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Will Botox and Restylane Make my Face Look Older Once Wears Off?

asked 3 years ago by nikki_02 in boston, MA, USA
Latest answer by Hal Michael Bass, MD
Question viewed 51,157 times
Tags: face

Do you have to always inject Botox/Restylane once you start it? I want to use this on my forehead line and smile lines around cheeks only for my wedding. I know it might suit me and last about 6 months - 1 year. My question is do I have to continue doing it everytime or will I get my original face look with just those 3 wrinkles that I covered. I am definitely not interested in making this a life long routine or looking much older when the effect wears off or the white heads that some people have reported.

31 answers to Will Botox and Restylane Make my Face Look Older Once Wears Off?

+1

What to Expect After Botox Wears Off

This is a common concern. The short answer is No. There are no long term side effects of Botox when used properly. It does not age the face and your face will not become "dependent" on it. When it wears off in 3 to 4 months, your skin will revert back to its original state. Many doctors believe long-term use of Botox will slow down the natural development of lines wrinkles but ultimately it will not stop the aging process. Many first time patients... more
Daniel Yamini, MD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

www.sunsetcosmeticsurgery.com

+1

Do I have to continue Botox once I start?

You will not have to continue Botox and Restylane after your wedding. If you have the treatments, 4-6 months later, when both of the products wear off, you will look exactly as you did before the injections. We have been questioned before by our patients about whether or not Botox and Restylane actually cause wrinkles by making them appear worse once they stop using the products. This is a myth.
Harold J. Kaplan, MD

Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.celibre.com

+7

Botox and Restylane

The best way to answer your question about "what your face will look like once the effect of Botox and/or Restylane wear off" is to ask you the following question: How do you like the way you look now? Obviously, if you are content with that look then you do not need anything injected in your face for your wedding. If you do like the effects of these injectables, then you will have to have them repeated once their effect wears off. The question you ask is like asking the following: Do I have... more
Hratch Karamanoukian, MD

Buffalo General Surgeon
+3

How often you use Botox and fillers is entirely up to you

You are not alone in your questions regarding the ongoing use of Botox and Restylane. Both Botox and Restylane offer temporary results and any use can be discontinued at your discretion. There is some evidence that Restylane and other dermal fillers can increase your own collagen to some degree and this may give a longer duration of wrinkle softening. However, many patients find that they really like the softening of wrinkles and the refreshed appearance resulting from Botox and dermal... more
Dan Mills, MD

Orange County Plastic Surgeon
+2

Botox and Restylane

Hi Nikki. There were a couple misconceptions in your question..which was a good question. First off, Botox works only 3-4 months. Some people feel that they get 6 months out of it..but they are the exception. Restylane works 6 months to a year ..more on the 9 month side. Both are not permanent and need return visits for injections. Sculptra is a type of filler that has shown to last over 2 years. However if you want a magic shot that will reverse aging without needing anything again,... more
Chris Thiagarajah, MD

Washington DC Oculoplastic Surgeon
+2

Absolutely not, expect improvement from both!

Botox is like a skin-cast, and skin is a very dynamic organ. The new skin is laid down without the folds made by the muscle contraction. As long as good skin care is employed in the interval, your skin should look better than before even as the botox has worn off. As for Restylane, the body reacts to the precise trauma of the injection, and collagen deposition is a typical response. Thus, there is likely some permanence from the procedure itself, and therefore an improvement should... more
Stephen P. Smith, Jr., MD

Columbus Facial Plastic Surgeon
+2

Do not worry

Definitely having the injections done has no influence on deepening your wrinkles or creases on your face. You might not like going back to your previous image, but it is a personal choice. A lot of patients tends to get that instant liquid face lift before many celebrations to look young and fresh. Eventually effects of Botox and Restylane dissapear but you will just go back to your normal self rather than look older. You do not need to continue with treatments unless you like the effect more
Gregory Turowski, MD, PhD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+2

Will Botox and Restylane make my face look much older once it wears off?

The results of Botox last approximately 4 months and the results of Restylane last approximately 6 months. Once the results of these injectables have worn off, your appearance should return to what it was before you had the injections. There is no reason to think that either Botox or Restylane will make you look older once it wears off.
George J. Beraka, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
+1

Instantly Smooth Away Facial Wrinkles

The answer is no. Botox (acting as a muscle relaxer) and Restylane (serving as a dermal filler), will not volumize the areas treated to the point that they become lax and older-looking once the effects wear off. In fact, Restylane injections may actually trigger collagen production to improve your appearance even after the filler is eliminated by the body. For smoothing away brow lines and crow’s feet, Botox lasts 3 – 4 months, while the augmentation achieved by... more
Hal Michael Bass, MD

