As somebody who’s been getting dermal fillers for around three years, muscle relaxing injections have always been on my radar – but I’ve never thought I needed them, until I discovered that the treatment can also be preventative. Enter: Baby Botox.

What is ‘Baby Botox’?

Before getting the injections myself, I needed to understand exactly what was different about Baby Botox – and so should you if you’re thinking of doing the same.

“Baby Botox essentially refers to using a lower dose of Botox,” explains EV expert and aesthetic doctor Ahmed El Muntasar. “I believe people are opting for this treatment because it makes them feel better about getting botulinum toxin and can be seen as an entry into muscle relaxing injections.”

This is certainly how it felt to me: a way in to trial this type of procedure, but gently.
Those who turn to Baby Botox do so for a number of reasons and concerns, including fine lines and wrinkles. It’s predominantly “used to prevent the formation of lines and wrinkles in the upper face,” says Dr. Raquel Amado, EV expert and Director of Dr Raquel Skin & Medical Cosmetics.

Baby Botox does, however, have other benefits, adds Dr El Muntasar: “It can improve skin qualities such as hydration issues. Essentially, when you put botulinum toxin in the facial muscles, there’s less movement in the area and when there’s less movement, there’s less trauma to the skin and when there’s less trauma, there’s less dehydration – because you aren’t moving that part of the face. This therefore makes the skin plumper and softer.”

Not only that, “muscle relaxing injections have also been shown to help with non-skin related issues, including migraines and teeth grinding. Even a 'Baby Botox' treatment can make a profound different. I do get patients that don’t want to change the shape of their face so we do a little smidge of Baby Botox and that’s enough to reduce the tension there by up to 40 per cent which is often all that's needed. However, you do usually need high quantities”.

How does it differ from ‘regular’ muscle relaxing injections?

As mentioned, Baby Botox is usually seen as an entry point into muscle relaxing injections – and the difference between the two is simple: “It’s just a lower dose,” says Dr El Muntasar.

It’s also about the effects and final result of the injections. Dr Christine Hall, at Dr Wassim Taktouk’s namesake clinic, explains that for her, the procedure offers a slightly softer finish for those looking who don't want to look too 'frozen'.

“Muscle relaxing injection techniques have traditionally resulted in very little muscle movement being maintained, and sometimes even that frozen, expressionless look. Baby Botox maintains some movement, but still softens and erases fine lines and wrinkles.”

Although there is no specific age you ‘should’ start getting injections (if this is the path you choose), Dr Amado would recommend going when you “start seeing the first static wrinkles – which is normally around the late twenties.”

Are there any side effects of Baby Botox?

If your practitioner is experienced and comes recommended, the side effects with Baby Botox are typically mild and risks are rare.

The most common, says Dr Hall, is bruising and bleeding post-treatment. “As doctors, we know where the large blood vessels are located and can avoid these, but we all have a network of tiny blood vessels under the surface of the skin. Sometimes, no matter how careful we are, we might inadvertently hit one of these. It’s relatively uncommon and if it happens you get a tiny bit of bleeding and a bruise, which would only be small and easily covered with makeup.”

Much less common side effects of injections like this can include droopy eyelids or crooked eyebrows, or more serious issues such as muscle weakness, an allergic reaction or issues breathing. However, going to a professional, experienced injector who comes recommended drastically reduces the likelihood of serious side effects.

How often do you need top ups? 

All the experts I spoke with agreed that the most common timeframe between appointments is three to six months.

However, as Dr Hall points out, “at the beginning, once you first start having Baby Botox, you will probably require around three monthly treatments. As it offers a much gentler result, for deeper lines and wrinkles, a few treatments are usually required to get optimal results.”

In short, it’s always best to go little and often in the beginning, and to take it slow to reach your desired result.

How much does Baby Botox cost? 

This really depends on the practitioner and clinic you visit, but on average for an experienced injector, you can expect to pay around £295 for a single area and then £100 for each additional area, explains Dr Hall.