How Botox works: why do muscles move less, and what is it made of?

Botox works by having botulinum toxin block the release of acetylcholine, the signaling substance that travels from nerve endings to muscles, so the injected muscle contracts less. When a muscle moves less, the expression wrinkles it repeatedly creased may look softer, and large, well-developed muscles can be expected to shrink while they are not being used. The effect lasts for the several months it takes for the nerve endings to recover, and then gradually returns.

How Botox works: how it blocks nerve signals

A muscle contracts when acetylcholine is released from a nerve ending and reaches the muscle. Inside the nerve ending, Botox cleaves a protein needed to release acetylcholine, so the signal cannot pass to the muscle.

This action appears only around the injected muscle, so which muscle is injected and how much determines the result. A small amount is used for muscles that create wrinkles, such as between the eyebrows and on the forehead, and a larger amount is used for large, thick muscles such as the masseter in the jaw.

What is Botox made of?

Botox is a medication made by purifying a neurotoxin protein produced by the botulinum bacterium into a very small amount. It is commonly called Botox, but that is the name of one product, and several formulations of the same class are used under the name botulinum toxin.

Each formulation differs in the amount of complexing proteins attached around the toxin, and formulations with fewer of these proteins are called low-resistance formulations. This relates to resistance, in which the body produces antibodies with repeated injections and the effect decreases, so the formulation is chosen while considering the injection cycle and dose together. At FACE FILTER Clinic Suwon, we offer botulinum toxin in three categories: Korean-made, Korean-made low-resistance, and German-made low-resistance formulations.

The timing of effects and precautions based on how Botox works

It takes a few days for the product to act on the nerve endings, so the effect starts to appear after a few days and becomes full around two weeks. Wrinkle Botox lasts about 2 to 3 months on average, and movement gradually returns as the nerve endings recover.

Bruising and swelling at the injection sites are mild and settle soon. If the product spreads to muscles where it is not wanted, your eyelids may droop or your expressions may look unnatural, so please contact the clinic if this happens, and if you are pregnant or breastfeeding or have a neuromuscular disorder, please let us know before treatment.

Botox vs. filler in Suwon: what should you consider based on the cause of your wrinkles?

View Wrinkle Botox Procedure Information

FAQ

Q. Does the Botox ingredient build up in the body?

A. The injected toxin acts on the nerve endings and is then broken down in the body without building up. The effect ends because the nerve endings recover anew, and when you get it again, it works on the same principle as the first time, so it is repeated at the set dose and interval.

Q. Given how Botox works, will it smooth out all wrinkles?

A. Botox works on expression wrinkles created by muscles folding the skin. Wrinkles caused by thinning skin and reduced elasticity, or grooves caused by lost volume, have little to do with muscles, so other methods such as filler or skin boosters are considered as well.

Q. Won't Botox weaken my muscles and make them sag?

A. A muscle injected with an appropriate dose moves less for a while and then recovers over several months. However, repeatedly injecting too much into the jaw muscles can make your chewing feel weaker or make the area below the cheeks look hollow, so the dose is decided by looking at muscle size and face shape.