How Long Does Botox Last?

That range is an average, not a promise. How long it lasts on your face depends on the dose, on how strong the treated muscles are, and on how active you are. Below is what happens from the day of your appointment to the day it wears off, and what actually changes how long you get.

The first two weeks

Botox does not work on the day. You will see the first signs somewhere between three and seven days, and the result is not complete until day fourteen. In Elizabeth's experience Dysport tends to kick in a little sooner, within three to five days, and Botox closer to five to seven. Both are fully settled at two weeks.

That is why every first treatment here comes with a two-week review. It is the first point at which the result is honest, and the right time to add a few units if an area did not respond as well as the rest. Judging it at day four and deciding it has not worked is the most common mistake people make with tox.

Why it wears off

Botox relaxes a muscle by quieting the signal that tells it to contract. Over the following months your body restores that signal, so movement comes back slowly, over weeks rather than overnight. Most people notice the lines start to return before the muscle is fully back to its old strength, and that is usually the time to book.

It wears off completely. Nothing builds up in the body, and if you stop, you return to exactly where you started within three to four months. Your lines do not come back worse than they were before you began.

What makes it last longer or shorter

Dose matters most. A strong muscle given too few units will break through sooner, which is why we watch how each area moves before deciding units rather than treating every forehead the same. Too little product is the usual reason for a treatment that only lasted a couple of months.

Muscle strength and activity matter too. Someone who raises their brows all day needs more units in the forehead than someone who barely does. Metabolism and exercise also shift it, and people who are very active often find their results run shorter. Muscles that are in near-constant use, like the ones around the mouth, wear off sooner than the forehead or the frown lines.

Does it last longer if you keep going?

For many people, yes. With regular treatment the treated muscles get less strong, so routine results tend to look smoother and last longer, and the gap between appointments often stretches over the first year. That usually means fewer units over time, not more.

Does the brand change how long it lasts?

Not much. Botox, Dysport and Jeuveau are all botulinum toxin type A, and all three last in the same three-to-four-month range. The differences are in how quickly they start and how far they spread: Dysport spreads a little more, which suits broad areas like the forehead, and some clients find Jeuveau takes effect slightly faster. Some people do seem to get more time out of one brand than another, and if you have been getting three months out of one, it is reasonable to try another and compare honestly at the next visit.

What it costs to keep it up

Because it lasts three to four months, most people have three or four treatments a year. Tox is priced per unit here: Botox is $14 a unit ($13.50 for members), Dysport $13 and Jeuveau $12. Most first upper-face treatments use 20 to 50 Botox units, which is $280 to $700 a visit. You are told the units and the total before anything is injected.