Botox and Fillers Waste of Money?

While technique is very important in the application of Botox and Fillers, your experience of the Botox not lasting is not necessarily linked to the practitioner. In fact there are people who either metabolize Botox quickly, or have muscle activity that requires higher dosing schedules. Here are my suggestions:

 

1. Ask your practioner if they can try and fix the problem at cost for you. Many practioners will either try to make the correction free of charge, or charge you their base price to get a correction. Here, the practioner tries to up the dosing and see if there is a resistance issue that can be overcome with a higher dosing schedule. Once this is done, make sure you document and communicate how long the product lasted on this new dosing stratedgy.

 

2. Prior to any Botox injection, make sure you ask about the product expiration date as well as the day and time the Botox was mixed. These two issues can impact the product effectiveness, and as cautious consumer you should ask these questions if you don't know the practice well.

 

3. You may want to try an alternative product like Dysport. Sometimes there is a better response rate between various products and you may get better longevity switching brands.

 

4. Finally there is a new technology worth discussing. It is called Thermigen (ThermiRase) and it uses RF energy to ablate the nerve endings. I have read the literature and performed a few procedures and the results are promising, especially in patients who might be Botox resistant. Other technologies in this space include GFX and Myoscience.

 

Good luck.

In general, filler should last 6-7 months and the Botox will last an average of 3 months. Without seeing you in person before and after the treatment, it is difficult to give you precise advice. It is possible that a very conservative treatment was performed and you could use a touch up. I would recommend visiting the physician who performed your initial treatment and expressing your concerns to him or her, as they would be able to best help meet your needs. In general, when choosing a physician to inject filler and Botox, you should look for experience with Botox and fillers, board certification, and good patient testimonials. Thank you, and I hope this helps.

Dear Paula123,


You should go back to your injector and take some after photos

After reviewing them, see what your injector says to do

It looks like your expectations were not met and these should be addressed because both the Botox and the filler should be working


Best regards,

Nima Shemirani

 

For you to have no response to Botox would be highly unlikely, and properly injected Juvederm can last several months in the lips. You don't mention how many units were injected into your forehead however, and maybe you didn't receive enough for effective results. Return to the provider for further assessment to determine what your options may be - but always research or get a referral from a trusted friend to an established practice with well-trained and experienced injectors on staff. 

I would discuss it with the provider and perhaps return to the first provider with who you had better success. Since you had success with the first provider, you probably should have stayed with that procider as it is not likely that you got a better deal since you spent a lot of money for Botox and a filler. From what you are describing, it should have cost about 600 max for one vial of filler and no more than 500 for the Botox ... and probably should have cost no more than 1100 - 1200 dollars. Bouncing around different providers is usually not to give you much benefit. Once you find a physician who has given you a good outcome, stick to the same one for continued good outcomes.

When looking for an injector, I'd recommend going with a board certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon who has experience with aesthetics.  You don't want someone who just took a weekend course and claims to have a "botox certification."  Those of us who are properly trained have spent years mastering the anatomy of the face and injection techniques, and we know what to do in the RARE case of an emergency or complication. 

Sounds like you had a negative experience, which is actually quite uncommon when botox and fillers are done by someone who is experienced.  I'd suggest going back to the person who did the injections and discussing your outcome.  

Botox and fillers injected by highly trained and experienced physicians injected in the appropriate amounts and depth and with a great understanding of appropriate anatomy, symmetry and beauty, and injected honestly in people who would benefit from it is never a waste of money. 

The vast majority of patients are extremely happy with their Botox and filler results.  You should return to your injector to discuss your concerns.  An experienced dermatologist or plastic surgeon would try their best to give you the best possible result.

I'm sorry for your experience. First, I would suggest you return to your current injector and just discuss the situation. Without knowing what type of filler was used, how many units of Botox, what the concentration of Botox was, etc., it's hard to comment on the specifics of what this physician may or may not do. Obviously as cosmetic physicians we want our patients to be happy, so allowing the doctor to discuss the situation with you first, would be the best. And second, when choosing a provider for services like these, I'd say the following: choose from the core list: derms, plastics, oculoplastics. These physicians have the most experience with fillers and Botox. When you call for an appointment, ask questions and get a vibe for the office: Is the physician board-certified? Does he/she do these services daily? Does the office offer free consults? And you can always look on RealSelf for local providers too. As physicians who answer questions on RealSelf, we are proud of the cosmetic services we offer and are deemed experts by our colleagues and our contributions.