If you have tried Botox®or Dysport® in the past and saw excellent results, but you are now saying either, “Botox didn’t work on me” or “Dysport didn’t work”, the reason may be that your body is actually creating a resistance to its protein.
This is not the injectable’s fault and this is not your fault. There are a variety of reasons that we will explain below for why is “Botox didn’t work”, but briefly, they are you have to give it enough time to work, your body may develop a resistance to its proteins, you may need or more units to make it effective, and you may need a more precise injection.
Botox Was a New Wrinkle in Combating Facial Lines. So Was Dysport.
But before we discuss why they do not work, you should know why Botox and Dysport have become two of the world’s most popular injectables containing Botulinum Toxin A. And why they have been successful in improving the appearance of your eyebrows and crow’s feet from wrinkles.
Then you will know why Dr. Qazi at Qazi Cosmetic Clinic and DaySpa in Orange County, CA, prefers to use both of them, as well as another injectable which is this neurotoxin’s purest form and best known as Xeomin®.
Why Botox, Xeomin, and Dysport Actually Do Work.
- First, all three have been FDA-approved for use here in America.
- Second, they are all very popular branded neurotoxins used by doctors and MedSpa clinics.
- Third, Botox was the first FDA-approved prescription treatment to temporarily improve wrinkles in 1989 –– over 30 years ago. It is most popular as a non-surgical wrinkle reducer.
- Fourth, Dysport gained popularity in Europe before its FDA-approval in the U.S. in 2009. It is typically used to soften and smooth wrinkles in your forehead for natural-looking results.
- Fifth, Xeomin®, with a generic name of incobotulinumtoxinA,is an injectable that was approved a year later in 2010 in the U.S. for facial wrinkles, as well as for a variety of other medical conditions, including blepharospasm (abnormal eye twitches), cervical dystonia (when your neck muscles involuntarily contract), upper limb spasticity (movement or twitches in your arms that you cannot control), and excessive salivation (excessive production of saliva, or drooling).
- And sixth, Xeomin, is specifically used by Dr. Qazi because he knows that it is the only clinically proven anti-wrinkle injection uniquely purified to remove unnecessary proteins.
Why Botox didn’t work.
Now, I’ll explain why some of these products may not be working…
As popular as Botox is ––and it accounted for approximately 7.7 million cosmetic minimally invasive procedures in 2019 according to the Plastic Surgery Statistic Report (up 4% from 2018), it does take some time to work its magic on your facial wrinkles.
The same can be said for most of the other procedures at our clinic, such as non-surgical facelifts, California buttlifts, dermal fillers, lip fillers, PDO thread lifts, Radiesse facial filler, and many others.
When it does not work, it is most often for several reasons:
- You may be anxious to see the results, but have not given it enough time to take effect. This is explained in the next section.
- If you have received multiple treatments with Botox, your body may develop a resistance to its proteins by attacking the injected substance and developing antibodies, though this is a rare circumstance.
- You may need a larger dosage of the injectable’s number of units to account for the number of wrinkles and muscle tone needed for maximum effect.
- You should rely on an experienced, board certified physician like Dr. Qazi specializing in minimally invasive cosmetic procedures vs. a physician who is not as experienced with Botox or Dysport injectables on a daily basis. In other words, you may not have been injected correctly.
How Long Does It Take for Botox to Work?
All great and beautiful things take time. Rome wasn’t built in a day. The painting of the ceiling of The Sistine Chapel in the Vatican by Michelangelo took place between the years 1508 and 1512. The world famous Golden Gate Bridge also was spread out over four years.
Meanwhile, Botox injections usually resolve themselves so that the results are best seen in about two weeks after your initial treatment. So if you ask, “Why is Botox not working after 7 days”, please just give it a few more days to be fully absorbed by your body so it can work on your forehead and crow’s feet wrinkles.
When Does Botox Start Working? When Does Dysport Start to Work?
If you’re still asking, “How long for Botox to take effect?”, the answer is that Botox, Dysport and Xeomine all start working immediately once they are injected into your forehead for wrinkles, around your mouth, near your crow’s feet, and other places on your face.
