Under-eye lines: Botox or filler?
Under the eye, it all depends on the type of line: there at rest, or only when you smile. A mirror test is often enough to tell.
Does the neuromodulator stay safe when you get it for years? According to the available data, yes, as long as it’s well dosed and the sessions are spaced out. Its effects are temporary, they fade on their own, and the product doesn’t build up in the body.
You like the result, but you wonder what coming back every three or four months does to your face. We get it, and it’s a good question to ask before starting. Here we look at what changes in the muscle and in the skin, then at Health Canada’s safety benchmarks.
What the neuromodulator does, and for how long
The neuromodulator is a type A botulinum toxin. It acts in a targeted, temporary way on the expression muscles. The effect lasts three to four months, then fades on its own.
And when the sessions are repeated over several years? The muscle and skin adapt a little, and those changes stay reversible.
On the muscle side
- Treated muscles gently thin.
- Their strength shifts.
- Neighbouring muscles can adapt.
- All of it is fully reversible when the injections stop.
On the skin side
- Texture changes, generally for the better, because the skin is less worked by the fold.
- Elasticity can evolve.
- Natural collagen production adapts.
The myths
Does the product end up building up in the body? No. Does the effect become permanent after a few years? No again.
What is established:
- The effects are temporary and reversible.
- Your response to the product can vary over time.
- Muscle adaptation is possible.
What is false:
- The product does not accumulate in the body.
- The effects do not become permanent.
- The face does not freeze for good.
Have you seen a frozen face and worry you’ll end up there? That frozen look comes from overdosing, not from the number of years of treatment. Well dosed, the effect fades on its own.
Health Canada's benchmarks
Health Canada's benchmarks for safe use over time:
- Keeping at least 3 months between sessions.
- Not exceeding 4 treatments a year.
- Maintaining regular follow-up with a qualified professional.
What to watch from one session to the next
- Facial asymmetry that persists
- A change in how you respond to the treatment
- An effect that doesn’t last as long as before
These three signs are not emergencies. Mention them to your nurse, because they change the dosing next time.
When to see someone right away
See someone promptly if you notice unusual muscle weakness, difficulty swallowing, vision changes or an allergic reaction. These situations are rare, and they should never be ignored.
What makes a good result over time
At the clinic, follow-up happens at every session:
- an assessment before every injection, not just the first;
- dosing adjusted to your response, which is not your neighbour’s;
- follow-up on the result from one session to the next.
The rest comes down to a few choices:
- Who injects. That’s the most important factor, by a wide margin.
- The intervals. Tempted to move sessions closer to keep the effect going? We understand, but it improves nothing and raises the risk.
- Reporting anything unusual quickly, without waiting for the next visit.
Whether you’re just starting or have been getting injections for a few years, the simplest step is to talk about it at an assessment. We place your expectations there before proposing a plan.
Sources: the product's official monograph and Health Canada data.
