Is your neurotoxin wearing off quicker than you'd like? Our injector Layla explains why.

Do you feel like your neurotoxin (Botox/Dysport) wears off too quickly? There are a few reasons this may happen.

While some causes are out of our hands, we can certainly experiment with factors that are within our control.



Some practitioners believe that dosing equals duration. This simply means that the more neurotoxin you use, the longer it will last, and vice versa. I do not believe that adding more of the product will make the product last longer. I do believe that if you use more product, it may give you a better hold or ‘freeze’ throughout the typical three to four months. A higher dose will generally mean a stronger ‘freeze’ and therefore a heavier hold. This can be challenging for people who like a more natural look, because that requires fewer, delicately placed units. Adding more tox isn’t going to be the answer for everyone, but you may want to consider increasing your dose to see if this provides you with a stronger ‘freeze’ between treatments.

Other patients are simply fast metabolizers of the product. Several factors can contribute to this including genetics, exercise and stress. While genetics are out of our hands, you can try to improve stress reduction and reduce high intensity workouts to see if this affects your neurotoxin longevity. I recommend avoiding high intensity workouts for at least 24 hours after your treatment. Ultimately, patients who fall into this category tend to come into the clinic for more frequent treatments or use higher doses of the product.

A small study showed that zinc citrate and phytase as a supplement can increase the average toxin duration. Botulinum neurotoxin is a metalloprotease that causes muscle paralysis, and when injected into the muscles of facial expression, it can relax the wrinkles around your forehead and eyes. Botulinum toxin is a zinc-dependent metalloprotease, and phytase is a digestive enzyme that can help your body hold onto certain nutrients, like zinc. I do believe that more research needs to be done on this subject before I can recommend this as a supplement. Also, please check with your primary care provider prior to starting any new supplements.

Some people have called Revox 7 from Revision Skincare ‘Botox in a bottle.’ This peptide serum claims to extend the duration of your neurotoxin and soften the appearance of expression lines. One of the ingredients in Revox 7 is GABA – Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid. GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, and its goal is to reduce neuron excitability. In theory, this could work in conjunction with your neurotoxin. It may be worth trialing the product for those who struggle with the duration of their neurotoxin.

There are very rarely non-responders to neurotoxins. If you are one of the few patients who don’t respond to products like Dysport or Botox, you may want to try Xeomin. Xeomin is free from added proteins and is thought to be a purer form of botulinum toxin. Some patients who have a history of difficulty with Dysport or Botox have reported success with switching to another product like Xeomin.

If you have questions about your neurotoxin treatment, give me a call or schedule a consultation today!