Botox Injections San Diego at Lanoi

Botox San Diego

You keep catching the same lines in photos. Not deep, not dramatic, just there. And, the frustrating part is that when your face is totally relaxed, those lines make you look tired or annoyed, even when you feel completely fine.

What stops most people is not the lines. It is the fear of ending up looking done. Everyone can picture the frozen forehead and the surprised brow after getting a Botox injection, and nobody wants that.

You should be able to look like yourself. Not younger, not different, just refreshed/rested. That comes down almost entirely to who is doing your injections.

When you search for Botox San Diego, you’ll see a lot of choices. But what makes Botox injections at Lanoi Dermatology different is every injection is done by a board-certified dermatologist, Hannah Berman, MD.

Botox Injections Treatment Areas

Injected By A

Dermatologist

Treatment Time

10 to 15 Minutes

Results Appear

3 to 7 Days

Results Last

3 to 4 Months

Start Here

What Is Botox?

Botox is a purified protein called botulinum toxin type A. It goes into specific facial muscles in very small amounts, and it softens the lines those muscles make. Doctors have used it since the 1980s, first for eye muscle problems. The FDA approved it for cosmetic use in 2002. It is now one of the most studied cosmetic treatments in the world.

Botox treats dynamic lines, the ones that appear when your face moves. It does not fill, lift or resurface. If a line sits there when your face is completely still, that is a static line, and a filler or a laser does more for it than Botox can.

The Mechanism

How Does Botox Work?

Your facial muscles move because a nerve tells them to. That signal rides on a chemical called acetylcholine. Botox blocks it right where the nerve meets the muscle. The muscle stops receiving the instruction, so it relaxes. With the muscle no longer folding the skin above it, the line softens and gradually smooths out.

The effect is temporary and local. Only the muscles that got the injection change. Over three to four months your nerves build new connections, the signal comes back, and so does your movement.

There is a second benefit people miss. A muscle that stops creasing the skin for months stops deepening the line under it. Treating a line while it still moves is what keeps it from etching in.

Treatment Areas

What Does Botox Treat?

Botox softens wrinkles that come from muscle movement. Four areas carry FDA approval for cosmetic use, and it is used for several more. Here is each one, what causes the wrinkle, and what Botox can and cannot do about it. How much you need is set at your consultation, because it depends on your own unique situation and facial muscles.

Between the Brows

Botox for 11s

The two vertical lines between your brows, from the muscles that pull them together when you concentrate, squint or read a screen.

They make you look annoyed when you are not. This was the first area FDA approved for Botox, back in 2002.

Around the Eyes

Botox for Crows Feet

The lines fanning out from the outer corner of each eye when you smile or squint, from the ring of muscle around the eye.

Treated conservatively here, because this muscle also lifts the cheek. Over-relax it and the smile flattens.

Across the Forehead

Botox for Forehead Lines

The lines across your forehead from raising your brows when you talk or react.

Your frown lines get treated at the same time. Relax the forehead alone and your brows can drop, which is what makes people look heavy-lidded after bad Botox.

Between the Brows

Botox for Frown Lines

The two vertical lines between your brows, often called the 11s or elevens. Check for them by furrowing your eyebrows.

They come from the muscles pulling your brows together when you concentrate or squint.

Moving vs Still

Botox for Wrinkles

Botox works on wrinkles, but only certain kinds. The ones that show when you frown or squint, not the ones already there when your face is relaxed.

Treat them early and they are less likely to set in permanently.

Chin

Botox for Chin

A chin that looks dimpled, pebbled or like orange peel when you speak or purse your lips.

Relaxing the muscle underneath lets the surface settle smooth. It is one of the treatments people are most surprised exists.

Jawline

Botox for Jawline

A jawline that has lost its definition and looks softer along the edge than it used to.

Botox relaxes the muscle pulling down on it, so the jawline looks defined again.

Front of the Neck

Botox for Neck

The vertical bands that show on your neck when the muscle beneath contracts, which also blurs your jawline.

Relaxing that muscle softens the bands and lets the jawline read sharper. This is the only FDA-approved treatment for it.

