How Long Botox Last After Reconstitution?

Botox can last anywhere from 3-6 months, but its longevity depends upon how it is mixed with saline (or reconstituted), how long it is refrigerated after mixed, where it is injected, and how many units are injected.

People will often breakdown or “use up” Botox at different times; another factor is muscle tone/bulk of the areas that you’re injecting. Some of my male patients, with larger frontalis, corrugator, and procerus muscles, will only see results for 2-3 months.

Be sure to visit with a board-certified plastic surgeon, facial cosmetic surgeon, or dermatologist to discuss how Botox will work for you. (Ryan Marshall, DO, Missoula Plastic Surgeon)

A variety of factors helps determine duration of Botox effectiveness

Botox Dilution Can Have An Effect On Your Overall Result

In essence, Botox functions by permanently connecting to receptors that transmit nerve signals for the muscles to contract. However, since the body creates new neurotransmitters and receptors frequently, patients will have varying lengths of Botox effectiveness.

The range is at about 2 to 6 months, but the average is roughly 3 to 4 months at best. It may start to get a little complex right here, but stay with me. Botox is a labile or easily altered protein.

This means that Botox is sensitive to factors such as excessive agitation, heat, as well as time. It is then essential that we use it with careful reconstitution. It should be used fresh and kept refrigerated at all times.

So it would be best to beware of clinics, offices, and spas that has “Botox Days” particularly if that is a Friday. These offices simply try to dispose reconstituted Botox so that it will lose its effectiveness over the weekend.

Frown Lines Botox Before And After

Botox on Monday morning are also the same. Another factor that contributes to Botox effectiveness is the accuracy and skill of the one who will perform Botox treatment. Botox works wherever it is injected. So, simply injecting a blob in a general location will be a waste.

Always consider if the injector has training and experience in injecting Botox patients. Learn more:. (Robert W. Sheffield, MD, Santa Barbara Plastic Surgeon)

Duration of Botox

The duration of your Botox is going to depend on where it is injected, the skill of the injector putting it in, and even sometimes how long it is been since it was reconstituted, whether it was refrigerated, etc.

The original studies for Botox showed durations around 4 months, but 25 years of use in cosmetics has shown us that it is much more variable and dependent on those factors mentioned above.

The Area Of Injection

In my hands, I often see durations of approaching 6 months, and I work hard to ensure precise placement and proper units of the product you are paying for to match your anatomy.

If your injector just takes a cookbook approach to your Botox and barely looks at your anatomy before choosing amounts and injecting, beware – durations can be as low as 2-3 months.

To guarantee you’re receiving the highest level of care, seek out a dermatologic surgeon, oculoplastic surgeon, facial plastic surgeon or plastic surgeon who is board certified and fellowship trained in one of these “core four” cosmetic specialties. (Cameron Chesnut, MD, FAAD, FACMS, Spokane Dermatologic Surgeon)

BOTOX effects should last between 4 – 5 months on an average. This holds good, provided your doctor has injected the correct number of units, exactly into the muscle at the correct depth, and your BOTOX is freshly reconstituted. (Renita (Lourdhurajan) Rajan, MD, DNB, India Dermatologist)

Botox Treatment For Forehead

What determines how long Botox lasts

Despite its fierce reputation Botox is actually a very fragile toxin which begins to lose its potency slowly from the moment it has been mixed and much faster if kept at room temperature or warmer for too long or if shaken.

To make sure your Botox lasts (4-6 months or longer) make sure your Plastic surgeon/ ENT/ Dermatologist uses REAL (not knock off, fake) “Botox” which has been kept refrigerated in transport to the doctor’s office and afterward, that it is NOT old (less potent) Botox, that it has not been overly diluted (see below) and that it is injected by the Doctor himself / herself.

(Yes – there are good injectors out there. But isn’t YOUR face worth being injected by the EXPERT? If your doctor does not inject Botox – go to one that does). It is easy to tell people to make sure you know the number of Botox units you are getting.

The fact is that Botox is a clear powder that is reconstituted with a clear fluid. An unethical injector can deliver 50 units, 25 units or 2.5 units in the same syringe by ever increasing dilutions and you would not know it.

(This explains the all to common line : “Botox did not work on me…” Just how many ACTIVE Botox units do you think she received??). (Peter A. Aldea, MD, Memphis Plastic Surgeon)