The most common reason why Botox doesn't work is that not enough of it was administered. Botox isn't a one-size-fits-all treatment and the same dose doesn't work for everyone. Some people may need additional Botox to achieve an effective level of muscle weakness. Botox can also be old, overdiluted, or fake. It's a little-known fact that some people can become resistant to the effects of Botox.
When the Botox bottle is opened and mixed, it must be used within a specific period of time, otherwise its effects may diminish. This is the approach used by many Med Spas that have the cheapest price for Botox to attract customers. Naturally, cutting corners will give you a suboptimal result. There are also studies that look at how age and frequency of treatment can affect a person's ability to develop resistance to Botox. While Botox is the best-known brand of cosmetic neurotoxins, it's not the only brand on the market.
According to those who do recognize the phenomenon of Botox resistance, the numbers are low, about 1% to 3% of patients receiving the injection will develop toxin blocking antibodies. Meanwhile, Botox injections usually resolve on their own, so the results are best seen in about two weeks after the initial treatment. Just as some people trust Advil for headaches and others rely on Motrin, some patients do better with Dysport than with BOTOX (and vice versa), even though the two products are very similar. Allergan notes that this occurs more often in people who receive frequent Botox injections or when they are used in higher doses, such as when treating cervical dystonia (although this remains a minor concern). As a result, for these patients, BOTOX injections provide disappointing results, a very short-lived effect, or no effect at all. Botox injections are not risk-free and the effects last a short time (the norm is three to four months).
I ended up getting my usual dose of Botox and also agreed to get some fillers on my face for the first time. Sometimes, people who didn't get an optimal result with Botox seem to respond better to Dysport or Xeomin. Keep in mind that the success of Botox injections depends heavily on technique, and it's also entirely possible to get a “bad batch” that is less than fresh (and therefore less effective). Since the explosion in Botox use, researchers and healthcare providers are realizing that resistance to Botox can develop, and even that there may be some who are completely immune to its effects. Botox injections are quick, low on the pain and suffering scale, relatively inexpensive (compared to surgery), and require no downtime. Minimize your risk by choosing an experienced provider with a proven reputation for excellent BOTOX results, preferably a physician with extensive training in aesthetic medicine, such as a board-certified plastic surgeon.
Most of the time, when BOTOX seems to be less effective for a patient, it's not a case of true BOTOX resistance.