But each of these globally popular and frequently used neurotoxins all take time to fully show their results.
What Are Typical Botox Results?
As mentioned above, to yield natural, yet effective results, it will usually take about two weeks (14 days) after your treatment. At that time, Dr. Qazi can assess whether or not you will need further treatment to achieve your aesthetic goals in our Newport Beach, California office here in Orange County.
What Are Other Uses of Botox?
Other uses of Botox are as the first FDA-approved intramuscular preventative treatment for chronic migraine headaches in the U.S., as well as for reshaping your jaw, treating spasms in your muscles, and for stopping excessive underarm sweating.
Why Dysport Didn’t Work.
Dysport is most often used to soften and smooth wrinkles on your forehead for results that are fast-acting and natural-looking for a tighter, brighter face.
As stated above, Europeans enjoyed the results for years before the FDA approved it in the U.S. Its effects may last for up to 3 full months, so again, you may have to wait up to a few weeks until you see the results you were seeking.
As with Botox, it may not work for the same reasons:
- You may not have not given it enough time to take effect.
- Your body may be developing a resistance to its proteins, but this may only happen after someone receives many treatments of Dysport.
- You may need a larger dosage or more units to make it effective.
- You may have been injected incorrectly with a less than desired technique.
Why Xeomin Didn’t Work.
For Xeomin, you may say that it is not working because all of us want to look our best right away after a visit to a MedSpa like Qazi Cosmetic Clinic.
However, as with Botox and Dysport, as well as other injectables and dermal fillers, it can take up to two weeks (14 days) for this injectable to be fully absorbed by your body, so it does not fully “kick in” until then to show you results with fewer forehead lines.
A treatment usually takes only about 10 to 20 minutes for your doctor to inject Xeomin into your forehead muscles that cause frown lines between your eyebrows.
No anesthesia is required, though Dr. Qazi may use a topical or cold pack to reduce any possible discomfort. The good news is that Xeomin’s results may begin to be seen with visible smoothing as early as 3 to 4 days after your injection, with a median first onset effect of a week or less, and a maximum effect occurring at 30 days.
But a typical duration of effect can last up to three months.
Some FAQs About Why “Botox didn’t work” and “Dysport didn’t work”.
What is Botox?
As the first neurotoxin on the market, Botox became the brand name for Botulinum Toxin A, an extremely popular non-surgical wrinkle reducer. The effects from its injections typically last 3 to 4 months.
No anesthesia is required for either neurotoxin, each procedure typically takes about 15 minutes, there is no downtime afterwards, and discomfort is usually minimal
Above all, each prevents deep lines and wrinkles from forming, helps you look younger, and raises your self-esteem.
What is Dysport?
Dysport is typically used to soften and smooth wrinkles on the forehead for natural-looking results and a tighter, brighter face. It was popular in Europe before being FDA approved in America during 2009. It is natural-looking, fast-acting, and its effects may last about 3 months.
What is Xeomin?
Xeomin, the brand name for incobotulinumtoxinA, is a prescription medication injected into your muscles and used to temporarily improve the appearance of moderate to severe frown lines between the eyebrows in adults 18 and older.
This popular injectablecontains botulinum toxin type A, a protein purified from the bacterium Clostridium botulinum.
What Our Clients Say
“I really wish I found out about this place sooner. I had been getting botox and fillers done with other doctors but Dr. Qazi is another level with the way he does them. He is basically an artist. I am not going anywhere else.”
– Alexandra I., Irvine CA 
“We moved down from LA so I was looking for a new derm for botox. I usually need it pretty regularly since i have a really strong forehead. Anyways, I ended up seeing Dr. Qazi. His office was being painted at the time but its super convenient and easy to park at. I ended up getting my usual dose of botox and I also agreed to do some fillers on my face for the first time. He did my under eyes, cheek and jawline and did an amazing job. Kept everything very natural looking but it just looks great.””
– Steve L., Irvine CA
For More Information…
If you’d like more information about why Botox didn’t work or the rationale behind why Dysport didn’t work, or you would like to make an appointment for a Botox consultation at Qazi Cosmetic Clinic and MedSpa, please contact us today.