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The Science of

BOTOX® Cosmetic

A combination of factors, such as reduction of collagen or sun exposure, can cause facial lines. Repeated muscle contractions cause skin to furrow and fold, resulting in facial lines. BOTOX Cosmetic works beneath the surface and temporarily reduces the underlying muscle activity that causes moderate to severe frown lines, crow’s feet, forehead lines in adults — to help them look better.

The most studied product of its kind+*

BOTOX Cosmetic treatments have been described in more than 792 peer-reviewed articles in scientific and medical journals.

+ For aesthetic use. *Data collected through 2023.

Manufacturing
and Formulation

BOTOX Cosmetic has a one-of-a-kind formulation from a unique and proprietary manufacturing process. BOTOX Cosmetic has its own unique manufacturing fingerprint and unit of measurement that cannot be replicated.

Popular questions about how it works

BOTOX Cosmetic has over 20 years of research and innovation, approved in 100 countries, and is the most studied treatment of its kind. Its safety and efficacy are documented in 574 peer-reviewed scientific articles.

A combination of factors, such as reduction of collagen or sun exposure, can cause facial lines. Repeated muscle contractions cause skin to furrow and fold, resulting in facial lines. BOTOX Cosmetic works beneath the surface and temporarily reduces the underlying muscle activity that causes moderate to severe frown lines, crow’s feet, forehead lines in adults — to help them look better.

BOTOX Cosmetic is a prescription injectable medical aesthetic treatment that temporarily improves the appearance of moderate to severe forehead lines, crow's feet, frown lines, and vertical neck bands connecting the neck and jaw in adults.

BOTOX Cosmetic is made in a room where the air is circulated 200x an hour. At every step of packaging, shipping, and delivery the maker of BOTOX Cosmetic keeps tabs on every vial’s temperature to ensure consistent quality. Each and every vial is monitored for potential contamination 24 hours of every day to ensure BOTOX Cosmetic meets the highest quality and safety standards.

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APPROVED USES BOTOX® Cosmetic is a prescription medicine that is injected into muscles and used to temporarily improve the look of moderate to severe forehead lines, crow’s feet lines, frown lines between the eyebrows, and vertical bands connecting the jaw and neck (platysma bands) in adults.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION & APPROVED USES

BOTOX® Cosmetic may cause serious side effects that can be life threatening. Get medical help right away if you have any of these problems any time (hours to weeks) after injection of BOTOX® Cosmetic:

Uses, Important Safety Info, and Prescribing Info

BOTOX® Cosmetic (onabotulinumtoxinA)

Approved Uses
BOTOX® Cosmetic is a prescription medicine that is injected into muscles and used to temporarily improve the look of moderate to severe forehead lines, crow’s feet lines, frown lines between the eyebrows, and vertical bands connecting the jaw and neck (platysma bands) in adults.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
BOTOX® Cosmetic may cause serious side effects that can be life threatening. Get medical help right away if you have any of these problems any time (hours to weeks) after injection of BOTOX® Cosmetic:

  • Problems swallowing, speaking, or breathing, due to weakening of associated muscles, which can be severe and result in loss of life. You are at the highest risk if these problems are preexisting before injection. Swallowing problems may last for several months.
  • Spread of toxin effects. The effect of botulinum toxin may affect areas away from the injection site and cause serious symptoms, including loss of strength and all-over muscle weakness, double vision, blurred vision and drooping eyelids, hoarseness or change or loss of voice, trouble saying words clearly, loss of bladder control, trouble breathing, and trouble swallowing.

BOTOX® Cosmetic dosing units are not the same as, or comparable to, any other botulinum toxin product.

There has not been a confirmed serious case of spread of toxin effect when BOTOX® Cosmetic has been used at the recommended dose to treat frown lines, crow’s feet lines, forehead lines, and/or platysma bands.

BOTOX® Cosmetic may cause loss of strength or general muscle weakness, vision problems, or dizziness within hours to weeks of receiving BOTOX® Cosmetic. If this happens, do not drive a car, operate machinery, or do other dangerous activities.

Serious and/or immediate allergic reactions have been reported, including itching, rash, red itchy welts, wheezing, asthma symptoms, or dizziness or feeling faint. Get medical help right away if you are wheezing or have asthma symptoms, or if you become dizzy or faint.

Do not receive BOTOX® Cosmetic if you are allergic to any of the ingredients in BOTOX® Cosmetic (see Medication Guide for ingredients); had an allergic reaction to any other botulinum toxin product such as Myobloc (rimabotulinumtoxinB), Dysport (abobotulinumtoxinA), Xeomin (incobotulinumtoxinA), Jeuveau (prabotulinumtoxinA-xvfs), Daxxify (daxibotulinumtoxinA-lanm), or Letybo (letibotulinumtoxinA-wlbg); or have a skin infection at the planned injection site. This list may not include all available botulinum toxin products.

Tell your doctor about all your muscle or nerve conditions, such as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, myasthenia gravis, or Lambert-Eaton syndrome, as you may be at increased risk of serious side effects, including difficulty swallowing and difficulty breathing, from standard doses of BOTOX® Cosmetic.

Tell your doctor about all your medical conditions, including surgery or plans to have surgery on your face, trouble raising your eyebrows, drooping eyelids, any other abnormal facial change, are pregnant or plan to become pregnant (it is not known if BOTOX® Cosmetic can harm your unborn baby), or are breastfeeding or plan to (it is not known if BOTOX® Cosmetic passes into breast milk).

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Using BOTOX® Cosmetic with certain other medicines may cause serious side effects. Do not start any new medicines until you have told your doctor that you have received BOTOX® Cosmetic in the past.

Tell your doctor if you have received any other botulinum toxin product in the last 4 months; have received injections of botulinum toxin such as Myobloc, Dysport, Xeomin, Jeuveau, Daxxify, or Letybo in the past (tell your doctor exactly which product you received); have recently received an antibiotic by injection; take muscle relaxants; take an allergy or cold medicine; take a sleep medicine; or take aspirin-like products or blood thinners.

Other side effects of BOTOX® Cosmetic include dry mouth; discomfort or pain at the injection site; tiredness; headache; neck pain; and eye problems, including double vision, blurred vision, decreased eyesight, drooping eyelids and eyebrows, swelling of eyelids, and dry eyes.

For more information, refer to the Medication Guide or talk with your doctor.


To report a side effect, please call Allergan Aesthetics at 1-800-678-1605.

Please see BOTOX® Cosmetic full Product Information including Boxed Warning and Medication Guide.