Pembroke Pines Plastic Surgeon
+1

Botox, Wrinkle Treatment, Beverly Hills Botox, Los Angeles Botox, Nasal Surgery, Beverly Hills Rhinoplasty

No, having Botox or a filler like Restylane, Juvederm, Perlane or others once, several times or every so often, won't make your face look worse than it did before you had the treatments when the effects wear off.  Go have it done and have a great wedding...just don't do anything to close to that special day.
Francis R. Palmer, III, MD

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

BOTOX® and fillers like Restylane® & Juvéderm® slow down the clock

BOTOX® and fillers like Restylane® & Juvéderm® slow down the clock, as long as you choose to continue treatment. Imagine that you had an identical twin, and that you were treated on a regular basis with BOTOX® and a fillers like Restylane® or Juvéderm®, while your twin did not have these treatments. After 5 years, you would probably look younger and fresher than your untreated and now not-quite-so-identical twin. If you stopped treatment... more
Kevin C. Smith, MD

Niagara Falls Dermatologic Surgeon
+1

Botox and Fillers and Aging

Botox and fillers do not affect the normal aging processes. Once the results wear off, the skin returns to the same appearance as it was before the injection. If you don’t like the effects, you can elect to not repeat the treatment.
Michael Sullivan, MD

Columbus Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Will my face look older when the Botox and Restylane wear off

Botox and Restylane can make your face look more youthful. However, once the Botox and Restylane wear off, your face should go back to the way it was before the injections.  These injectables are temporary and do not cause any permanent changes in your skin.
Emily Altman, MD

Short Hills Dermatologic Surgeon
+1

Getting Botox and fillers CORRECTLY does not age you faster.

Fillers like Restylane and Juvederm last 6 to 18 months, and eventually wear off without adding additional aging. In fact, there is some evidence that the injectable fillers stimulate some collagen building, so the effect of even one treatment may leave you long term with lasting improvement of the lines. Keep in mind that your face will naturally continue to age by itself over time, especially if you don't use diligent sun protection measures. However, too much Botox, or... more
Jessica J. Krant, MD, MPH

Manhattan Dermatologic Surgeon

www.ArtofDermatology.com

+1

Botox & Fillers never age you, but can be tempting to continue

I have some "event" patients who just get Botox and fillers for a wedding, class reunion or holiday season party circuit. They never notice aging, just a return to their previous appearance. However, many of these are so pleased with their improvement that they return for additional treatments even though they swore they never would. It really depends on the individual. Hope this helps. Take care.
Daniel J. Ladd Jr., DO

Austin Dermatologist
+1

You won't age overnight when you stop botox

when you stop botox or restyland or juvederm, many of the lines won't come back very quickly as you have changed your habit of squinting and frowning since you've been unable to do so. Muscle memory ( of inactivity) can help you keep a quiet face and not have the lines return so quickly. You won't end up looking older than you did prior to ever having the botox.
Ronald Shelton, MD

Manhattan Dermatologist
+1

Effects of BOTOX and fillers after they have worn off

BOTOX and fillers have been a wonderful addition to our cosmetic therapeutic armamentarium. They provide safe, effective and consistent results to rejuvenate the face in a natural appearing way. I am asked this question often, and based on my experience and many scientific studies, it is clear that while wrinkles will start to come back once treatment stops (because the aging process continues), there is no increased wrinkling from having had BOTOX or fillers.
Benjamin Barankin, MD

Toronto Dermatologic Surgeon
+1

Does Botox and Restylane cause me to look older?

Neither Botox nor Restylane will "accelerate" any aging process or appearance. It is true and your issue is common in that if you do not continue using these treatments you will revert back to baseline (how you were before receiving the treatment). So, many people choose to do these treatments periodically before significant occasions or some people prefer to keep their effect maintained by repeating treatment at intervals that coincide with loss of effect of either Botox and... more
Steven Hacker, MD

West Palm Beach Dermatologic Surgeon

www.palmbeachdermasurgery.com

+1

Absolutely Not: Botox and Restylane won't cause face to look older

When the effect of Botox and Restylane wears off, you may return to your old self, but certainly not worse. If anything you might look slightly better than if you did not have them at all. The reason for this is that Botox temporarily paralyzes the affected muscle. There might be slight difficulty in the restoration of the neuromuscular transmission (the activation of the muscle by the nerve). This might make that muscle slightly weaker than it was before. Most likely too slight to make a... more
Arnold R. Oppenheim, MD

Virginia Beach Dermatologist
+1

Botox is a preventative treatment

Let's start with a concept. Some treatments prevent aging and some rejuvenate the skin. For example, sun screen is a preventative skin treatment. It prevents UV radiation from breaking down your skin's collagen and elastic fibers. If you take twins and one twin uses sun screen every day and the other does not, what do you think you would find after 20 years? That's right the twin that used sunscreen would have healthier, better looking skin. If she stopped using sunscreen after 20 years,... more
Daniel Reichner, MD

Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon
+1

No, but it will remind you of what you looked like before the treatment

I usually explain to my patients that the worst thing about botox and dermal fillers such as restylane is that you become a junky. Many times people forget what they looked like before the treatment and when the product is gone and the effects wear off, we get a cruel reminder that it is time to go back for another treatment. If anything, the effects of both botox and filler can build over time to provide a longer lasting and sometimes permanent improvement. With subsequent use of botox, the... more
Peter Malouf, DO

Dallas Dermatologist

mytotalskincare.com

+1

Botox and restylane

If you want to maintain a youthful appearance, then you should expect to continue using these products long term. Eventually surgical procedures may be good to enehance the results. Be wary of fillerexia...too much filler to compensate for things that probably would do better with surgery.
Steven Wallach, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
+1

Long Lasting Results of Botox and Restylane

The results of Botox are temporary, as are the results of Restylane and other hyaliuronic acid based fillers like Juvederm. There is no reason to believe that a person's face will look older if one discontinues use of these products.
Michael Law, MD

Raleigh-Durham Plastic Surgeon

michaellawmd.com

+1

Botox a reliable but not permanent solution--which is a good thing!

My patients often ask me the very same question. I explain to them that although the aging process (unfortunately) never stops, the use of Botox and other fillers is a great way to refresh your appearance without a permanent commitment. If you try Botox, the results generally last about 4 months. If you are injected with a filler such as Restylane or Juvederm, the results generally last 9+ months. When you see the results fade, you can keep up with the "maintanence" or return... more
Stephen A. Goldstein, MD

Englewood Plastic Surgeon
+1

Botox and restylane may slow the aging process

Think of your skin like a piece of paper. A smooth, flat piece without any creases or wrinkles. The sun, smoking, pollution and old age create wrinkles on your skin like a frustrated author squishing a piece of paper into a ball. Every time you smile, frown or pucker for a kiss you wrinkle your skin like a piece of paper folding back and forth in one discreet area. The fillers and Botox stop the wrinkle of the skin in that particular area. Thus, the single creases that may help to define... more
Robert M. Freund, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon
+1

Botox and Fillers Turns Back the Clock, but Doesn't Stop It

Many patients want a quick "pick-me-up" before an important social event like a wedding or other celebration. Others are simply curious about what Botox or an injectable filler like Restylane or Juvederm can do for them, but these same patients don't want to "get started" on life-long treatments. There is nothing wrong with trying Botox or a filler injection on a one-time or short-term basis. The beauty of these treatments is that when they wear off, your face reverts... more
Athleo Louis Cambre, MD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+1

Not a "have to" situation....

Dear Nikki, Be assured you are not alone in your concern. In my practice I am often asked this by many first-time patients who are interested in trying Botox, and or, Fillers (such as Restylane). First of all, neither of these products you mentioned are designed to be permanent. They usually lose their effectiveness over several months from treatment. In most cases, unless an untoward complication has occured, they also leave no residual effect to the area(s) treated. The cases you... more
S.Pasquale Maggi, MD

Austin Plastic Surgeon
+1

The timing is up to you

You can use Botox and fillers at whatever interval you choose with really no potential downside. The advantage of keeping up with the treatments, however, is a more consistently young look and the fact that it often takes much less filler to maintain your result if you don't let it all dissolve away.
Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS

Seattle Plastic Surgeon
+1

Start and Stop, as you please!

The majority of people do not continuously use Botox and/or restylane. They, like you, will have it for special occasions. Afterward, you go back to exactly where you started. Botox and/or restalyne was never meant to be a permanent solution.
Joseph Thomas Cruise, MD

California Plastic Surgeon
+1

The real answer is maybe....

I agree with the other responses on this thread that stated you will need to continue using these products to keep up with the results. Furthermore, you also need to consider that your face continues to age independent of the fillers you are using. That being said, there are some notable plastic surgeons who have begun to ask the same questions you asked. Does a filler cause the skin to age quicker? Is there any atrophy caused BY the filler? What happens to skin filled artificially... more
Evan Sorokin, MD

Cherry Hill Plastic Surgeon
+1

Will you look older when you stop using injectables?

Well, that depends: When we were in our teens and early 20's almost all of us had perfect skin with no wrinkles or lines. As you start to get a little bit older, skin loses its elastic properties, and you start to get the external appearance of aging. In areas where you have very strong muscular activity, you start to see “active” lines. With time, the constant wrinkling of these active lines can “iron in” and make the permanent or static lines of facial expression... more
Michael A. Bogdan, MD

Dallas Plastic Surgeon

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