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One worry comes up more than any other before a first treatment, and it is not cost or needles. It is whether the result will be obvious.
That is a fair thing to ask, and the answer runs through most of what follows. This covers what these treatments actually do, who they suit, what they cost, how long they last and where the limits are, so you can decide from information rather than guesswork.
What are wrinkle relaxers
A wrinkle relaxer is a small injection that relaxes a facial muscle. Relax the muscle and the skin above it stops creasing so hard, so the line softens. Most people know the treatment by the brand name Botox, which is one product among several.
The others you will come across are Dysport, Letybo and Xeomin. All are forms of botulinum toxin type A. All are prescription medicines. All work the same way.
Where they differ is dosing. Units are not interchangeable between them, so a number quoted in one product's units does not carry across to another. Some sit close to each other, Letybo and Botox dose at roughly one to one, while Dysport typically needs more units for the same area. It is a reason to ask what you are being dosed in rather than comparing unit counts between clinics.
Because they behave similarly, providers choose between them on clinical grounds rather than name recognition. Our wrinkle relaxer treatments page sets out what is available at each clinic.
How do wrinkle relaxers work
They interrupt the chemical signal that tells a muscle to contract. With that signal reduced the muscle relaxes, and the skin above it creases less when you make an expression.
The effect is local and temporary. The product acts only where it is placed, which is why precision matters so much. The body clears it over the following months as nerve signaling returns to normal. Nothing is permanently altered.
That also explains the limits. A line only responds if a muscle is making it. Lines from lost volume, sun damage or slack skin will not shift, because nothing is contracting to cause them. Those need a different tool, usually dermal fillers or Sculptra for volume, and microneedling or light and energy therapy for texture and sun damage.
What are wrinkle relaxers used for
That mechanism explains the treatment list. Anywhere a line is being carved by repeated movement is a candidate, which in practice means frown lines between the brows, horizontal forehead lines and crow's feet at the outer eyes. Those three account for the majority of treatments.
Smaller doses do more specific work lower down the face. A lip flip, softening a gummy smile, easing chin dimpling, treating bands in the neck. Larger doses into the masseter can slim a heavy jawline or relieve clenching. Each area has its own typical dose range, published on our treatments page.
Lower doses are also used preventively, by people wanting to slow the etching of lines before they settle in permanently. Our guide to baby Botox covers that approach and who it genuinely suits.
Who is a good candidate for wrinkle relaxers
Healthy adults bothered by lines that appear or deepen with expression. If a line shows in motion and softens at rest, it will probably respond.
You can test this yourself in a mirror. Relax your face completely and look at whatever is bothering you. If the line largely disappears, this is the relevant treatment. If it sits there unchanged, something other than muscle movement is causing it, and a different approach will serve you better.
Plenty of faces have both kinds of line at once, which is why plans often combine treatments. Our comparison of wrinkle relaxers and dermal fillers explains where each fits, and dermal fillers handle the volume side. A tired look under the eyes often turns out not to be muscle related at all, which we cover in our guide to under eye hollowing. Whether either suits you is a question for a consultation, not a self-assessment.
How to prepare for wrinkle relaxers
Hardly anything, which surprises people. The one thing worth doing is cutting your chance of bruising. Skip alcohol for around twenty-four hours beforehand, and pause blood-thinning supplements if it is medically safe for you to do so.
Never stop a prescribed medication to prepare for an aesthetic treatment. Tell your provider what you take and let them advise. If you have an event coming up, book at least two weeks ahead so the result has settled and there is room for a review. Fuller guidance sits on our pre and post treatment care page.
What to expect during a wrinkle relaxer treatment
A short appointment, usually fifteen to thirty minutes including the consultation, with a series of very small injections that each take a second or two.
Before any of that, your provider watches how your face moves. Dose depends on muscle strength and pattern, not on your age or the area alone. Expect to be asked what you want to change rather than told what needs fixing, and expect the plan explained before anything goes in. You should not feel rushed. There should be room for every question, including the ones that feel too small to bother anyone with.
The injections themselves are commonly described as a brief pinch, though technique makes a real difference. An experienced injector working carefully tends to produce less discomfort and less bruising than the same treatment done quickly. Most people need no numbing and carry on with their day straight afterward.
What results can you expect
Nothing on the day, which is the part that catches people out. Softer lines and reduced movement develop gradually, and patients most often describe the eventual result as looking refreshed rather than changed.
The effect starts appearing around day three to five and reaches its full extent at about two weeks. That is why a review at the two week mark is standard rather than a sign something went wrong, and why judging your result before then causes a lot of unnecessary worry. How natural the outcome looks comes down to dosing rather than to the treatment itself, which is worth understanding if you are concerned about whether wrinkle relaxers make you look frozen.
How long do wrinkle relaxers last
Once settled, typically three to four months for upper face treatment. Larger doses into stronger muscles, the masseter in particular, often run to five or six.
Duration moves with dose, area, muscle strength and metabolism. Lighter first treatments often wear off sooner. That surprises anyone who assumed a conservative dose was just a cheaper version of the same result. It is a shorter one too.
Most patients settle into three treatments a year, though there is more to say about how often you need wrinkle relaxers and what happens if you decide to stop.
What are the side effects of wrinkle relaxers
Usually mild and short-lived. Small raised bumps at the injection sites that settle within half an hour, some redness, occasional pinpoint bruising, sometimes a headache in the day or two afterward.
Less commonly an eyebrow or eyelid sits lower than intended, or one side responds differently from the other. Both are dose and placement effects. Both are temporary and resolve as the product clears.
