Botox Vancouver: Neurotoxin Injections for Wrinkle Reduction

How Treatment Works

Your consultation determines which areas to treat and how many units you’ll need. Dosing depends on muscle strength, treatment area, and desired results. Men typically need more units than women because their facial muscles are stronger.

The injection process takes 10 to 15 minutes. We use ultra-fine needles to inject small amounts of Botox into specific facial muscles. Most people describe the sensation as minor pinpricks or bee stings. Brief discomfort that’s over quickly.

No numbing is typically needed, though we can apply topical anesthetic if you’re particularly sensitive to needles.

You can return to normal activities immediately. No bandages. No recovery period. Just avoid lying down for four hours and skip strenuous exercise for 24 hours.

Expected Timeline and Results

Days 1 to 3: No visible changes yet. The Botox is starting to work at a cellular level, but you won’t see external effects.

Days 4 to 7: Initial improvements become noticeable. Lines start softening as the targeted muscles begin relaxing.

Days 10 to 14: Full results appear. This is when you’ll see maximum wrinkle reduction and smoothing.

Results typically last 3 to 4 months. As the Botox gradually wears off, muscle movement returns and lines reappear. Regular maintenance treatments every three to four months sustain results.

Interestingly, many people find they can extend time between treatments after several sessions. The muscles adapt to reduced movement patterns, requiring less frequent intervention.

Finding Quality Botox Injectors Nearby

Injector skill matters significantly with Botox. Poor technique leads to uneven results, frozen expressions, or complications like eyelid drooping.

Look for these qualifications:

• Medical license (physician, nurse practitioner, or registered nurse)
• Specific training in facial anatomy and neurotoxin injection
• Experience with a high volume of patients
• Conservative dosing philosophy that prioritizes natural results
• Ability to assess and customize treatment for individual facial structures

Our downtown Vancouver clinic at 1111 W Georgia St maintains these standards across our entire medical team. Every injector has extensive training and ongoing education in aesthetic procedures.

Safety and Side Effects

Botox has an excellent safety profile when administered by qualified professionals. Health Canada approved it for cosmetic use in 2001. Millions of treatments have been performed safely worldwide since then.

Common side effects are minimal:

• Temporary redness or swelling at injection sites
• Minor bruising (more likely if you take blood thinners)
• Mild headache (rare)
• Temporary eyelid or brow drooping (very rare with proper technique)

Serious complications are extremely rare. The most concerning is ptosis (eyelid drooping), which occurs in less than 1% of treatments and resolves completely as the Botox wears off.

Botox is contraindicated if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or have certain neuromuscular disorders. We screen for these during consultation.

Pre-Treatment Preparation

72 hours before:

• Stop aspirin, ibuprofen, and other NSAIDs unless medically necessary
• Avoid fish oil, vitamin E, and supplements that thin blood
• No alcohol

Day of treatment:

• Arrive with clean skin, no makeup
• Avoid caffeine if you’re prone to bruising
• Stay well hydrated

Post-Treatment Care

First 4 hours:

• Stay upright (no lying down)
• Avoid touching or massaging treated areas
• No hats or headbands that apply pressure

First 24 hours:

• No strenuous exercise
• Avoid extreme heat (saunas, hot yoga)
• Skip alcohol
• No facial treatments or massages

First 2 weeks:

• Avoid facials or aggressive skincare treatments
• Use sunscreen daily
• Contact us if you notice asymmetry or concerns

Botox Vancouver: Pricing and Investment

Botox is priced per unit in Vancouver, typically ranging from $12 to $16 per unit. Treatment costs vary based on areas treated:

• Forehead lines: 10 to 20 units
• Frown lines: 15 to 25 units
• Crow’s feet: 10 to 15 units per side

Most people spend $300 to $600 per treatment session. This represents an investment in your appearance, but consider:

• Results last 3 to 4 months
• Prevents formation of deeper, permanent wrinkles
• No surgery or extended recovery required
• Reversible and adjustable with each treatment

Many clinics offer package pricing or loyalty programs for regular clients, reducing per-unit costs.

Medical Applications Beyond Cosmetics

Botox treats several medical conditions beyond wrinkle reduction:

Chronic migraines: Preventive treatment for people experiencing 15 or more headache days per month.

Hyperhidrosis: Excessive sweating in armpits, hands, or feet. Botox blocks the nerves that activate sweat glands.

TMJ and teeth grinding: Relaxes jaw muscles to reduce pain and prevent tooth damage from grinding.

Muscle spasticity: Helps manage conditions like cerebral palsy or post-stroke muscle stiffness.

These medical applications often require higher doses and different injection patterns than cosmetic treatments.

Preventive Botox: Starting in Your 20s and 30s

Many people now start Botox before significant wrinkles develop. The logic is sound. Preventing muscle contractions that create lines means those lines never become deeply etched into your skin.

Starting in your late 20s or early 30s with conservative doses can maintain smooth skin longer. You’ll need less product and potentially achieve better long-term results than waiting until deep wrinkles form.

This preventive approach has become increasingly popular among people who prioritize maintaining their appearance proactively rather than correcting problems later.

Natural Results vs. Frozen Appearance

The goal is never to eliminate all facial movement. That creates the infamous frozen look that makes Botox obvious.

Good injectors use conservative doses that soften lines while preserving natural expressions. You should still be able to raise your eyebrows, smile, and show emotion. Just without the deep creases that age your appearance.

We start with lower doses for first-time patients. You can always add more at a two-week follow-up. But you can’t remove product once injected.

Botox Corrections

At Promethean Clinic, we’ve seen a growing number of patients come in to correct Botox injections that were performed at another clinic.

The reason for this is that if you have Botox done at an unlicensed practitioner, they may not have the level of training needed to perform this procedure. In BC, doctors and nurses are allowed to administer Botox so its important to have a regulated clinic perform this careful procedure for you.

We have also been featured in an interview with CBC about performing corrective Botox work.