What to expect at your first neurotoxin appointment
From consultation to day-14 results — the honest version, including what tox can't fix.
4 min read · Updated June 2026
Before you come in
Skip alcohol for 24 hours and, if it's medically safe for you, pause fish oil, ibuprofen, and other blood thinners for a few days. Both reduce the chance of bruising.
Come with a clean face if you can, and bring photos of expressions that bother you. It's much easier to treat 'this line when I raise my brows' than a general request to look refreshed.
The appointment itself
Your provider maps your muscle movement while you make faces — frown, raise, squint. That map determines dose and placement, not a one-size-fits-all template.
Injections take about ten minutes. Most people describe it as a quick pinch. No numbing is usually needed.
Aftercare and timing
Stay upright for four hours, skip strenuous exercise that day, and avoid rubbing the treated area.
You'll see movement soften around day 3 to 5, with full effect at day 14. That's when we take your follow-up photos and adjust if anything needs a touch.
What it won't do
Neurotoxin relaxes muscle movement. It does not add volume, tighten loose skin, or erase lines that are etched in at rest — those need filler, bio-stimulators, or resurfacing.
If someone promises tox will do all of that, get a second opinion.
Questions about this for your case?
Consultations are free and there's no obligation to book anything.