You have choices when you go to select products and treatments to get rid of your unwanted frown lines. A great choice to fight frown lines is Xeomin, a product specifically made to smooth out and reduce frown lines and brow wrinkles.
Most people researching injectable wrinkle treatments have heard of Botox. Fewer have heard of Xeomin. It works on the same principle as Botox and Dysport, but with one notable difference in its formulation: Xeomin contains no accessory proteins. It is the most purified neurotoxin currently available. For patients who want effective wrinkle reduction without extra additives, Xeomin is the natural choice.
At New England Cosmetic Surgery & Laser Center in Weymouth, Mass., Dr. John B. Lazor and our team of medical professionals can help you select the treatment that’s right for you in your effort to look younger and revitalized.
Contact New England Cosmetic today to learn more about Xeomin, or to schedule an appointment.
What Is Xeomin?
Xeomin (incobotulinumtoxinA) is a prescription injectable made from botulinum toxin type A. Like Botox and Dysport, it works by temporarily blocking nerve signals to specific facial muscles, which reduces the repetitive contracting that causes expression lines to get deeper over time.
Xeomin is unique from other neurotoxins because of what it doesn’t contain. Most toxin products include ingredients called complexing proteins that surround the active molecule. Xeomin has none of these, only the purified neurotoxin.
Why does that matter to you as a patient? Fewer accessory proteins may mean a lower chance of developing antibodies that could eventually reduce the treatment’s effectiveness. If you’ve been getting Botox for years and feel like it’s not lasting quite as long as it used to, you may be a great candidate for Xeomin.
What Can Xeomin Treat?
Xeomin is FDA-approved to treat moderate to severe frown lines between the eyebrows (glabellar lines). In clinical practice, it’s also commonly used to address forehead creases, crow’s feet and several other areas where overactive muscles create visible lines.
Xeomin also has therapeutic applications. It’s FDA-approved for cervical dystonia (chronic neck muscle spasms) and blepharospasm (abnormal eyelid twitching), so it has a track record beyond cosmetics, just like Botox does.
Who Can Benefit From Xeomin?
Xeomin is a solid choice for patients who want to:
- Decrease size of frown lines.
- Reduce forehead wrinkles.
- Eliminate crow’s feet.
- Better deal with excessive perspiration.
For people who smoke, or used to smoke, Xeomin can reduce lines caused by smoking, and it helps to turn corners of frowning mouths upward. Xeomin also may improve the look of your neckline.
How Does Xeomin Work?
Xeomin is an injection treatment that targets overactive facial muscles. Treatment relaxes these muscles for months at a time. The process leads to smoothed-out lines. Your look, once worried and tired, is made more youthful and vital.
Xeomin works by temporarily blocking the nerve signals that tell specific facial muscles to contract. When these muscles are relaxed, the overlying skin is no longer pulled into repeated folds, allowing existing lines to soften and helping prevent them from becoming more deeply set. The surrounding muscles remain unaffected, which helps preserve natural facial expression.
Are There Differences Between Xeomin And Other Products?
Xeomin, Dysport and BOTOX are similar in that each is designed to decrease wrinkles through the relaxation of muscles. And all three products are botulinum toxins.
Xeomin and BOTOX each need about seven days to achieve full effects that can last up to six months. Dysport works faster, but targets a larger area of your skin, so it is not as precise a treatment.
Xeomin is different because it does not require refrigeration before use. That makes it easier to store. In addition, Xeomin has no additives. That means users have less of a risk of developing negative reactions to Xeomin.
At New England Cosmetic Surgery & Laser Center, we offer all three of the above products. Our team meets individually with patients to review their goals and expectations so we can help you choose the best, safest and most effective treatment for you.
Every patient is different, with different goals and needs. At New England Cosmetic, you can expect customized treatment tailored to your specific needs.
And you’ll leave with a natural, younger look. Your friends and family may notice how great you look – but they likely won’t suspect you underwent treatment.
What Is It Important to Choose an Experienced Xeomin Injector?