More serious reactions are uncommon, and your provider is required to talk you through the full risk profile beforehand. A provider who skips that conversation is skipping part of the treatment.
If you want the fuller picture on whether wrinkle relaxers are safe, the evidence and the risks are set out in more detail there.
Who should avoid wrinkle relaxers
Anyone pregnant or breastfeeding, anyone with certain neuromuscular conditions, anyone with an active infection at the injection site and anyone with a known sensitivity to the product. Some medications interact with botulinum toxin products too.
Whether any of that applies to you is a matter for a provider reviewing your medical history, not for a website. Bring your medication list and expect to be asked about it. A good provider will decline to treat when treatment is not appropriate, and that willingness is one of the more reliable signals you are in careful hands.
Wrinkle relaxer aftercare
Stay upright for around four hours, leave the treated area alone, and skip strenuous exercise, saunas and alcohol until the next day.
The reasoning is simple. For the first few hours the product is still settling where it was placed, so pressure, rubbing and gravity are worth avoiding. Heat, exertion and alcohol raise blood flow and make bruising more visible.
Facials and massage are best left a day at least, longer if they involve real manipulation of the skin. Makeup can usually go back on the next morning. Full instructions are on our pre and post treatment care page.
How much do wrinkle relaxers cost
At Nuey Aesthetics, $8.95 per unit, or $7.95 per unit with membership. What you pay depends on how many units your plan uses rather than a flat fee per area.
Per-unit pricing is the fairer structure. Two people treating the same area can need very different doses, and a flat fee per area quietly overcharges whoever needs less. A typical upper face treatment runs somewhere around twenty-five to thirty units. Every area on the menu carries a published unit range, so you can work out your cost before booking rather than after.
The whole model is built on expert care at sustainably low prices, which only works if the prices are visible. Ours are.
First-time guests get the forehead for $65, covering up to 20 units, and a lip flip for $65, covering up to 4. You can take both on the same visit. Anything beyond those areas is $8.95 a unit, the same rate whether it is your first visit or your fifteenth. New guests also get $100 off a first syringe of filler. All of it sits on our new guest offers page.
We put the unit caps in writing for a reason. Nobody should reach the chair and find the price has moved. Full per-area pricing is on our treatments page, the same for everyone, and consultations cost nothing, so finding out what something costs is free. If spreading the cost helps, we offer financing.
Wrinkle relaxers in Newport Beach and Studio City
Both clinics offer the full range, at the same prices and to the same clinical standards. Our Newport Beach clinic serves Orange County and our Studio City clinic on Ventura Boulevard serves the San Fernando Valley and the wider Los Angeles area. Membership and pricing carry across both, so patients regularly treat at whichever is more convenient that month.
Treatments at both are performed by registered nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other qualified medical providers, working under the guidance of an experienced medical director. You can read more about how we work on our philosophy page, or see both clinics on our locations page.
Frequently asked questions
Are wrinkle relaxers the same as Botox?
Botox is one product within the category, alongside Dysport, Letybo and Xeomin. People often use the brand name for the whole category the way they say Band-Aid for any adhesive bandage. All work on the same principle, though their units are not interchangeable.
Do wrinkle relaxers hurt?
Most people describe a brief pinch lasting a second or two per injection. The needles are very fine and numbing is not usually needed, which is a real difference from filler, where it is standard. We cover that comparison in does lip filler hurt. If you are anxious about needles, tell the clinic when you book so the appointment can be paced to suit you.
How many units will I need?
It depends on the area and how strong your muscles are. A typical upper face treatment uses roughly twenty-five to thirty units, though plans vary widely. Your provider assesses your movement before recommending a dose rather than applying a standard number.
Can I use more than one new guest offer?
Yes. A new guest can take the $65 forehead, up to 20 units, and the $65 lip flip, up to 4 units, on the same visit. You also get $100 off a first syringe of filler. Anything beyond those areas is $8.95 a unit, the same rate for new and returning guests.
Will people be able to tell I have had something done?
With conservative dosing, most people find others notice they look rested rather than treated. An obvious result comes from the amount used, not from having had the treatment. Say plainly if keeping full expression matters to you.
Can I have wrinkle relaxers and filler at the same appointment?
Yes, and it is routine. They address different things and do not interfere with each other. Doing both at once also means one recovery window rather than two.
What happens if I stop having them?
Your muscles return to normal activity and the lines return to how they would otherwise have been. Stopping does not make anything worse than before treatment, which is a persistent myth. You can stop at any point without consequence.
How soon before an event should I book?
Two to three weeks. Results take three to five days to start showing and about two weeks to settle fully. Treating in the same week as an event leaves no time for the effect to develop, or for a review if you want an adjustment.
Is there anything I should avoid straight afterward?
Stay upright for around four hours, avoid rubbing the treated area, and leave strenuous exercise, heat and alcohol until the next day. Makeup is usually fine the following morning.
Where to start
A conversation, rather than a booking. Consultations at both clinics are complimentary and there is no obligation to go ahead on the day. A good provider will tell you plainly if a wrinkle relaxer is not the right answer for whatever is bothering you. If you have questions first, our FAQ covers the practical ones, or you can book a consultation at either location.
This article is for general information about aesthetic treatments and does not constitute medical advice. Treatment suitability, expected outcomes and risks vary by individual and can only be determined in a consultation with a qualified provider. Medical services at Nuey Aesthetics are provided by CA Medical Group PC under the supervision of Dr. Azin Shahryarinejad, M.D., licensed by the Medical Board of California.