After having Botox new movements of muscles appear. Will this continue?

Question

May be posible that after a wrong place and overdosis of botox new muscles movements appear to compénsate the ones that were injected.. And after months when botox wear off those new continue for ever ?

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

No, once Botox results resolve, your face will go back to normal. Botox results last up to 3-4 months and can be softened with venus legacy and thermage treatments. I recommend getting a formal evaluation with a cosmetic dermatologist. Best, Dr. Emer

Harold J. Kaplan, MD · Answer

Hi Sierra.  Yes, you are correct that when injecting Botox (Dysport or Xeomin) that when we relax certain muscle groups that it's possible for adjacent muscle groups to take more control and this is called compensation.  It would be easier to discuss the issue if you posted pictures but suffice it to say the phenomenon is possible.  With that said, once the Botox has worn off after 3-4 months, you should not experience this issue any more.

Alex Eshaghian, MD, PhD · Answer

Thank you for your question 1900sierra. I understand your concern. Botox is a purified protein used to address wrinkles associated with facial expression. When injected into the skin Botox will relax the muscles and smoothen out the overlying wrinkles. The most common areas of treatment are in the upper face. These include the horizontal lines seen on the upper forehead when one raises the brows, the vertical lines seen between the brows when one frowns (frown lines), and the crow's feet seen around the eyes when one smiles.It is difficult to make an assessment in the absence of consistent photographs before and after in the same lighting and angles for comparison. However, I hope the information provided here is useful.A phenomenon seen with Botox is called muscle recruitment and compensation. When a muscle has been relaxed with Botox, sometimes other muscles or a different part of the same muscle are recruited and contract when one attempts to make the facial expression. This serves to compensate for the inability of the primary muscle to contract. Sometimes a bulge can appear in a muscle that was untreated or a part of a muscle that was not treated. A common example is the bunny lines (caused by contraction of the nasalis muscle) that are seen on the sides of the upper nose after treatment with Botox in the glabella or for the crow's feet. Since the muscles in the treated area are relaxed, the nasalis muscle contracts in an attempt to compensate for this loss when one frowns or smiles. In such a situation, the bunny lines can be treated with a small amount of Botox (2-4 units per side). In the upper face, sometimes a portion of the frontalis muscle in the upper forehead which was previously not active becomes active once the muscle is relaxed with Botox. In these case, new wrinkles may be seen, often near the hairline. This can be treated with a small dose of Botox in that area. This can also be seen in the lower face when not enough product has been used in an area such as the chin. Sometimes another part of the muscle begins to contract in order to compensate for the relaxation of the muscle from Botox. This can also be treated with a small dose of Botox in that area. Compensatory recruitment can also occur when the platysma muscle in the neck contracts after muscles in the lower face have been relaxed with Botox. Similarly, this muscle can be relaxed with Botox as well. For my patients, I usually use approximately 10 units per band. If placed properly it does not affect other muscles. Relaxing the platysma muscle may also lead to an improvement of jowls and jawline definition. When such recruitment occurs, I recommend prophylactic (preventive) treatment of the recruited muscles at the next treatment.With any injection, there are risks such as pain, bleeding, bruising, redness, swelling, tenderness, and infection. We take special precautions to minimize these risks such as using a painless technique. We also treat bruises with a laser as early as the next day. Bruises usually resolve within two weeks if untreated. After a laser treatment bruises usually resolve in 1-3 days, but may still take two weeks for full resolution. In addition to these risks, with Botox there is also a risk that the product spreads or diffuses to nearby structures. Spread to nearby muscles can lead to side effects such as the temporary appearance of droopy eyelids or a temporary asymmetric smile.
After a Botox treatment, I recommend that my patients avoid heat exposure, alcohol consumption, and strenuous exercise for 24 hours and not lie down flat for four hours. This is because all of these activities may possibly lead to the movement of the product and consequent side effects such as droopy eyelids. Although there have been no definitive studies shown that these actually occur and some physicians do not provide such aftercare instructions, in the absence of data I err on the side of caution and recommend that my patients avoid such activities.
  
Please consult with a doctor for specific recommendations. Good luck!

Monika Soni, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. There is a possibility that you may have developed compensation in one muscle after being treated in one nearby. That is why in most cases providers decide to treat multiple areas simultaneously. The muscle function should return once Botox has worn off the interplay between the those muscles should normalize. Best of Luck!

Glow Med Spa - Encino · Answer

Hello!
Thank you for your question. There is a possibility that you may have developed compensation in one muscle after being treated in one nearby. That is why in most cases providers decide to treat multiple areas simultaneously. The muscle function should return once Botox has worn off the interplay between the those muscles should normalize
Best of Luck!
Glow Med Spa Encino

After having Botox new movements of muscles appear. Will this continue?

Answers (5)

Answer: There is a possibility that you may have developed compensation in one muscle after being treated in one nearby.

Answer: There is a possibility that you may have developed compensation in one muscle after being treated in one nearby.

Answer: Muscle compensation

Answer: Muscle compensation

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After having Botox new movements of muscles appear. Will this continue?

Answers (5)

Answer: There is a possibility that you may have developed compensation in one muscle after being treated in one nearby.

Answer: There is a possibility that you may have developed compensation in one muscle after being treated in one nearby.

Answer: Muscle compensation

Answer: Muscle compensation

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Everything you need to know about Botox

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.