Welcome back to our Intro To Injections series! Since we’re all dermal filler experts now, it’s time we transition over to the wonderful, magical world of tox. (Did you miss our Intro to Injections post about filler? No worries, we’ll catch you up here.) Today, we’re breaking down 8 FAQs all about tox, the real MVP of anti-aging.

You know the drill, let’s get started with the basics: what is tox and what exactly does it do? Botox, Xeomin, and Dysport are all brands of neuromodulators that we use at kd aesthetics. The easiest way to describe how they work is that the tox interrupts the message from the brain telling the muscle to contract. The result is the muscles aren’t contracting, or not contracting as strongly, so your skin isn’t folding causing a wrinkle. Our bodies gradually start breaking down the tox, and movement gradually returns. On average movement begins to return around 3 months after your injection. Scheduling your tox treatments every 3 months gives you the best results and helps PREVENT new lines from forming. Botox is one of the most common neuromodulators, but much like filler, the amount of tox and treatment area is based on the individual needs of the patient. Your provider will assess the area of concern and together you will select the right injection for you.

What areas of the face can tox treat? 

• Forehead: smooth out the horizontal lines on your forehead with a simple tox treatment
• Frown lines: also known as “11” lines, these vertical lines in between your brows are also commonly treated with tox.
• Eyebrows: need a little lift? (or do you just need one eyebrow to look remotely similar to the other? Same.) Strategic tox injections can give your eyebrows a lift as well as bring them to the same level.
• Eyes: tox can smooth out crow’s feet and help your eyes look more open when you smile : )
• Lips: gummy smiles can easily be corrected with tox, and lip flips are a great way to not lose your top lip when your smile ; )
• Lower face: tox injections can help “turn your frown upside down” when we inject your DAOs, decrease chin dimpling and crease under your bottom lip when we treat your mentalis, and relieve pain and slim your jawline if your masseter muscles are enlarged.

Other areas: Tox can even be injected into the armpits, hands, and feet to reduce/eliminate excessive sweating for up to a year.

What should I expect during treatment? Much like any treatment at kd, we will first assess your face, areas of concern, and walk through your skin goals. We will then work together to choose which tox is right for you and the appropriate amount of units necessary to achieve those goals. We will clean the area that is going to be treated, then inject with our little baby tiny needles. This appointment typically takes around 30 minutes.

How quickly will I see results? Unlike dermal fillers, tox takes a small period of time to kick in and for you to see noticeable results. Typically, you will begin noticing results after around 5-7 days, but can take up to 14 days for you to see full results. We will schedule a follow-up appointment with you for two weeks after your treatment so that we can see the final result and add any additional units needed.

How long does tox last? This is dependent on the individual, but tox usually lasts for around 3-4 months. 

What does the recovery time look like? There isn’t really any downtime after your tox treatment. Raised bumps after injections are common, but go down quickly. You may see some slight bruising around the treated area, but that is also dependent on the individual.

Are there any post-treatment instructions? Yes! We send a post-treatment instruction email following your appointment. These instructions vary based on the area treated, but some general rules of thumb are:

• Avoid wearing hats or headbands after treatment
• Do not rub the treated areas for at least 4 hours. Certain vitamins and medications may cause bruising, so consult with your provider to find out if you should avoid those for up to a week after treatment.
• Avoid facials, massage or extreme workouts right after tox. It is okay to resume all activities the day after injections.
• Avoid the use of Retin-A or similar products two days after treatment to prevent increased irritation. Avoid cosmetic treatments such as laser, ultrasounds, peels, facials or microdermabrasion for two weeks after treatment.
• Try to avoid wearing makeup until the day after treatment.
• It is common to have a headache 12-24 hours after your first tox treatment. We advise taking whatever you usually take for a headache. Most patients don’t experience a headache after the first time, on the rare occasion a patient does have a headache with the second treatment, we switch to a different tox and they no longer experience headaches with their treatments.

Have more questions or want to get personal recommendations from one of our providers? Check out more info on our tox treatment page. Click here to book a complimentary virtual or in-person consultation, or schedule your preferred treatment!

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