The skill of the person holding the syringe matters far more than which neuromodulator is inside it. Two patients can get the exact same product from two different providers and walk out with completely different results.
At New England Cosmetic Surgery & Laser Center, Xeomin treatments are overseen by Dr. John B. Lazor, a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon. Dr. Lazor’s background in facial anatomy goes far deeper than most injectable providers. He trained in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at Harvard’s Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, has published textbook chapters on rhinoplasty and forehead lifting, and has taught facial anatomy to medical students and residents at Harvard Medical School for years.
Dr. Lazor’s perspective on injectables is shaped by his surgical training and clinical practice. He has spent over two decades performing facelifts, rhinoplasties, eyelid surgery and brow lifts. That kind of deep, hands-on experience with all the structures and layers of the face informs how he places every unit of Xeomin.
What to Expect During Your Xeomin Treatment
Xeomin appointments at our Weymouth office are fast. The injections take roughly 10 to 20 minutes depending on how many areas you’re treating.
Before the injectors, Dr. Lazor or a member of our team will evaluate your face at rest and while you make a series of expressions: frowning, raising your brows, squinting, smiling. This tells your provider which muscles are doing the most work and where the product needs to go. If you’ve brought old photos or have a specific concern you want to address, this is the time to bring it up.
The injections use a very fine needle. Most patients describe the sensation as a small pinch, similar to a mosquito bite, that’s over before you can dwell on it. No anesthesia is needed, though we can apply topical numbing if you prefer.
Afterward, you can go right back to your day. No downtime is required.
How Quickly Does Xeomin Work?
Xeomin takes a few days to start working and about one to two weeks to reach its full effect. The transition is subtle enough that most people around you won’t pinpoint what changed or when. They’ll just notice you look fresh and rested.
How Long Does Xeomin Typically Last?
Results generally last three to six months. As the effect gradually wears off, normal muscle movement returns incrementally. Many patients schedule their next appointment right around the three-to-four-month mark to keep their results consistent, though your ideal timing may differ.
How Should I Prepare for My Xeomin Appointment?
A few preparation steps can reduce your chances of bruising. For about a week before your appointment, try to avoid aspirin, ibuprofen and supplements like fish oil and vitamin E, which can all thin your blood. If you take prescription blood thinners, do not stop them without talking to your prescribing physician first.
Cut back on alcohol for 24 hours beforehand. On the day of your appointment, come in with clean skin in the areas being treated. That’s about it.
Does Xeomin Have Side Effects?
Xeomin has a well-established safety record. The most common side effects are mild and temporary:
- Redness
- Minor swelling
- Slight tenderness at the injection sites
- Bruising
These typically resolve within a day or two. Significant complications are rare when Xeomin is administered by an experienced provider. All risks and side effects will be discussed during your consultation.
Can Xeomin Be Used Preventively?
Yes, it can. More patients in their late twenties and early thirties are doing exactly that.
If expression lines form because muscles crease the skin in the same spot thousands of times, using a small amount of Xeomin to reduce that repetitive motion can slow down the process before deep lines develop.
Preventive Xeomin uses lower doses and focuses only on the muscles that are most active.
Patients who start early often find they need less product as they get older compared to those who begin treatment after lines have already become etched in.
Can I Combine Xeomin With Other Skin Treatments?
Xeomin handles muscle-driven wrinkles. But if volume loss, skin texture or laxity are also affecting you, pairing Xeomin with other treatments can address the full scope of your concerns.
Dermal fillers like Juvederm, Restylane and Radiesse restore volume in areas such as hollowed cheeks, nasolabial folds and thinning lips. Laser resurfacing addresses surface-level concerns like texture, sun damage and fine lines. Some patients combine Xeomin with a blepharoplasty or mini facelift for a more complete rejuvenation, with the Xeomin smoothing wrinkles in ways the surgeries do not address.
Because Dr. Lazor is both a surgeon and an injectable specialist, he can map out a plan that integrates everything rather than treating each concern in a silo. You can see examples of his injectable work in our before-and-after gallery.
