Botox (Full Face)
What Is It?
What we call Botox is botulinum toxin. A nerve tells a muscle to contract through a small junction between the two. Botulinum toxin seals that junction, much like putty would. The signal reaches the muscle less than before, so the muscle cannot contract as strongly. When it contracts less, the skin over it looks smoother and lines deepened by repeated expression soften. The effect is temporary.
When we say “full face”, we plan the expression zones of the upper face together: forehead lines, the area between the brows, crow’s feet, the fine lines at the bridge of the nose and, if needed, the nose tip. Relax one muscle and the one beside it starts working differently. So we don’t treat these zones one at a time. The area between the brows is a good example. If you frown a lot, that frown line settles in over the years and the face starts to look angrier.
How Is It Done?
First we look at the muscles. I ask you to raise your eyebrows, frown and smile. How hard is each muscle working? Does the line appear only when you make the expression, or is it there when your face is at rest too? Where deep lines stay visible at rest, I tell you at the outset that Botox alone will be limited.
Then we mark the injection points. With a very fine needle we place small amounts into the muscle. We calculate the dose separately for each zone so that brow height and eyelid support are preserved. The procedure takes about 15 minutes and needs no anaesthesia. The rules we give you for the first three days directly affect the result.
Who Is It For?
Suitable for people who don’t want surgery and have lines that show with expression on the forehead, between the brows and around the eyes. We can also plan it preventively, before a line has set in. In that case our aim is to slow the line’s deepening.
We don’t treat during pregnancy or breastfeeding, people with a neuromuscular disease such as myasthenia gravis, anyone with active infection at the treatment site, or anyone with a known allergy to botulinum toxin. Some antibiotics and muscle relaxants can change the effect, so I ask about the medicines you take. If you have had a drooping eyelid before, we plan with extra care.
Process & Recovery
Muscle analysis
We ask you to make each expression in turn and watch. We note whether the line stays at rest, and plan the dose separately for each zone. We take photographs for the record.
Treatment day
We cleanse the skin, mark the points and inject into the muscle with a fine needle. It takes about 15 minutes; no anaesthesia is needed.
First 3 days
The rules to follow are in the “Aftercare Notes” section of this page. They all exist for the same reason. If the product spreads beyond the muscle we planned for, muscles we did not target can relax as well.
Days 3-7
The effect begins and settles in gradually. Meanwhile you may feel a temporary difference between the two sides. We don’t assess the result until the process is complete.
Week 2 review
Once the effect has settled, we see you for a review. If needed we add a small top-up dose; this is a normal part of the plan.
Results & Duration
The effect starts within the first three days and settles fully in two weeks. It is not permanent. The signal to the muscle gradually returns and the effect fades on average within 3-6 months. That time varies from person to person with muscle structure, dose and metabolism.
Some people report the effect lasting longer when it is renewed at regular intervals. Not every renewal gives the same duration. If you stop, your face gradually returns to its old pattern of expression. We often hear that “it gets worse once you stop”. That is wrong.
What Is Not Promised
Botox does not add volume or plump anything up. If someone tells me they still have swelling on the forehead after Botox, it needs to be looked at, because swelling like that would come from filler. For the same reason Botox does not correct the shadows and hollows left by volume loss. It does not lift sagging skin and has no effect on pigmentation or skin quality. In very deep lines that stay visible at rest, it will not give the expected result on its own.
We don’t promise a particular dose, a particular duration or that the lines will disappear completely. An expressionless face is not a result we want either. We look for the dose that softens the line while keeping your expression.
Key Benefits
- Young appearance
- Softened lines
- Quick application
“Does Botox freeze the face? At a very high dose, or injected where it shouldn’t be, yes, it can leave a mask-like, expressionless face. Softening wrinkles without spoiling your expression is also possible, and I set the dose with that in mind.”
— Dr. Sinan Akyürek
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Botox painful?
Not much. We use a very fine needle and the amounts are small. Most people describe a brief sting; anaesthesia is usually not needed.
When does it start working?
Usually within the first 3 days. It varies from person to person: some people feel it take hold within a day, others only after ten days. It takes two weeks to settle fully, and we assess the result in the second week.
How long does it last?
On average 3-6 months. Duration varies from person to person with muscle structure, dose and metabolism.
Will my face look frozen?
Not with a planned dose. A frozen face is the result of a very high dose or of injecting the wrong place. We plan the dose to preserve your expression.
Will my lines be worse if I stop?
No. When the effect wears off, the muscles go back to their previous pattern. You return to how you were before treatment, and it doesn’t get worse.
Why are there rules for the first 3 days?
To keep the product in the muscle we planned for. Massage, bending forward, intense exercise and excessive heat can make it spread beyond that muscle.
Can it be combined with filler?
Yes, when needed, within the same plan. The two do different jobs. Botox is for expression lines, filler for volume loss.
Who is it not suitable for?
We don’t treat during pregnancy or breastfeeding, with neuromuscular disease, with active infection at the site, or with a known allergy to the toxin. I ask about your medication at the consultation.