Botulinum Toxin (Botox)

How it works

Botulinum toxin temporarily blocks the signals that tell a targeted muscle to contract. With less movement, expression lines such as those on the forehead, between the brows and around the eyes may soften. It is also used for other purposes, such as reducing the muscle bulk of the jaw or treating excessive sweating. The effect is gradual, wears off over a few months, and varies by person and dose.

Who it may suit

• Lines between the brows, across the forehead and beside the eyes that come from muscle movement
• Prominent jaw muscles in selected people
• Underarm sweating, when discussed with a doctor
• Visitors who want a short appointment with little visible recovery

The treatment day

1. Face assessment. The doctor watches how you move your face at rest and when frowning or smiling, then discusses what is realistic and what to leave alone.
2. Mapping and injection. Small injection points are marked and treated with a fine needle. This usually takes ten to twenty minutes.
3. Early effect. Tiny bumps fade within hours. Softening usually starts after two to four days and reaches its full effect at about two weeks.
4. Review if needed. If one area is uneven, a small adjustment can be made at a check visit, often around two weeks after the first.

Aftercare

• Do not lie flat for a few hours, and do not press or rub the injected spots.
• Skip intense exercise, saunas and heavy facials for about a day.
• Gentle facial expressions are fine; you do not need to keep still.
• Cover small bruises with makeup after the first few hours if you wish.
• Note the date and the product used for your records.

Things to know first

• Bruising, headache, small bumps and tenderness can occur.
• Uneven results, drooping of an eyelid or brow, or a changed expression can happen and usually fade as the toxin wears off.
• Not suited to pregnancy, breastfeeding, certain nerve or muscle conditions, or allergy to the product.
• Some medicines, including certain antibiotics, can interact; share your full medication list.
• Effects fade, so keeping a look requires repeat treatment.

Planning Botox around a Seoul trip

Treat early enough that the full effect shows before you leave, and early enough that any adjustment can fit in. A common approach is to book the injection in the first half of the trip, then a check visit around day fourteen if your stay allows. If you are leaving in under two weeks, ask the doctor how a smaller first dose would work.

Bruising is the main wildcard. A small mark can take several days to fade, which is easy to hide but worth knowing if you have a wedding or business meeting soon after. Flying the same day is generally acceptable, but let the doctor confirm with your history.