Frequently Asked Questions

1.  How much does it cost to get a Neuromuscular blocker (Botox/Dyport) treatment?

The cost varies with each patient. Some patients want multiple areas treated and some patients have stronger muscles needing more of the medication injected in each area. Generally, the cost is between $200 and $600 per treatment.

2.  How long do the Neuromuscular blocker (Botox/Dysport) treatments last?

After about 4-6 months the facial muscles, once weakened resume motion and the wrinkles caused by these muscles are again forming. It is best to receive repeat treatments every 3-4 months before the full effect has worn off so the wrinkles do not form again. To get the most benefit from treatments they are best done three or four times per year.

3.  Are the injections painful?

We use the tiniest needle to inject the medication and use ice and vibration on the injection site just before the injection to create a nearly painless treatment.

4.  Is there any downtime after receiving Botox/Dysport injections?

The injections take about 15 minutes to perform in our office. Initially, the injection sites appear similar to mosquito bites but are hardly noticeable after 20 minutes. You may go right back to work or play and no one will notice you had anything done. We recommend you not rub the areas injected and limit vigorous exercise for about 4 hours after the injections. On occasion, you may have a small bruise lasting about a week, but the bruise is easily covered with makeup.

5.  When will I see results of my Botox/Dysport treatment?

Dysport works a bit faster than Botox by several days. You may see results in 1-2 days with Dysport and about a week with Botox. The full effect of both medications takes two weeks. Every patient is different, some needing more medication than others. On occasion it may require a touch up adding more medication to give the desired result. We always wait two weeks before additional injections to allow enough time for the medication to take full effect.

6.  Which is better? Botox or Dysport?

In Dr. London's experience Botox and Dyport are equivalent in efficacy and duration of effect.  However, Dysport starts working a bit faster.

7.  Is it possible to get bad Botox/Dysport treatments?

There are many millions of injections of Botox/Dysport given per year worldwide. The results are most always very effective and pleasing to the patients. Like any medical procedure, your results can be largely dependent on the medical professional providing the service, the injector. These medications given in the wrong area or the wrong concentration can have adverse effects. Such problems include droopy eye brows or eye lids, blurred vision, and a crooked smile. In many medical spas or medical practices, a nurse or a physician extender rather than a physician will be the injector. Most will have the training and expertise necessary to give you a great result without any complications. At London Medical Spa these treatments are always and only performed by a board-certified physician ensuring that the injections are done safely, correctly and to your satisfaction.

8.  Will anyone know I had the injections?

When properly, administered Botox/Dysport injections will not be noticeable to the untrained eye. You will just look refreshed and relaxed. Your stress lines will be diminished or removed but your face will still be able to show expression normally.

9.  Can Botox be used on places besides your face?

Drugs like Botox/Dysport may be used in many areas of the body in addition to the face. These medications can be used in the underarm area, feet and palms to help with excessive sweating. They can be used in areas of the face and posterior neck muscles to treat migraines, in the bladder to treat bladder spasm and urinary incontinence, on the neck to help with muscles spasms and even in the vocal cords to help with voice disorders. A surprising side effect of botulinum toxin treatment is the injections may also help with depression. A study published in the journal Emotions in 2010 suggested that if Botox takes away some part of the facial expression, some of the emotional experience may also be lessened. However, more research is needed to validate and expand upon this research work.

10.  What is the best way to get rid of wrinkles?

Your skin is always in a state of repair. New cells are continuously being formed in the basal layer of the epidermis and over several months rise to the surface to be sloughed off invisibly. This process slows with aging.  If the underlying muscle can be made to stop creasing (damaging) the skin, the skin will repair itself.  This is how drugs like Botox/Dysport do their job. Combining regular chemical peels, micro-needling or laser resurfacing  with the neuromuscular blockers will speed this process. The combination of Botox/Dysport and skin resurfacing is a powerful “1-2” punch for taking years from your facial appearance.

11. What are the stages of a chemical peel and what can I expect? 

The chemical peeling process is a bit variable with each patient. Most patients will peel within 4 to 5 days. During the first two days your skin will be tight, shiny, and you may develop a slight darkening of the skin called bronzing. On days three and four most people will start to peel. The peeling continues for several more days.  Most will complete their peel within a week revealing their beautiful radiant skin.

12. How long do the results of a chemical peel last? 

Results of superficial chemical peels last several months. Deeper chemical peels offer longer lasting results.

13. How does the liquid brow lift work? 

First, a short anatomy lesson: There is only one muscle that elevates the eyebrow, the thin, broad, forehead muscle called the Frontalis Muscle.  There are several depressor muscles that pull the eyebrow down. The muscle that depresses the lateral brow is the Orbicularis Oculi. It is a sphincter muscle that opens and closes the eye like a camera lens. When it closes the eye, it pulls down on the lateral brow.

The elevator and the depressor muscles are antagonistic (pulling in opposite directions) and hold the brow in position while at rest. By simply injecting and weakening the depressor muscles with a neuromuscular blocker like Botox or Dysport and leaving the elevator muscle unopposed it will retrain the muscles to reshape the brow over time.

Strategically placed neuromuscular blocker injections can give your brows a subtle yet temporary lift with none of the recovery or downtime associated with surgery and at a fraction of the cost. The desired effect lasts around 4-6 months. 

14.  How many PRP (platelet rich plasma) hair treatments will I need? When will I see results?

Patients typically need 3 treatments, given 4 weeks apart.  Most patients start to see results after 12-15 weeks and maintain these gains in hair thickness and growth with once or twice a year treatments.