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- Fact Details
- What Is Botox?
- Why Use Botox?
- Who Should Get Botox?
- Botox Treatments Available
- Botox for Horizontal Forehead Lines
- Botox for Crow’s Feet
- Botox for Frown Lines Between The Brows
- Botox for Thick Bands On The Neck
- Botox for Appearance Of Gums
- Botox for Excessive Sweating
- What Are My Other Options?
- How Are Botox Treatments Done?
- Recovery Process
- Pricing
- Top-rated Doctors
- Complementary Procedures
- Patient Review
- Explore Resources
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- Patient Education
Many people are not ready for surgical intervention for wrinkle treatment and prefer to have small treatments over time that allow them to return to work without anyone noticing they have had anything done. Botox® has gotten a lot of press over the last several years for its effects and how quickly its benefits can be achieved. Its primary use in cosmetic surgery is to decrease wrinkles in the skin and provide a smooth, youthful appearance.
Recovery:
No Recovery Needed
Cost:
Starts at $16/ unit
Results:
N/A
What is Botox?
Botox® is a naturally occurring protein that is purified in the laboratory. It binds to nerve endings preventing them from stimulating muscle contraction.
Certain muscles in the face are responsible for wrinkles that many find unattractive. Typical treatment areas include the forehead, frown lines at the root of the nose, and the so-called “laugh lines” around the eyes. When the muscles responsible for these lines cannot contract, the wrinkles in the skin disappear. Overtime (3-4 months in most individuals), Botox® wears off and the wrinkles can return. With continued use, however, the muscles become weaker from prolonged inactivity and the lines are less noticeable when the Botox® wears off.
Seeking Botox® as a solution for unwanted signs of facial aging? It is important to recognize that while this treatment was not designed as a means to replace plastic surgery, Botox® is a quick, temporary procedure that helps to improve the most visible signs of aging.
Why Use Botox?
This facial injectable treatment consists of a botulinum toxin that paralyzes the muscles that cause facial wrinklings, such as forehead lines and crow’s feet (wrinkles along with the eyes.) A Bethesda Botox® professional will inject Botox® in the specified area, providing you with a smoother, younger-looking facial appearance. Results may last up to 4 months.
Who Should Get Botox?
Botox® injections are ideal for patients who want to achieve a more youthful facial appearance, yet do not want to undergo a surgical procedure to obtain results. Patients with concerns regarding forehead lines, crow’s feet, frown lines, thick bands on the neck, a gummy smile, or excessive sweating can be good candidates.
Botox Treatments Available
Whether you are concerned about signs of aging in a particular part of your face or you would like to address a plethora of areas, Botox® injections can bring back your plush and youthful appearance. Dr. Jabs, Dr. Magge, or Dr. Richards will help determine the options that are best suited for your needs.
Botox for Horizontal Forehead Lines
Forehead lines are caused by the muscles contracting to lift the brows, most commonly shown when expressing surprise. Some people also use these muscles over-exaggeratedly throughout the everyday conversation or when they are attempting to see something clearer. A low number of Botox® units placed tactically across the forehead can soften the appearance of these lines without weakening the muscles or putting too much pressure on the brows. This can be used to improve both deep wrinkles and more shallow ones.
Botox for Crow’s Feet
Crow’s feet are caused by the orbicularis muscles, which are responsible for closing the eyelids. These muscles encircle the eyes with fibers spanning from the temples to the cheeks. When the muscles contract in either sleep, blinking, squinting, smiling or laughing, the skin from the temples, cheeks, and forehead pull towards each other, creating folds at the corners of the eyes. After time and with aging, these lines become permanent and create what we call “crow’s feet”. Injecting Botox® into this area will soften the appearance. Using a lower number of units will give patients their desired effect while still keeping the warm and friendly appearance that is often associated with smiling.
Botox for Frown Lines Between the Brows
Glabellar lines, more commonly known as frown lines, are the creases formed between the eyebrows. This is the most commonly treated area among Botox® patients. The injections are placed slightly above the supraorbital ridge, the brow bone bordering the eye sockets. Patients’ complaints are often an “angry” appearance caused by repetitive frowning over an extended period of time. Getting Botox® treatment in this area can create a more elegant and pleasant looking face.
Botox for Thick Bands on the Neck
Although the face is of most focus in relating to the appearance of aging, often another telltale sign is a pattern of creases or bands across the neck.
This is due to the overuse of the platysma muscle ranging from the jaw to the clavicles. Botox® injections allow this muscle to finally relax, relieving the tension in your neck and leaving you with a smoother, younger-looking décolletage.
