What is baby Botox?

Good question. “Baby Botox” is a term that refers to very small doses of Botox that can be used to relax muscles without affecting natural facial expressions. It can be used as a preventative measure or for patients that want subtle improvement without significant changes to their appearance. I recommend you schedule an in-person assessment with a board-certified dermatologist and expert Botox injector who can evaluate you in person and discuss your specific concerns and goals. Through this process, your injector can create a customized treatment plan that will meet your specific needs beautifully. 

Hi there, "Baby botox" is referring to very small doses of neurotoxin being injected into certain areas of the face to relax the muscles enough to soften fine lines but not enough to "freeze" or cause someone to have no facial expression. Often times, smaller doses are used for "preventative" botox.

Botox is a product/tool and it takes a doctor with creativity and experience to use it and create excellent natural results. The amount of botox needed to achieve such results depends on the what needs to be done and can vary from very little to much more.Please make sure that you see an experienced doctor for a thorough consultation and assessment prior to undergoing any treatments.Best regards and I hope this helps, Dr. Sapijaszko (Fellow, American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery)

This is just referring to micro doses of botox injections for certain areas for a more natural, relaxed look. Keep in mind, it may require more units to get your desired outcome. Consult with facial sculpting expert. Best, Dr. Emer. 

Baby Botox is a term used to describe using smaller doses of Botox than is typical to treat a given area.  The result is a softening of the muscle activity in that area, but the patient retains movement.  This method is used primarily for wrinkle prevention.  Speak with your injector to learn what is best for you.

Every face is different.  Your Botox treatment has to be customized based on the strength of the muscles being treated, your desired look and your response to treatment. An inadequate treatment may temporarily give you desired results. However, it will not give you the expected duration of 3 to 4 months.  I recommend you choose an expert injector to see for your consultation and their recommendations.
Best Regards,

Monica Bonakdar MD

Thank you for your questionBaby botox is a term used when we used smaller dosis to decrease mouvement of the muscles but not completely bloc the facial expression.Please Consult with a board certified doctorBest Wishes
Dr Genevieve FCaron, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
Montreal, Canada

Thank you for your question Vancouvergirl18. 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 without a formal exam in the office where I can view the skin in multiple angles and observe wrinkles formed with facial expression. However, I hope the information provided here is useful.When patients present with concerns about specific wrinkles in the upper face such as the frown lines, I always assess and usually treat the other wrinkles in the upper face including the horizontal forehead wrinkles and crow’s feet. The reason is to maintain a harmonious and natural balance to the appearance of the upper face. The muscles in the glabella which are responsible for the formation of the frown lines serve to pull down on the inner brows when a person frowns. Similarly, the muscles around the eyes which are responsible for the formation of the crow’s feet seen when smiling (orbicularis oculi) are also responsible for pulling down on the brows, but in this case the outer brows. On the other hand, the muscle in the upper forehead which is responsible for the formation of the horizontal forehead wrinkles when a person raises the brows (frontalis) serves to pull the brows upward. If one of these muscles is relaxed with Botox and the others are not, the other muscles will still be active. This will lead to an unbalanced and unnatural appearance of the upper face where the brow can be elevated, depressed, or uneven in shape or position. Therefore, I recommend that my patients take a global approach to the upper face when receiving Botox treatments and treat all three of these areas. Sometimes bunny lines on the bridge of the nose are also treated.
Despite having a natural appearance when performed correctly, many people are afraid of the results of their Botox treatment, in particular before their first treatment, which is natural. In these cases, a lower dose can be used. Some people call this "Baby Botox." For example, sometimes I use 10 units in the glabella region instead of the recommended 20 units. In these cases, I advise my patients that the full results will be seen approximately two weeks after the treatment and have them return at that time to take after photographs. At this point, more Botox can be added if further enhancement is desired. I find that when lower doses are used, patients do not enjoy their results for as long; six to eight weeks as compared to three to four months. Therefore maintenance treatments must be performed more frequently.
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!

In certain parts of the upper face, lower doses of Botox then recommended can be used to preserve motion and provided natural looking results. This is called micro Botox or baby Botox. These low does of Botox also allow us to treat parts of the face that we not normally treat.

Everyone has unique expressions. We move our facial muscles in a repetitive way and over time those repetitive movements cause wrinkles and fine lines. When you start to experience the signs of aging, Botox, Dysport, and Xeomin are available to diminish unwanted wrinkles and creases in your face. Botox  locks the release of a chemical called acetylcholine, which triggers the muscle contractions that create wrinkles. Botox  essentially paralyze the muscles and stops them from contracting. Results from these treatments are visible within 3-14 days with results that can last anywhere from 3-4 months. Baby Botox refers to micro-dosing. Some patients don't need a full treatment because they may be inbetween the 3-4 month range, so micro-dosing is a good option, however more visits/treatments are needed. Hope this helps.