By Olympia Morris, PA-C · Medically reviewed by Dr. Oliver Morris, Medical Director
Most people notice their first lines the same way. You catch your reflection mid-expression, relax your face, and the crease stays put for a second longer than it used to. That pause is the whole story of facial aging in miniature. This page is the hub for our wrinkles and neurotoxin content at Olympia Aesthetics & Wellness, and it walks through what actually causes lines, how botulinum toxin softens them, and where a neurotoxin ends and other treatments begin.
We serve Palm Harbor and the surrounding Clearwater, Dunedin, Tarpon Springs, and Tampa area. Aesthetic procedures here are performed by Olympia Morris, PA-C, under medical oversight by Dr. Oliver Morris, Medical Director.
Dynamic vs static wrinkles
There are two kinds of lines on your face, and telling them apart matters because they respond to different treatments.
Dynamic wrinkles appear when you move. Frown, raise your brows, or squint and they show up, then fade when your face is at rest. They come from muscles repeatedly folding the skin over the same spot, year after year. The frown lines between your brows, forehead lines, and crow’s feet at the corners of your eyes are the classic examples.
Static wrinkles are the ones that stay visible even when your face is completely relaxed. Over time a dynamic line can become etched in. Collagen thins, the skin loses some of its bounce, and the crease no longer smooths out on its own. Sun exposure and volume loss speed this along.
Neurotoxins are made for dynamic lines. They can also soften the dynamic component of a line that’s starting to etch in. But a deep static line that’s already set often needs something more, and we’ll be honest about that further down.
How botulinum toxin relaxes the muscle
Botulinum toxin is a purified protein that temporarily blocks the signal between a nerve and the small muscle it controls. When that signal is interrupted, the muscle can’t contract with its usual force. It doesn’t freeze your whole face, and it isn’t a filler. A precise, tiny amount is placed into specific muscles so those muscles stop creasing the skin above them.
With the muscle relaxed, the overlying skin gets a break from the repeated folding that carves lines in. Existing dynamic lines soften, and because the muscle isn’t hammering the same crease all day, new etching slows down. The effect is temporary because nerve endings gradually form new connections, which is why treatment is repeated over time.
Meta-analyses of randomized, placebo-controlled trials show botulinum toxin type A significantly outperforms placebo for smoothing glabellar frown lines, both during movement and at rest (Chen 2015).
The main neurotoxins: Botox, Dysport, Xeomin, Daxxify
Four botulinum toxin type A products are commonly discussed. They share the same core mechanism and differ in formulation, spread, and how long they tend to last.
- Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA) is the original and most studied. Duration in the crow’s feet area runs roughly four months in controlled trials (Moers-Carpi 2016).
- Dysport (abobotulinumtoxinA) is a well established alternative. Some providers find it spreads a little more, which can be useful across broader areas. We offer general education on Dysport but do not carry it.
- Xeomin (incobotulinumtoxinA) is a “naked” formulation with the accessory proteins removed. It performs comparably to onabotulinumtoxinA for frown lines (Sattler 2010).
- Daxxify (daxibotulinumtoxinA) is a newer option studied for longer duration. In the SAKURA phase 3 trials, results in the frown area held at a none-or-mild grade for a median of about 24 weeks (Carruthers 2020).
At Olympia we treat with Botox, Xeomin, and Daxxify. Which one fits you depends on your goals, how quickly you want to see results, and how long you’d like them to last. That’s a conversation we have at your visit, not a one-size answer.
Common treatment areas
Three areas make up the bulk of neurotoxin requests. Here’s what each one targets and what to expect.
| Area | What it treats | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Forehead lines (frontalis) | Horizontal lines across the forehead that show when you raise your brows | Smoother forehead with brows still able to move naturally; over-treating can feel heavy, so dosing is conservative and balanced with the frown |
| Glabella / frown “11s” (between the brows) | The vertical crease or two lines that appear when you concentrate or frown | Often the most satisfying area; a softer, less tense look between the brows. Well supported by trial data (Chen 2015) |
| Crow’s feet (lateral canthal lines) | Fan-shaped lines at the outer corners of the eyes when you smile or squint | A smoother eye area that still crinkles naturally when you smile; typical duration around four months (Moers-Carpi 2016) |
Our companion page on crow’s feet and forehead lines goes deeper on these upper-face areas.
What a treatment is like
A neurotoxin appointment is quick. After a short chat about what bothers you and how expressive you want to stay, your provider marks the areas and asks you to make a few expressions so the injection points match your actual muscle movement. The injections themselves use a very fine needle and take only a few minutes. Most people describe a brief pinch.
There’s essentially no downtime. You can drive yourself home and go back to your day. We’ll ask you to stay upright for a few hours, skip a hard workout that evening, and avoid rubbing the treated areas so the product settles where it was placed.