Botox for Appearance of Gums
Sometimes referred to as a gummy smile, patients who are concerned about their gums being unpleasantly exposed can greatly benefit from this treatment if a hypermobile upper lip, one that raises too high when smiling, is to blame. Most lips only retract to 5 millimeters from the inactive natural position. When the muscles in the upper lip are pulled beyond this point, the gums are bared and teeth appear smaller in comparison. Botox® injections can release the extra strain and tautness in the upper lip and reduce the prominence of a gummy smile. The results of this treatment are dependent on the length of your lip and the amount of gum-line exposed.
Botox for Excessive Sweating
Sometimes deodorants just won’t do the trick. When you produce an excessive amount of sweat, also known as hyperhidrosis, your nerve signals are sending messages to your sweat glands to overproduce without any understandable cause such as heat or exercise. This can cause those embarrassing and unwanted sweat stains. Using Botox® injections in the axillae, also known as the armpits, will decrease or halt the production of sweat. This treatment can be used as an alternative to an unsuccessful attempt at curing excessive sweating by using creams and medications.
What Are My Other Options?
The quest for a safe, reliable, long-lasting soft tissue filler has resulted in various substances being tried with differing results. The goal is to have an injectable substance that is virtually the same as the body’s natural soft tissue. It should be non-allergenic, non-colored, and not cause lumpiness when properly placed. In addition, it should last a long time between needing to be injected again.
Over the years various substances have been tried with various amounts of success. We are closer today than we have ever been in finding the “perfect” filler.
For some areas such as fat depressions and lips, using your own fat harvested from any area where you may have some extra, works well. This does require “harvesting” the fat (a small procedure done under local anesthesia using a special needle) and not being able to predict accurately how much of the fat will remain over time. The big plus is you are using your own, natural, soft tissue filler.
For most people who want to keep it simple, Juvéderm® and Restylane® are good choices. These compounds are made up of the same molecules (hyaluronic acid) found in your skin that provide the “plumpness” that is associated with youth. They are crystal clear and can be injected with minimal discomfort using topical anesthetics. They last up to one year and give excellent results in reducing moderate to severe wrinkles and folds found on the face.
Botox Consultation
We understand that getting Botox® treatment can be a big decision. Dr. Jabs, Dr. Magge, or Dr. Richards will provide an in-depth consultation to discuss all of your cosmetic concerns. Your doctor will then perform a thorough examination and evaluate if Botox® injections will be the most beneficial procedure for you. If you are a good fit for receiving Botox®, a personalized treatment plan will be put in place and your doctor can explain in detail the specifics of the process until you feel well informed and prepared to proceed.
Please feel free to ask us any questions you may have. We at Cosmetic Surgery Associates want to ensure a comfortable experience for you. You can set up a consultation online or call us at our Bethesda, Maryland office.
How Are Botox Treatments Done?
Commensurate with our philosophy of personalized care, all Botox® treatments are performed by one of our Botox® experts. We believe you deserve the care of a seasoned professional for even minor procedures such as this.
Small injections of Botox® are placed using the smallest available needle. Your Botox® specialist will expertly place the precise amount of Botox® needed to treat the muscles, thus removing the wrinkles from your skin.
Recovery Process
The treated area may be slightly pink for one to two hours after injection. This typically settles down quickly. Massage of the area and exercise is restricted for 24 hours. Noticeable improvement begins in 2 to 5 days and usually lasts 3 to 4 months.
Pricing
Prices vary based on the specifics of your treatment. Dr. Jabs, Dr. Magge, or Dr. Richards will determine this based on the units of Botox® needed, how many desired areas there are, and the number of sessions required to complete your treatment. For an estimation of cost, please contact our Bethesda location.
We look forward to meeting you and discussing if Botox® is right for you.
Keshav Magge, MD, FACS
Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
Honored as a Top Doctor by Bethesda Magazine and Washingtonian in both 2024 and 2025, Dr. Magge is recognized for his exceptional surgical skill, artistic precision, and patient-centered approach. A leading plastic surgeon in Bethesda, Maryland, he completed a fellowship in Craniofacial and Pediatric Plastic Surgery at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., where he gained advanced expertise in facial rejuvenation and aesthetic surgery innovations.
