Botox Stopped Working For Me. Here’s What I Do Instead

My entry into the world of neuromodulators – or Botox as it’s more commonly referred to – was a gentle one. I didn’t rely on it to make me feel good, and I certainly didn’t feel like I desperately needed it. However, what felt like overnight, my expressive forehead caught up with me. A deep-set frown line in between my eyebrows that didn’t soften anymore saw me scrutinising every selfie I took for that stubborn crease.

I can probably attribute this change to the birth of my first child (sorry, Seb), the sleepless nights, emotional ups and downs and general fatigue all contributing to a suddenly not-so-smooth forehead. Once I returned to work from maternity leave, I signed up for more regular doses of “baby Botox”: just a sprinkling to smooth the area and stop my strong facial muscles from flexing with the freedom they’d enjoyed for so many years.

Then lockdown happened and we stayed at home, seemingly forever. My frown line deepened, and as I watched my face on countless Zoom meetings, I vowed to make a Botox appointment at the first opportunity once we glimpsed freedom.

Following that long-awaited post-lockdown session, I felt the familiar stiffening in my forehead, letting me know that the Botox was kicking in. But after a few days, I noticed that my forehead still moved and hadn’t smoothed as much as it used to after an appointment. So, I ramped up my approach, choosing higher doses with frequent top-ups. But despite all my efforts, the freezing stage eventually ceased to happen at all, and I came to the conclusion that I’d been unlucky enough to become resistant to Botox.

When I raised the issue with aesthetic doctor, Dr Ash Soni, he told me about a new neuromodulator that was about to come to market. After months of trialling the new injectable, he was introducing it in his clinic and thought I was an “ideal candidate”. The bonus? The results last longer than the usual three months you get with Botox. According to Soni, this would mean booking appointments just twice a year.

Relfydess is a new neuromodulator from the Swiss-owned Galderma, which also manufactures other skin-boosting products, such as Sculptra. “They’ve made this the purest form of neuromodulator to ever be produced since Allergan’s Botox was first launched. The reason why Relfydess is so good is because during that purification process, they’ve kept it at its purest form, so there are no impurities or additional proteins that aren’t needed,” he explains.

Who is Relfydess best suited for?

Relfydess is a good option for anyone who requires a larger amount of Botox. According to Soni, you can use larger doses of Botox continually, but it may increase the chances of developing a mild resistance. This means it’s best to avoid injecting large doses of Botox too frequently.