Botox for Smile Lines

If you mean the lines around your eyes when you smile, those are crow’s feet, and Botox treats them well.

If you mean the creases from your nose to the corners of your mouth, the nasolabial folds, Botox is the wrong type of injection. Those are volume, not muscle. As the cheek loses support the fold deepens, and relaxing a muscle does nothing for it. A filler restores the volume and softens the fold. The injectables page covers those options.

There is a middle case. Some people get fine vertical lines on the upper lip, and treating the muscle around the mouth very lightly can soften them. A light touch matters here, because that muscle is also how you speak and eat.

Why Forehead Lines Are Never Treated Alone

Your brow position is a tug of war. One muscle across the forehead pulls up, several smaller ones between the brows pull down, and where your brow sits is wherever those forces balance.

Switch off the upward pull and leave the downward pull at full strength, and the brow settles lower than it started. That is the heavy, hooded look people arrive here asking to fix, and treating the forehead on its own is the most common way to cause it.

Botox also treats heavy underarm sweating, jaw clenching and chronic migraine. Those sit outside the cosmetic injections and need their own conversation. Botox injections San Diego patients book at Lanoi are all placed by Dr. Berman herself.

HOW THEY COMPARE

Botox vs Dysport vs Xeomin

All three relax the same muscles. They are made slightly differently, and the units are counted differently, so the numbers do not carry over between them. Lanoi Dermatology uses Botox. It is the only one FDA approved for all four treatment areas, including the neck bands. What matters more than the brand is the hand holding the syringe. A skilled injector like Dr. Hannah Berman, can help you achieve the results you are looking for.

ProductFDA approved forSince
BotoxFrown lines, crow’s feet, forehead lines, and the vertical neck bands2002
DysportThis one is for frown lines only, in adults under 652009
XeominFrown lines, crow’s feet, forehead lines2011, expanded 2024

Lanoi uses Botox. It is the only one approved for every area on this page, including the neck and jawline.

Just as important is who is injecting it. Dr. Berman places every injection herself.

Suitability

Who Is a Good Candidate for Botox?

Botox relaxes muscle. That makes it great for some lines and useless for others. Knowing which is which saves you money.

Botox Works Well If

SituationWhy
The line appears when you moveFrown when you concentrate, squint in the sun, raise your brows when you talk. Those are muscle lines, and muscle is what Botox treats.
You are starting earlyTreating a line while it is still dynamic stops it etching in. This is why people in their late twenties and thirties begin.
You are in good general healthBotox is low risk for healthy adults. Tell your provider about any neuromuscular condition.
You want subtleGood Botox is dose-dependent. If you want movement preserved, say so, and it can be done.

Something Else Suits You Better If

SituationWhat to consider
The line is there at restA crease visible with your face completely still is etched into the skin. Filler, laser resurfacing or both will do more.
You have lost volumeHollow cheeks and deep folds are a volume problem. Relaxing a muscle does nothing for them. The injectables page covers fillers.
Your concern is texture or colorSun damage, pigment and fine crepey skin are a resurfacing conversation.
You are pregnant or breastfeedingBotox is not used in either case. It keeps, and so does the appointment.
You have a neuromuscular conditionConditions such as myasthenia gravis need a proper discussion before any injection.

Your Appointment

What to Expect During Botox Treatment

There is no preparation, no downtime and no recovery. Most people come in on a lunch break.

Before

You Talk, She Watches

Dr. Berman asks what bothers you, then watches your face move. The muscle behind a line is not always the one you would point at.

During

Ten to Fifteen Minutes

A few seconds per point with a very fine needle. No numbing is needed, though cream is there if you want it.

After

Straight Back to Your Day

No downtime. Stay upright for four hours, skip the gym for a day, and carry on as normal.

Duration

How Long Does Botox Last?

Three to four months for most people, with a predictable arc in between.

WhenWhat is happening
Days 1 to 2Nothing visible yet. The protein is binding at the nerve endings.
Days 3 to 7Movement starts to soften. Lines look shallower. Sides often settle at different speeds, which is normal.
Day 14Full effect. This is the day to judge the result, and the day Dr. Berman reviews you.
Months 1 to 3The result holds steady. Most people forget they had it done.
Months 3 to 4Movement gradually returns. Book before it fully wears off to keep the muscle trained and to receive your discount.

