hAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT BOTULINUM TOXIN RESISTANCE?

BT resistance may occur when a client has a built up of antibodies that battle against the BT or (as seen with dermal fillers) has the ability to metabolize the BT at an exceptionally high rate. Unfortunately clients with these issues will have underwhelming and/or very short-lived results from their treatment.

Prior to the highly unusual results (circa 2020) it was more than likely that when a client found BT to be less effective it was likely to have not been a case of true BT resistance but one of the following:

(1) The client hadn’t waited long enough for BOTOX to take full effect.
Unfortunately BT isn’t an instant result treatment and full development of its effects can actually take up to 14 days.
It is important with all aesthetics to hold out for 2 weeks (settling/developing stage) to see if you are simply a delayed response client.
If after 2 weeks you were not seeing the results you expected you should consult with your clinician with the awareness that - yes, you may need additional treatment BUT in some cases the BT has actually taken effect as it should but the results (although they may be dosage and treatment adequate) they might not meet the expectations you had - this is where you have to understand that a clinician can only work within their means and parameters of your chosen treatment dosing amounts.

(2) You’ve switched to a new clinician who is still getting to know you.
Any Revamp Aesthetic client will be able to tell you that I swear by starting off slow... It is much safer to undertreat a BT client and risk having a top-up requirement than to overdose and risk adverse effects.
There is absolutely nothing you (or we as clinicians) can do about too much BT or to reverse its effects.
Once BT is administered all you can do is wait for the effects to wear off - a good clinician won’t risk overdosing to rush a result. Caution, care and controlled dosing are most definitely the educated and more beneficial options.
The above should even apply if you are used to receiving unquestioned maximum doses from another clinic.  A clinician who is just starting to take on your treatments and care should start treatments slowly and in small amounts until they get to know your anatomy and response to products - if that is the case then please understand they are only doing it in your best interest.

(3) The natural aging process is catching up and it’s time to update your injectable requirement.
If you are a BT regular it can be easy to forget that the aging process continues “behind the scenes.”
If the dose you would normally receive is no longer getting satisfying results it may be that your skin has lost collagen and elastin and/or your facial fat volume has decreased. 

Either of the aforementioned changes can cause lines that were once only bothersome during facial expressions to deepen and become more prolific - In this case, more BT is unlikely to be the best solution. Instead, a treatment plan of BT plus injectable fillers may be recommended.

It’s routine that you “stick with what you know” however, don’t forget, if your clinician is on point they will know their products inside out and know what would be best for you.

You trust your clinician with your beauty - trust them with their knowledge and recommendations.

(4) Your provider made a dosage error or injected in the wrong location.
Even the best of the best have mishaps or indeed misjudging a dosing to muscle strength ratio - this is another prime example of why the cautious approach is the safer approach - we can always add however we cannot remove or reverse BT.

(5) You’re a patient who just does better with a different brand.
Everyone is different; all anatomy is different; all muscle strengths are different; all metabolic rates are different and all client expectations are different.
As with all my treatments I always make the client aware that we have varying brands for a reason. I tend to explain this to clients by using a comparison of moisturisers - some people swear by Dove while others find it creates excessive oil and breakouts and prefer Olay while others find both previously mentioned too heavy on their skin and prefer Aloe Vera etc. 

It is always a possibility that your body just doesn’t like the specific brand used and yet may respond massively to another chosen brand - this is very much the case in all elements of aesthetics and products.