Why Didn't Botox Work for my 11's?

this is very frustrating for you as well as the doctor. I have seen patients in whom the botox wore off in six weeks but I have not seen a patient that was resistant to obtaining significant muscle relaxation with enough botox units. 25 - 35 units may be needed in the glabella and 35+ for some with unusually large muscles in this cosmetic unit.

Every patient is different in how Botox will work for them.  If you feel you did not see the results you were wanting, contact your surgeon and let them know your concerns.  In most cases it can be resolved simply by communicating your concerns. 

Dear veggieeater-

 

Your Botox may not be working because you may simply need more units.  It would be unusual to have Botox work in other parts of your face but not in the muscles between your eyebrows (the corrugator and procerus muscles).

 

There is a possibility that the Botox units were not injected in the right areas, but given your successful results elsewhere in your face and your trust in your doctor, I think that's unlikely.

 

There is a small chance that you're really straining hard with other facial muscles nearby, and that these other muscles are causing you to still have motion in the forehead area. 

 

Talk to your plastic surgeon, and I think you'll end up with the result you want.


Best Wishes,

Roy

All good feedback from the panel members.  We would not suggest that you have developed a resistance inasmuch as you have seen a response to the treatments.  However, it's concerning that it has taken three treatments in an effort to find the correct dosing and desired outcome.  The fact that these three treatments were done in a short time frame (6 weeks) is one factor in why patients do develop a resistance in some situations (ex: frequent dosing in less than 3 months).

It appears that you have a good baseline knowledge regarding realistic expectations and treatment goals.  Being that you state that you like your physician, it may be worthwhile discussing all of your concerns for a logical explanation and/or remedy. 

We have found that, in our practice, some patients choose to only treat their forehead.  They later mistakingly believe that the frown lines are the same area and should have resolved with the forehead treatment.  Having a complementary 2 week check up has proven valuable to address misunderstanding or concerns and to introduce new options.

Although your MD provided a complementary treatment, your time is valuable as well.

 

The first step is to choose an experienced and expert physician injector who can explain the treatment clearly and can implement the mutually agreed upon treatment. Some expression and movement is normal and desired. If you are in the office for the 3rd time in 6 weeks, then communication between the two of you from the outset was not clear.