If I Start Having Botox®, Can I Ever Stop?
“Someone told me that once you start having Botox®, you can’t stop. Is this true?”
Anon, Kumeu
No, you can stop having Botox® whenever you like. Botulinum toxin temporarily paralyses muscles that crease the skin and having it once does not mean you have signed up for a lifetime of treatments.
A good analogy is colouring your roots. While you keep colouring them, you become used to seeing your hair without greys, but if you stop, the colour grows out and your natural hair reappears. Having coloured it hasn’t somehow created more grey hair underneath, just as pausing Botox® treatments does not accelerate your normal background ageing.
The funny part is that once we get used to seeing something look smoother, we often notice when it returns. Just as those first grey roots can seem obvious after years of colouring your hair, lines can seem more noticeable when Botox® wears off.
So when people say, “Once you start, you can’t stop”, what they usually mean is that they like the way they look with regular treatments. Wanting to continue Botox® is different from needing it to continue and you should be weary of injectors who tell you to keep going at all costs as it will likely be a marketing ploy to keep you having regular treatments with them.
You can have Botox® once, have it occasionally, or stop altogether. Cosmetic treatments should always remain your choice, with you in the driver’s seat.
Quick Answers
Can I stop Botox® after having it once?
Yes. You can have one treatment and never have another if you choose.
What happens to your face when you stop Botox®?
Your normal muscle movement gradually returns and expression lines become visible again.
Will my wrinkles get worse if I stop Botox®?
No. Stopping Botox® does not cause rebound wrinkles or suddenly make your skin age faster.
Does your face become dependent on Botox®?
No. Your skin and facial muscles do not become physically dependent on Botox®.
Why does it sometimes look worse when Botox® wears off?
Usually because you have become accustomed to seeing the area looking smoother, so the return of normal movement and lines is more noticeable.
Do I need to have Botox® regularly once I start?
No. How often, or whether, you have further treatment is entirely up to you.
If you have a question for Dr. Heather you would like answered anonymously, please email askdrheather@allor.co.nz.
Written by Dr. Heather Anderson, MBChB, BSc, FRNZCUC, PGDip Cosmetic Medicine, NZSCM | ALLOR Cosmetic Medicine, Auckland
Botox®, Prescription Medicine For the treatment of frown lines and crow’s feet around the eyes. Botox® has risks and benefits. Ask your doctor if Botox is right for you. Botulinum toxin type A 50, 100, 200 Units. For product information check with your doctor or Consumer Medicine Information on www.medsafe.govt.nz. Click for further details. Allergan, Auckland.