Neurotoxins in Del Mar
A few units of a neurotoxin, placed precisely in the muscles that crease the forehead or pinch between the brows, can soften the lines you notice most in photos without changing what makes your face yours. That precision is the whole point. For our Del Mar patients, the goal is almost never a dramatic transformation — it's looking rested, looking like themselves, and keeping the expressiveness that makes a smile read as genuine.
Neurotoxins are injectable treatments that temporarily relax specific facial muscles. When a muscle contracts repeatedly over years — every squint, every furrow, every raised brow — the skin above it folds in the same place until a line stays put even at rest. By quieting the muscle's signal to contract, a neurotoxin allows that skin to smooth out and gives the etched-in lines a chance to soften.
Because the effect is muscular rather than volumizing, neurotoxins address what we call dynamic lines: the horizontal lines across the forehead, the vertical "elevens" between the brows, and the fine lines that fan out from the outer corners of the eyes. Patients often ask how this differs from dermal fillers. Fillers restore volume and support structure; neurotoxins change movement. Many of our patients use both, which is one reason we plan the whole face together rather than treating one area in isolation.
That coordinated approach is what our studio was built around. Sarah Garces, NP-C, our Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner and Facial Balancing Specialist, performs neurotoxin treatment with a philosophy of restraint and artistry — reading the whole face instead of chasing a single line. And because Darian Anderson, DDS, practices cosmetic dentistry under the same roof, a smile makeover and your facial aesthetics can be planned in concert rather than by three separate offices that never speak to each other. Monica Kieu, D.O., FACS serves as our Medical Director.
Most healthy adults bothered by expression lines are reasonable candidates. We see Del Mar patients at very different stages: someone in their late twenties who wants to slow the formation of a brow furrow, someone in their forties whose forehead lines have become visible at rest, and someone preparing for a wedding, reunion, or milestone photo who wants to look refreshed without an obvious "done" look.
Neurotoxins also suit patients who want to start conservatively. If you've never had an injectable and aren't sure how you'll feel about it, this is a temporary, adjustable treatment — nothing permanent, and results wear off gradually. During your complimentary consultation, we'll look at how your muscles actually move, talk through your medical history and any medications, discuss what you want to change and what you want to protect, and tell you honestly if a different treatment — fillers, microneedling, or dental work — would serve your goal better.
What Treatment Day Looks Like
Appointments are short and straightforward. We cleanse the skin, review the plan we agreed on, and mark the injection points based on your movement patterns. The product is delivered through a very fine needle in a series of small injections; most patients describe a brief pinch or pressure rather than pain. Start to finish, you're usually in and out quickly enough to fit the visit around a workday.
Here's what to expect around your appointment:
- Small red bumps or mild swelling at the injection sites that typically settle within a short time
- The option to return to normal activities the same day, with no bandages or downtime required
- Results that appear gradually over several days rather than immediately
- A follow-up conversation so we can assess how the product settled and refine your plan next time
- Temporary results, meaning treatment is repeated periodically to maintain the effect
For aftercare, we ask you to stay upright for a few hours, avoid rubbing or massaging the treated areas, skip strenuous exercise and heat exposure for the rest of the day, and hold off on facials or other facial treatments immediately after. We'll give you specific instructions before you leave and you're always welcome to call with questions.
Payment, Financing, and Getting Started
We are an out-of-network, fee-for-service studio and do not take insurance, which is typical for aesthetic treatments. We welcome self-pay patients, and financing is available through Cherry if you'd rather spread payments over time — useful when you're combining neurotoxins with fillers, microneedling, or cosmetive dental work as part of one larger plan.
Del Mar patients sit within the communities we serve alongside Solana Beach, Encinitas, La Jolla, and greater San Diego, so a single visit can cover both your aesthetic and cosmetic dental questions. Your consultation is complimentary, with no obligation — come in, tell us what bothers you, and we'll tell you what we'd honestly recommend.