Is Xeomin Right for Me?
Xeomin is a good option for most healthy adults who are bothered by expression lines and want a nonsurgical way to soften them. It’s well suited for first-time injectable patients as well as patients who’ve used Botox or Dysport before and want to try something different, particularly if they’ve noticed their current product isn’t lasting as long as it used to.
Men and women are both candidates. For male patients, Dr. Lazor adjusts his technique to account for the thicker skin and stronger muscle mass typical of male faces, so the result looks natural and doesn’t compromise a masculine appearance.
Xeomin is not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or for patients with certain neuromuscular conditions. A consultation is the best way to confirm whether it’s the right treatment for your goals.
Xeomin FAQ
What happens if I decide to stop getting Xeomin?
Your treated muscles gradually return to their normal activity level. Your lines will slowly reappear as muscle movement resumes, but you won’t look worse than you did before you started. Neuromodulators don’t cause rebound aging or accelerate wrinkle formation.
How is Xeomin priced?
Pricing depends on the number of units needed. Dr. Lazor will recommend a dosing plan during your consultation and provide a clear cost estimate before treatment begins.
Is Xeomin safe for long-term use?
Yes. Xeomin has been studied extensively and is approved for use in multiple countries. Its additive-free formulation may actually be advantageous for long-term patients because fewer accessory proteins means a potentially lower risk of antibody development over years of repeated treatments.
Can Xeomin treat excessive sweating?
It can. Botulinum toxin products have been used to manage hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) in areas like the underarms. If this is something you’re dealing with, bring it up during your appointment. It’s more common than most people realize and very treatable.
Will Xeomin make me look frozen or expressionless?
Not when it’s dosed correctly. The “frozen” look comes from using too much product or placing it imprecisely, not from the product itself. Dr. Lazor’s approach is conservative by design. He’d rather start with a moderate dose and have you come back for a touch-up than overdo it on the first visit. The goal is to relax your muscles, not to shut them down entirely.
How soon after treatment can I go back to my normal routine?
Immediately, for the most part. There’s no required recovery period and often no visible sign that you just had a procedure. Most patients schedule Xeomin during a lunch break or between errands and go right back to whatever they were doing. The only things to avoid in the first few hours are rubbing or massaging the treated areas, lying flat, hot environments like saunas and heavy exercise. These can shift the product before it settles into place or increase post-treatment swelling. By the next morning, there are no restrictions.
I’ve been getting Botox for years. Should I consider switching to Xeomin?
You may, especially if you’ve noticed your Botox results fading faster than they used to. Some long-term Botox patients develop antibodies to the complexing proteins in the formulation, which can eventually reduce its effectiveness. Because Xeomin doesn’t contain those proteins, switching may restore the duration and quality of your results. Dr. Lazor can evaluate whether this applies to your situation. For other patients, Botox is still the best choice. There’s no universal “better” product. Only the one that works better for your particular biology.
What’s the difference between Xeomin for cosmetic use and Xeomin for medical conditions?
The product is the same. What changes is the dosing, the injection sites and the treatment goals. Cosmetic Xeomin targets the muscles responsible for expression lines and uses relatively small doses. Medical applications, like treating cervical dystonia or chronic eyelid spasms, involve different muscles and often require higher doses administered on a different schedule. Dr. Lazor is trained in both cosmetic and functional uses of botulinum toxin, which gives him a broader understanding of how the product behaves in different contexts.
How many units of Xeomin will I need?
That depends on which areas you’re treating and how strong those muscles are. Men often need slightly more product than women because their facial muscles tend to be stronger. There are averages or starting points, but not formulas. Dr. Lazor assesses your muscle activity in person and recommends a number of units based on what he sees rather than applying a standard treatment template.
Schedule Your Xeomin Consultation in Weymouth, MA
If expression lines are making your face look tense or tired, Xeomin can help. Call New England Cosmetic Surgery & Laser Center at 781-337-5665 to schedule a consultation, or contact us online. Our Weymouth office is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