Strong muscles, hard exercise and a fast metabolism can shorten it. Men often burn through it faster and need more units to start with.

Results often last longer after a year or two of regular treatment. A muscle that keeps getting relaxed stops working so hard.

Aftercare

Botox Before and After Care

A short list, and most of it is about avoiding a bruise.

WhenWhat to do
A week beforeIf you take fish oil, vitamin E, ibuprofen or aspirin and your doctor says you can pause them, do. They thin the blood and raise the chance of a bruise. Never stop a prescribed blood thinner without asking.
The day beforeGo easy on alcohol, for the same reason.
On the dayCome with a clean face if you can. Makeup is fine, it just gets removed.
First four hoursStay upright and leave the treated areas alone. No rubbing, no facials, no lying face down.
First 24 hoursSkip the gym, the sauna and the hot yoga. Ordinary walking is fine.
Days three to sevenYou start seeing it work. Do not judge it yet, and do not panic if one side moves more than the other.
Day fourteenFull result, and your review appointment. This is the day to say what you think.

Choosing a qualified injector

Why Choose a Dermatologist for Botox

Choosing a qualified injector is one of the most important steps for safe, natural looking Botox results. Precise placement depends on a strong understanding of facial anatomy, muscle movement, and how each area of the face works together.

The bottom line is simple: the product itself does not change from one office to another. What changes is the judgment, training, and experience behind the needle. In California, injectables may be administered by licensed medical professionals who are not physicians, so it is important to understand who is performing your treatment and what level of training they have.

One

She Operates on Faces

As a Mohs surgeon, Dr. Berman regularly removes skin cancers from the face and carefully reconstructs the area afterward. That work requires a detailed understanding of facial anatomy, including the layers of skin, muscle, and nerves she works around every week.

Two

Expert Level Injector

In addition to her extensive surgical training, Dr. Berman completed formal cosmetic and laser training under an internationally renowned dermatologist. This allowed her to develop expert-level mastery in cosmetic injectables, advanced laser treatments, and total facial rejuvenation.

Three

Start Low, Then Adjust

Dr. Berman prefers to start conservatively and make small adjustments at your two week follow up if needed. Adding a little more is simple, while correcting an overtreated result means waiting for the Botox to wear off.

Cosmetic Dermatologist Hannah Berman, MD

Your Injector

Meet Hannah Berman, MD

Board-certified dermatologist and fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon at Lanoi Medical and Cosmetic Dermatology.

Dr. Berman was Chief Resident during her dermatology residency at the Mayo Clinic. She then did a Mohs Surgery fellowship at Scripps Clinic under Dr. Hugh Greenway. He trained under Dr. Frederic Mohs himself.

Outside the office she runs marathons, bakes bread, and hunts fossils with her dog. She has also volunteered her dermatology skills in Moshi, Tanzania.

Read Dr. Berman’s full profile

CredentialDetail
Medical degreeDavid Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
UndergraduateIntegrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley
ResidencyDermatology at the Mayo Clinic, where she served as Chief Resident
FellowshipMohs Surgery and Cutaneous Oncology, Scripps Clinic
Cosmetic trainingFormal cosmetic and laser training under Dr. Vic Ross
FocusCosmetic injectables, advanced lasers, facial rejuvenation and skin cancer surgery

Common Questions

Botox FAQs

Botox is a purified protein, botulinum toxin type A. It goes into specific facial muscles in small amounts and blocks the nerve signal telling them to contract, so they relax. With the muscle no longer folding the skin above it, the line softens. The effect is local and temporary, and it wears off over three to four months.

Cost depends on how many units you need, and that comes down to your muscles rather than your wishes. Stronger muscles need more. Men usually need more than women for the same area. Dr. Berman works out your dose at the consultation and tells you the cost before anything goes in. You will not be surprised by the number afterward.

