In the last fifteen years the use of Botox® for wrinkle treatment has grown rapidly to become one of the most popular and frequently used non surgical cosmetic treatments.
Choosing a Botox® clinic in London who is an experienced practitioner for the first time can be difficult; however, there are a few simple things that you can look out for to make the process easier and to ensure you not only look great but also have a good experience.
Botox injections work by relaxing the muscles on the face so that the skin appears wrinkle free and smoother, reducing the appearance of lines and wrinkles. The effects last on average three months after which time the Botox® wears off and the facial muscles become active again.
Botox works well for wrinkles that are caused by facial movement, such as crow’s feet, frown lines and forehead wrinkles. The injections themselves only cause very slight pain and take about fifteen minutes. Botox treatments are generally safe and their effects reversible. However there are recent media reports of people having bad experiences from cosmetic treatments.
Ten tips to consider before choosing a Botox® clinic
1. Injecting Botox is a skilled procedure and should be administered by a qualified and trained practitioner, preferably a doctor. There are experienced nurses who also administer Botox® and dermal fillers in the UK.
2. Check that the practitioner has registration with their relevant regulatory authority. For UK doctors this is the General Medical Council (GMC). The GMC have an online registration checking service which allows you to check a doctors GMC status online. In the U.S each state have their own regulatory board.
3. Before undergoing any cosmetic procedure it is important to check that the practitioner has appropriate insurance cover, also known as medical indemnity, this is to protect you if something goes wrong.
4. There are many established medical, dental and cosmetic clinics providing Botox and other aesthetic procedures. More recently other premises such as salons, hairdressers, and department stores have started offering Botox® wrinkle treatments.
Most of these premises are well equipped with suitable standards. Unfortunately a small number are not ideal environments best suited to perform injectable treatments. We would advise you to be more cautious of non mainstream premises. Botox® at home and Botox® parties are not suitable places to have treatment.
5. Look for signs of service regularity such as clinics that provide Botox® treatment clinics at least once weekly in the same location.
6. Look for clinics and practitioners whose main focus is Botox® and other aesthetic procedures; a good rule is if they provide other related cosmetic procedures such as dermal fillers.
7. Look for signs of success such as if clinic has different locations within the same city or nationally.
8. Most reputable clinics offer consultations to clients who are curious about the procedure and want to find out more. This is good practice and allows you to check the premises and staff to make sure you feel comfortable. This is also a great opportunity to ask the doctor any questions or raise any concerns you may have. There should be no pressure to have the treatment at the end of the consultation.
9. Make sure that the clinic offers a follow up service. Botox® takes up to two weeks to work. If you are having Botox® for the first time you want to make sure you are getting the right result. Sometimes small areas can be missed at the first treatment. If you are new to Botox® treatments, it is good practice for the doctor to follow you up at two weeks to make sure that the result is the one you were looking for and to give you a top up if any areas are missed.
10. In the US, Botox® treatments are charged per unit of Botox®. Most clinics in the UK charge by area, the frown lines are considered one area, the forehead a second area and crow’s feet a third area. Each successive area is usually given at a reduced rate compared to the previous area. Many clinics in the UK also charge a supplement for men having Botox (ranging from £25 – £50), as they have stronger facial muscles and therefore need higher doses.
There are some clinics that are offering Botox® at ridiculously cheap prices, but cheapest is not always best, don’t make your decision on price alone. There are reports in the US of unscrupulous practitioners injecting “fake Botox® ”, or giving very diluted doses or sometimes unregulated versions of the medicine.
Check that what you are being charged is around the industry average price. In the UK the average price for three areas ranges from £250- £400, depending on the clinic and the location. In the US the average cost of a vial of Botox is around $400.
Book Appointment
All treatments are carried out by our team of doctors at our London Botox clinic. Appointments can be booked online, via email or by calling our Soho clinic on 020 7851 6624 during opening hours. We are located a few minutes walk away from Carnaby Street.
Call our clinic team if you have any questions
View our prices
Or email us
Article by Dr. Nazim Mahmood, Face Clinic London Botox Clinic.
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Comments 24
A close friend of mine has been seriously considering getting a Botox treatment and it had me wondering what exactly Botox did. I was surprised to read that it relaxes muscles on the face and gets rid of wrinkles. Sounds like an attractive result and will have to talk with their doctor more about it. Thanks for the very informative article.
Hey really nice article very informational.
Came to be at this clinics site via Google looking for Botox. Within A couple of minutes I realised it was more than likely fillers I should be thinking of. I am now left wondering if it’s really the 8 point lift I’m in need of……
Thanks for pointing out that there are many established clinics that offer Botox and other aesthetic procedures. I feel like negative media views of the industry can sometimes make finding a good one seem scary. It would make sense to me to ask around for referrals from people you trust before choosing a clinic to go to.
My mother really wants to get rid of her wrinkles and has been debating getting some botox injections. So I like how you discuss the fact that a trustworthy clinic will actually offer up free consultations. I’m sure my mom would love to sit down with a specialist to talk about some of the details of botox injections, not to mention that would probably be a very reputable clinic that she would be visiting.
Good afternoon,
Thank you for your message – we hope to welcome your mother to our clinic soon!
Please note, that our consultations are now only free if treatment is carried out – more details can be found on our Prices page.
Kind regards
Thanks for the tips for finding a Botox clinic. I want to remove some of the wrinkles and bags from my face, so I have been thinking about getting some Botox injections. I like that you mentioned to find somebody whose main focus is Botox. That way, you can be sure that they have the experience and expertise necessary to do it right. I will keep these things in mind, thanks.
Good afternoon,
Thank you for your message – we hope to welcome you to our clinic soon!
Kind regards
I like that you mention checking to make sure the doctor is registered before making a decision. My sister is looking to hire a facial fillers service and needs tips. I’ll be sure to talk to her about your tip about checking registration.
It is important to do some research first, especially for the doctors who is going to do the Botox injection. Thanks for this information.
Thanks For sharing helpful post.I think Botox is approved only for people aged 18 to 65 years old. Not tested on people under 18 or over 65 years old.
I have tried many cosmetic products like anti-aging creams to remove such wrinkles and age spots. These tips are very helpful for me to find the best botox clinic for treatment.
Interesting blog, good information is provided regarding botox clinic. Was very useful,thanks for sharing the blog.
Thanks for sharing this information.
Interesting blog, good tips have been provided for choosing a best botox clinic. Was very useful, thanks for sharing the blog.
Great list. Thanks for sharing such a great piece article. A lot of information.
Thanks for the impressive post.
Great list. This post is very helpful. Thanks for sharing.
I completely agree with finding the right clinic, when I first started getting it done years ago I went to 3 different injectors and non of them were able to do it correctly, it looked like a botch job, finding a good Botox doctor is like finding a good plastic surgeon
As a Botox treatment professional myself, I would fully agree with this article. I would recommend that the person is fully certified and qualified before the provide you with Botox anti-wrinkle injections.
I agree with you that we should go to premises that are well-equipped with suitable standards for our botox injections. My friend is looking to have a botox injection done before her daughter’s wedding. Since this is her first time, I will definitely ask her to do some research before she decides on a botox service.
Years ago when I first had botox done the worst place to go I find is hairdressers, the best places to go are specialist clinics, thanks for sharing such a great post
Share great information about your blog , Blog really helpful for us .
Thanks for the info. It is so important to get treatment from someone reputable. It’s a great idea to ask around and make sure that others have been happy with the clinic that you intent to use. I would steer clear if the prices are too cheap, as you may not get what you wanted. A well equipped clinic, that does multiple different treatments is a good start.