It is a very rare situation that Botox injections do not provide the desired result when applied by a specialist and experienced doctor. However, in some patients, the effect of Botox injections is minimal. This is due to a condition called Botox resistance.
What is Botox Resistance?
Botox resistance can be defined as the patient forming antibodies against botulinum toxin and metabolizing the Botox drug extremely quickly. As a result, Botox injections may provide a very short-term effect for these patients or may not have any effect at all. However, Botox resistance is a very rare condition. Therefore, when the desired effect is not achieved after Botox injections, there are different factors underlying it.
Sufficient Time Should Be Waited for Botox to Take Effect
One of the most important features of Botox injections is that they are fast-acting, but not instantaneously. While most patients notice fewer wrinkles in the application area within a short period of time such as 48 hours, it can take 7 to 10 days for the full effects to appear. However, if more than 2 weeks have passed since the Botox injection and the expected results are still not seen, the doctor performing the application should be contacted.
It is safer to undertreat than to overdose during Botox injection. When an overdose is applied, the only thing that can be done is to wait for the effect of the injection to wear off. For this reason, experts may generally be a little more conservative on patients they are working with for the first time. If a few weeks have passed since the Botox injection and the desired result is not achieved, the procedure can be retouched with an additional dose injection.
People who regularly receive Botox treatment may forget that the aging process continues “behind the scenes”. If it is noticed that the same dose does not provide satisfactory results during this process, it may be thought that the skin has lost collagen and elastin or that the volume of fat in the face has decreased. Both changes can lead to the deepening of lines that were once only noticeable with facial expressions and caused discomfort. In this case, Botox injection with a higher dose may not be the right and effective solution. Instead, Botox injection can be combined with the injection of fillers that will plump the skin. In this way, the person can maintain a youthful appearance and natural facial expression.
Application or Dosage Error Can Negatively Affect Botox Results
Having a comprehensive knowledge of facial anatomy, correctly interpreting the patient’s expectations, and having the ability to apply the correct dose according to skin quality are very important for the success of Botox injection. In the absence of sufficient expertise and experience, situations such as using the wrong dose or injecting the wrong point in the facial muscle may be encountered. As a result, bad results may occur. In order to eliminate such risks, it is preferable to work with doctors who have sufficient experience and expertise in the field and have a proven reputation for achieving successful results in Botox treatment.
Unfortunately, when working with unqualified clinics, there is a risk of experiencing negative situations such as injecting heavily diluted or fake ingredients in order to maximize profit margins. Only licensed doctors can perform real Botox injections. The risk of encountering such problems is very high in non-medical or semi-medical environments. To avoid the potential for bad and potentially dangerous results of fake or overly diluted Botox injections, Botox injections should only be performed by reputable, qualified doctors who are experienced in medical practices, and prices that seem too good to be true should be avoided.
Reasons Why Botox Does Not Work
The most common reason why Botox injections do not work is that the dose injected into the patient is not sufficient. There is no single dose that will provide the best results for every patient in Botox treatment. Therefore, it is not possible for the same dose to work for every patient. Some people may need additional Botox injections to achieve an effective level of muscle weakness.
If the Botox bottle is opened and mixed and not used within a certain period of time, its effect may decrease. In order to achieve the desired result from Botox injections, it must be injected into the muscle. If the injection is made too superficially or too deep, it is not possible to get an effective result.
Some patients may develop an immune response that can reduce the effectiveness of Botox treatment. This is because Botox is a protein complex, and in some patients, the body’s immune system responds by producing “blocking” antibodies that can inactivate the protein’s biological activity.
Antibody formation can become a more serious concern in the treatment of medical conditions such as cervical dystonia, where patients must receive frequent injections or higher doses.
What to Do If Botox Does Not Work?
If the Botox injection does not work, the doctor performing the application should be contacted first. It should not be forgotten that the success of Botox injections depends largely on the application technique. When the desired results are not obtained from Botox treatment, it is usually preferred to increase the dose. At this stage, it is very important to ensure that there is no doubt about the competence of the doctor performing the application.