You will usually see the first change in three to seven days, and the full result lands around day fourteen. Judge it then, not before. The two sides of your face often settle at different speeds, so a result that looks uneven on day four is usually just unfinished.

Three to four months for most people. Strong muscles, hard exercise and a fast metabolism can shorten it. Many patients find it lasts a little longer after a year or two of regular treatment, because the muscle gets less used to working hard.

Very little. The needle is extremely fine and each injection takes a second. Most people describe a quick pinch. No numbing cream is needed for a standard treatment, though it is available if you would prefer it.

Not if the dose suits your face. Frozen is a dosing problem, not a Botox problem. Dr. Berman starts conservatively and reviews you at two weeks, because adding more is simple while waiting out too much takes months. If you have been overtreated elsewhere, say so at your visit.

It is usually a bad idea. Your brow position is a balance between the muscle that lifts and the ones that pull down. Relax the lifter alone and the brow can settle lower than it started, which is the heavy look people complain about. The FDA approval for forehead lines reflects this, since it covers the forehead and the frown lines together rather than the forehead by itself.

All three relax the same muscles. Where they differ is what the FDA has approved them to treat. Botox covers frown lines, crow’s feet, forehead lines and the vertical neck bands. Xeomin covers frown lines, crow’s feet and forehead lines. Dysport is approved for frown lines only, in adults under 65. Lanoi uses Botox.

It depends which wrinkles you mean. If you mean the lines around your eyes when you smile, those are crow’s feet and Botox treats them well. If you mean the creases from your nose to the corners of your mouth, the nasolabial folds, Botox will not help. Those are a volume problem, not a muscle problem, and a filler does far more for them.

The 11s, or elevens, are the two vertical lines between your brows. They come from the muscles that pull your brows together when you concentrate or squint. This was the first area FDA approved for Botox, back in 2002, and it remains the most commonly treated.

Yes, for several things. A dimpled chin, downturned mouth corners, a gummy smile, a lip flip, and jaw clenching from an overworked chewing muscle. Lower face work needs a light hand, because those muscles do your eating, speaking and smiling. The dose matters more here than anywhere else on the face.

No. Botox treats dynamic wrinkles, the ones that appear when you move your face. It relaxes the muscle doing the folding, so the wrinkle softens. Static wrinkles, the ones visible when your face is completely still, come from creased skin rather than muscle, and a filler or a laser does more for those. Most faces have both, and a plan usually combines treatments.

Lanoi Dermatology is at 6605 Nancy Ridge Dr., Ste A, San Diego, CA 92121, open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Every Botox injection is placed by Hannah Berman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon. Call (858) 900-2747 or request an appointment online.

They fix different things. Botox relaxes a muscle, so it treats lines you get when you move, like frown lines and crow’s feet. Fillers add volume, so they treat lines and hollows that sit there when your face is still. Many people use both, and the injectables page covers the filler options.

There is no correct age, only a correct line. If a line shows when you move and is starting to linger after your face relaxes, that is the point where treating it stops it etching in. If your face is smooth at rest and in motion, there is nothing to treat yet.

Most people get none beyond a small bruise or a bit of redness at an injection point, and both fade within days. A mild headache in the first day or two is less common. Brow or eyelid heaviness is rare, comes down to dose or placement, and clears as the Botox wears off. Botox is not used during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Dr. Hannah Berman, a board-certified dermatologist and fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon. That is worth asking anywhere you go. In California, injectables are often given by someone who is not a physician. It is legal and often fine. It is still a fair question to ask before you book.

Book Your Visit

Book a Botox Consultation in San Diego

Bring the photo you keep coming back to, or simply tell Dr. Berman what is bothering you. She will explain what Botox can realistically improve, what it cannot change, and what approach she would recommend for you.

Lanoi Dermatology

San Diego, California

Address6605 Nancy Ridge Dr., Ste A
San Diego, CA 92121

Phone(858) 900-2747

Emailinfo@lanoi.com

HoursMonday through Friday
8:30 AM to 5:00 PM

ServingAll of San Diego County, including La Jolla, UTC, Del Mar, Carmel Valley and Mira Mesa