / Jeuveau units, with Dysport in parentheses. The number that is right for you depends on muscle strength, history, and what we are trying to do. Relax, lift, or slim.
Most upper-face plans land between 30 and 60 total units. Lower face and full-face combinations run higher.
Ideal candidate
Who I treat, and who I send back.
Dynamic lines from frowning, squinting, or raising your brows that linger when your face is at rest.
Anyone who wants prevention without the frozen look, toxins are gentler if you start before lines etch in.
Jaw clenchers, grinders, and anyone bothered by a hypertrophic masseter widening the lower face.
Healthy, not pregnant or breastfeeding.
What to expect
The visit, start to finish.
- 01
Map the muscles
We talk through your goals and I watch your face move, frown, raise, squeeze, smile. Five to ten minutes.
- 02
Cleanse and prep
Topical or cold pack if you want it. Most people don't need either.
- 03
Inject
Fine-needle work, ten to twenty minutes. Quick pinches, no real downtime.
- 04
Post-check + aftercare
I walk you through what to do tonight and what to expect over the next two weeks.
Results timeline
When you'll actually see it.
Day 2–4
Onset begins. You'll feel a little less pull when you frown.
Day 10–14
Peak effect for upper face. Final result lands here for most people.
Week 3
Masseter and stronger muscles fully settle.
Month 3–4
Upper-face plans typically come due for a touch-up.
Month 4–6
Masseter results hold longer. Retreat slightly before full return.
Aftercare
The first 24–48 hours.
Boring instructions that quietly determine how good your result looks at week two. Don’t skim them.
- 01
Stay upright for four hours, no lying flat, no face-down massage.
- 02
Skip strenuous exercise, saunas, and direct heat for the rest of the day.
- 03
No facials, microdermabrasion, or tight hats or headbands for 24 hours.
- 04
Arnica and a cool pack help if you're a bruiser.
- 05
Pinpoint bumps and mild redness for a few hours are normal, they fade.
FAQ
The questions I get most.
Will I look frozen?
Not if you're dosed and placed correctly. My goal is reduced excessive movement, not erased expression. You should still be able to raise a brow at a bad joke.
Does it hurt?
Quick pinches with a very fine needle. I numb the lip and nose if we're going there. Most people are surprised how fast it is.
Can you give me a brow lift or nose tip lift with toxin?
Yes, in the right anatomy, by relaxing the muscles that pull down. The effect is modest and shows up best on the right starting structure, we'll talk through whether it's worth it for you.
Side effects?
Tenderness, small bumps, occasional bruising or a brief headache. Rare: temporary brow or eyelid heaviness, mild asymmetry. We discuss your risk before I draw anything up.
Can I combine it with filler, microneedling, or lasers?
Yes, with planning, and often in the same visit when it makes sense. Volume and movement work best together.
How often will I need it?
Every three to four months for the upper face. Four to six for masseter. I prefer to retreat just before it fully wears off so muscles don't fully rebound.
Honest risks & contraindications
What can go wrong, and where we say no.
I'd rather have an honest conversation about risk than gloss over it. Here's what we screen for before any neurotoxin appointment.
Common + expected
- ·Tenderness, small bumps, or mild bruising at injection sites.
- ·Occasional brief headache in the first 24 hours.
- ·Rare temporary brow or eyelid heaviness, usually anatomy and dosing dependent, resolves as the product wears off.
Serious, uncommon but real
- ·Allergic reaction to botulinum toxin or the formulation (Dysport contains cow's milk protein).
- ·Significant baseline ptosis or facial asymmetry from prior surgery or nerve injury, neurotoxin can unmask it.
We don’t treat if
- ·Pregnancy or breastfeeding.
- ·Active infection or cold sore in the area we'd inject.
- ·Neuromuscular disorders, myasthenia gravis, LEMS, ALS, peripheral neuropathies.
- ·Prior systemic reaction to a neurotoxin.
- ·On aminoglycoside antibiotics, certain muscle relaxants, or high-dose magnesium, we'll reschedule.
Ready when you are
Ready to start? Book thirty unhurried minutes.
Related
Often planned together.
03 · Filler
Filler Harmonizing
Filler is usually the last tool I reach for, not the first. When we do use it, we use a little, in the right plane, to support what your own skin and collagen are already doing.
02 · Lip Filler
Lip Filler
Natural shape, soft border, real lip, built around your anatomy and your teeth, not a trend.