Onset and how long it lasts
Neurotoxin isn’t instant. You’ll usually start noticing a change in a few days, with the full effect landing around two weeks. That two-week mark is when we check in and, if needed, fine-tune.
Duration depends on the product, the area, your metabolism, and how strong those muscles are. As a general guide, most traditional neurotoxin results last around three to four months in the crow’s feet and frown areas (Moers-Carpi 2016), while Daxxify has been studied for a longer window in the frown area, holding a none-or-mild result for a median of roughly 24 weeks (Carruthers 2020). Your real-world results may differ, and that’s normal.
“Prejuvenation” and preventive use
You’ll hear the term “prejuvenation.” The idea is simple: if a dynamic line becomes a permanent static line because the muscle keeps folding the skin, then relaxing that muscle earlier may slow the line from etching in at all. Small, conservative doses in the frown or forehead can keep those creases from deepening over the years.
This isn’t about a frozen twenty-something face. Done well, preventive treatment is subtle, keeps your expressions, and is a genuinely reasonable option if you’re starting to see faint lines that don’t fully bounce back. It’s a personal choice, and we’ll give you a straight assessment of whether you’d benefit or whether waiting makes more sense.
When toxin isn’t enough: combining with filler or laser
Here’s the honest part. A neurotoxin relaxes the muscle, which is exactly what a dynamic line needs. But if a line has already etched into a static crease that’s visible at rest, relaxing the muscle alone may soften it without fully erasing it.
That’s where combining treatments comes in.
- Filler adds support beneath a static line or replaces lost volume that’s letting the skin fold. A dermal filler can smooth an etched crease that toxin alone can’t. See our filler page for what we offer, including Radiesse, SkinVive, and HA fillers.
- Resurfacing and skin treatments rebuild the skin itself. Laser resurfacing with our Sciton HALO, MOXI, or ProFractional systems, along with options like Sylfirm X RF microneedling and chemical peels, can improve etched-in lines and skin texture over a series of treatments by stimulating fresh collagen.
The most natural results usually come from a plan, not a single product. Toxin quiets the movement, filler restores support where it’s missing, and resurfacing improves the skin’s own quality. A good provider maps which line needs which tool rather than reaching for the same syringe every time.
For our neuromodulator service details, see our neurotoxin injections page.
FAQ
Will Botox freeze my face or make me look expressionless?
Not when it’s dosed correctly. The goal is to soften the muscles that carve lines while keeping natural movement. A frozen look usually means too much product in the wrong spots. Conservative, tailored dosing is the fix.
How is a neurotoxin different from filler?
A neurotoxin relaxes the muscle causing a dynamic line. Filler adds volume or support to smooth a static line or replace lost volume. They solve different problems and often work best together.
Does it hurt, and is there downtime?
Most people feel a quick pinch with each injection. There’s essentially no downtime. You can return to normal activity right away, with a few simple aftercare steps for the first several hours.
How soon will I see results, and how long do they last?
You’ll typically notice a change within a few days and see full results around two weeks. Most traditional neurotoxin results last three to four months, while Daxxify has been studied for a longer window in the frown area.
Can a neurotoxin fix deep lines I have even when my face is relaxed?
Sometimes it softens them, but a deep static line that’s already etched in often needs filler or laser resurfacing in addition to toxin. We’ll tell you honestly what a realistic result looks like.
Which neurotoxin should I choose: Botox, Xeomin, or Daxxify?
It depends on your goals, how fast you want results, and how long you want them to last. We carry all three and match the product to you during your visit.
Ready to talk about your lines?
The best next step is a straightforward assessment of which lines are dynamic, which are static, and what will actually move the needle for your face. We can talk through it in person or with a complimentary virtual consult. For pricing, see our current pricing page. To learn more about the specific products, read our companion guide on Botox, Dysport, Xeomin, and Daxxify, and if you’re local, our med spa in Clearwater page covers the area we serve.
References
- Chen JX, et al. Efficacy and Safety of Botulinum Toxin Type A in the Treatment of Glabellar Lines: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Trials. 2015. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26313835/
- Moers-Carpi M, et al. Duration of Clinical Efficacy of OnabotulinumtoxinA in Crow’s Feet Lines: Results from Two Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Trials. 2016. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27110893/
- Carruthers JD, et al. DaxibotulinumtoxinA for Injection for the Treatment of Glabellar Lines: Results from SAKURA 1 and SAKURA 2 (Phase 3). 2020. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31609882/
- Sattler G, et al. Noninferiority of incobotulinumtoxinA, free from complexing proteins, compared with onabotulinumtoxinA in the treatment of glabellar frown lines. 2010. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20817170/
