Botulinum Toxin — Anti-Wrinkle Treatment

Botulinum toxin injections at MarBelle Clinic are performed by licensed physicians using EMA-approved products — Letybo, Alluzience, and Dysport — allowing the treating doctor to select the preparation best suited to each patient's muscle anatomy and desired outcome. The treatment targets dynamic wrinkles formed by repetitive facial muscle contractions: the glabella (frown lines), forehead, and lateral orbital zone (crow's feet). By temporarily blocking the neuromuscular signal to targeted muscles, it softens active lines while leaving untreated facial movement unaffected. Results become visible within 7–14 days and typically last three to six months.

Botulinum toxin type A is the most studied injectable in aesthetic medicine, with decades of safety data and a mechanism of action well understood at the molecular level. At MarBelle Clinic in Olomouc, the product choice is a clinical decision made in consultation with the patient: Letybo is a more recently approved formulation with evidence for a precise diffusion profile, Alluzience is a ready-to-use liquid formulation that eliminates reconstitution variables, and Dysport is a long-established product with a consistent safety track record — each has slightly different unit dosing, onset characteristics, and diffusion properties that experienced practitioners select based on the zone being treated. The mechanism is straightforward: botulinum toxin binds irreversibly to the presynaptic membrane of the neuromuscular junction, blocking the release of acetylcholine and preventing the muscle from receiving the signal to contract. This is a temporary block — as the toxin breaks down over three to six months, the nerve terminal regenerates new synaptic contacts and muscle function gradually returns. The goal of treatment is not complete paralysis but rather a calibrated reduction in muscle force that softens the overlying skin crease while preserving natural expression. At the consultation, the dermatologist or physician assesses the patient's muscle mass, resting line depth, and the degree of dynamic movement to determine both the target muscles and the number of units required. This assessment is more nuanced than a fixed-dose protocol: a patient with strong frontalis muscles and deep horizontal forehead lines requires different dosing than a patient with subtle lines seeking pure prevention. The injection itself takes approximately 10–20 minutes. A series of small injections are placed at specific anatomical landmarks using very fine gauge needles. Discomfort is mild — most patients describe a brief sting with each injection. No downtime is required: patients can return to work immediately, though vigorous exercise, lying face down, and facials are advised against for the first 24 hours. Results begin to appear at 3–7 days as the toxin takes effect, with the final aesthetic outcome visible at 14 days. A two-week review is offered to assess whether any minor asymmetries or under-treated areas benefit from a small touch-up. For new patients, the physician typically takes a conservative approach — it is always possible to add more product at the review, but the correct approach is to start with less and adjust. Contraindications include pregnancy or breastfeeding, neuromuscular diseases (myasthenia gravis, Lambert-Eaton syndrome), allergy to any toxin component or the albumin carrier, and active skin infection at the injection site.