Meet Dr. Magge
A. Dean Jabs, MD, PhD, FACS
Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
Dr. Jabs is an award-winning, board-certified plastic surgeon recognized nationally for his expertise in creating natural-looking results and his warm, compassionate approach to patient care. Trained in NY at Columbia University, he served in the US Army and has special expertise in facial rejuvenation. He has over 35 years of experience and has consistently been voted a top plastic surgeon by Washingtonian and Bethesda magazine.
Meet Dr. Jabs
Franklin D. Richards, MD, FACS
Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
Dr. Richards has been recognized as a Top Doctor by several prestigious organizations, including Castle Connolly, Consumers’ Research Council of America, and Washingtonian magazine. A leading plastic surgeon in Bethesda, Maryland, Dr. Richards is the past Chief of Plastic Surgery at Johns Hopkins Suburban Hospital. His expertise is in achieving natural results in facelift and eyelid surgery, with additional interests in cosmetic surgery of the breast and abdomen.
Meet Dr. Richards
Complementary Procedures
Dysport®
Dysport is a botulinum toxin injectable designed specifically for frown lines and horizontal forehead lines. This treatment is a great option for patients wanting to rejuvenate a naturally youthful appearance.
Xeomin®
Xeomin is a unique type of neuromodulator made with a highly purified formula, making it effective for patients who are no longer seeing the same results after repeated Botox injections. Patients can smooth frown lines and refresh their youthful appearance with this injectable treatment.
Kybella®
Kybella is the only FDA-approved injectable treatment for submental fat (a double chin). This injectable dissolves stubborn fat cells to help patients achieve a sharper jawline with minimal downtime and recovery.
The staff was amazing and made me feel comfortable every step of the way.
Get it DONE! The staff was amazing and made me feel comfortable every step of the way. My results are amazing, and I conquered the biggest hurdle in this journey - picking the correct Doctor and team. No regrets. Thank you, CSA.
– verified patient
I have been going to CSA for over a year, and it’s always such a nice visit.
I have been going to CSA for over a year, and it's always such a nice visit. Super professional, and I always feel taken care of.
– verified patient
I AM SO HAPPY I FOUND COSMETIC SURGERY ASSOCIATES.
I had such an amazing overall experience at Cosmetic Surgery Associates. The staff is very pleasant. I had my first invasive cosmetic procedure done back in September, and the final results are amazing. I LOVE IT. I'm so much happier with my body now. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. Prior to my surgery, I had been thinking about this for a while, and I'm so happy I made the decision to go through with it. I AM SO HAPPY I FOUND COSMETIC SURGERY ASSOCIATES. HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!
– verified patient
Their equipment, skill level, and expertise are superb.
This practice is truly outstanding! Their equipment, skill level, and expertise are superb. The staff is extremely friendly, kind, and professional; they make you feel comfortable as soon as you walk in the door.
– verified patient
Every single person in their office makes you feel so welcomed and comfortable the moment you step into the office.
Every single person in their office makes you feel so welcomed and comfortable the moment you step into the office. The day of my surgery, the staff took amazing care of me and went above and beyond to calm my nerves, talk me through it, and made it such a great experience. I highly recommend this office. I can't thank them enough for all that they did for me!
– verified patient
My experience there was beyond 5 stars.
My experience there was beyond 5 stars. From taking the appointment to post surgery. Even now after 10 months, the follow ups are outstanding. The whole staff took great care of me and the results are what I expected. Thank you for everything. Don't think twice and use this clinic if you want best in class service and the best result.
– verified patient
All of the staff were highly knowledgeable, and I received consistent direction and guidance from all of the staff.
Literally every staff member I interacted with from the front desk down to the surgical team gave stellar customer service and truly made me feel comfortable. My sister even felt the warm energy from the staff after meeting them the morning of surgery. All of the staff were highly knowledgeable, and I received consistent direction and guidance from all of the staff. I would highly recommend Cosmetic Surgery Associates to anyone seeking a cosmetic procedure!
– verified patient
I can’t stress enough how great this whole experience has been.
I can't stress enough how great this whole experience has been. Not only did he make me feel comfortable in my body, but 10x more confident. His work is truly beautiful. 100% recommend!!
– verified patient
I feel very comfortable and look better in my clothes.
The staff are professional, caring, and pay attention to detail. Almost 10 months post op. The results exceeded my expectations. I feel very comfortable and look better in my clothes. I'm so grateful. I highly recommend this practice.
– verified patient
The staff was wonderful, respectful, accommodating, and very knowledgeable!
The staff was wonderful, respectful, accommodating, and very knowledgeable! The facility was very clean and one of the staff members helped me work the coffee machine for a fresh cup of coffee!
– verified patient
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