Injectables

Treatment Diary: What to Expect at Your Neurotoxin Consultation

Interested in a Neurotoxin Consultation? Here’s What To Know.

Interested in trying out Botox at Laserway? Not sure where to begin? Allow me to recommend a consultation—which is free! Having never before gotten Xeomin or Botox at LaserAway, I lined up a consultation with a nurse at LaserAway’s Brooklyn Heights location so I could find out what I might expect from giving Botox a go. Thankfully, Nurse Gaby was on hand to explain all the ins and outs.  

I’ve noticed in recent years that the wrinkles and lines in my forehead have become more pronounced. I’ve also developed what are often referred to as “elevens”—which are lines in the small zone between my eyes. The more scientific name for this area is the “glabella.” Some people prefer to focus on getting filler to treat the signs of aging, but for me, Gaby suggested using a neurotoxin like Botox or Xeomin. Not sure what the difference is? Neither was I—fortunately, Gaby cleared things up for me. “These two injections work pretty much the same way. The biggest difference between them relates to the protein they include. Xeomin doesn’t have the added proteins that Botox has, but both neurotoxins inhibit the muscle for the same amount of time. Also, Xeomin tends to be a little more affordable. Regardless of which injection you choose, you can feel assured that both are great products.”    

After explaining the two types of treatments available, I felt like Xeomin was the right fit for me. Gaby told me that before the injection, that the nurse will ask about the look I am trying to achieve — whether it’s little movement to the muscle or slight movement in the muscle. Another option was a more natural “baby Botox” look. This will tell the nurse exactly how many units would be right for me. Regardless, these treatments will keep your facial muscles from moving for 3-4 months.

If you aren’t sure about committing to this treatment, “Baby Botox” is a nice option. You can think of it as a light sprinkling of neurotoxin to stunt the muscle, which lessens the appearance of lines and wrinkles. “Baby Botox” also means your face looks less frozen and moves more freely. It is important to understand that each patient is unique in terms of how they’re impacted by the treatment. Nurse Gaby explained, “Some people come with more active muscles, which means that just based on how they naturally function, they require more units of injection. I more commonly notice this with younger people, but it does vary.” It was now abundantly clear to me why it’s so important to have a consultation before your appointment. Neurotoxins work their best when they are applied in a customized way. 

Gaby did a really thorough job telling me what I could expect—but I was still nervous. What if something went wrong? She assured me that this is super uncommon. It’s important to understand that it’s impossible to “undo” this type of injection (which is not the case with getting filler), but the body naturally breaks it down with the injection over time. Nothing is permanent—for better or worse. Gaby also put me at ease by telling me that the likelihood of complications are slim to none. “We’ve been really well trained,” she assured me, “and there’s so much support here.”

This consultation appointment made it so clear that Gaby and the other LaserAway clinicians were absolute experts with these types of injections—I was in good hands. All I had to do to avoid bruising was to not drink any alcohol or take ibuprofen in the 24-48 hours leading up to my appointment. Following the injection, I needed to avoid exercise (fine by me!) and hot baths or showers for a full 24 hours. The same goes for wearing a tight baseball hat.

Now that I had all the information, I was ready to go ahead and schedule my first neurotoxin treatment. See ya, forehead wrinkles! 

Blair Smith is a lifestyle and beauty writer who currently resides (and will likely stay forever) in Brooklyn, New York.