Botulinum toxin: what it is and how it works in HOF

Botulinum toxin type A is a purified protein that blocks the release of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction. Without that signal, the treated muscle contracts less. In orofacial harmonization, the desired effect is a controlled relaxation, enough to soften expression lines without erasing the face's expressiveness.

The effect is not immediate: it usually starts within a few days and peaks at around two weeks. Over time, the nerve endings regenerate and contraction returns, which explains the limited duration and the need for periodic retreatment.

Where is botulinum toxin used?

The main target is dynamic lines, the ones that appear with movement: the glabella (lines between the eyebrows), the forehead and the periorbital area (crow's feet). It is also used on the chin, to reduce contraction of the mentalis muscle and the orange-peel look of the chin, in addition to other indications at the professional's discretion.

For static lines, already marked at rest, toxin alone tends to have a partial effect, and the plan may combine other approaches. Possible unwanted effects include asymmetry, drooping of the eyelid or eyebrow, and a result different from what was expected when the dose or injection point does not fit the patient's anatomy.

The dose is expressed in units, and units of different products are not equivalent to each other.

In Harmy

The marking has the Glabella area, tied to the glabella toxin procedure, and the Chin area, which includes mentalis toxin. The projection shows the softened area, without altering the rest of the face.

Also called: toxin, BT, BTX-A, neuromodulator.