Neurotoxins in San Diego
Neurotoxins work by temporarily relaxing the specific muscles that create movement-related lines — the horizontal creases across the forehead, the vertical "elevens" between the brows, the fan of lines at the outer corners of the eyes. When those muscles soften, the skin above them stops folding in the same repeated pattern, and the lines look smoother. It is a small, targeted treatment, and in our studio it is planned the same way we plan a smile: by looking at the whole face first.
We built our practice around a specific idea — that facial aesthetics and cosmetic dentistry should be planned together rather than in separate offices by providers who never speak to one another. Sarah Garces, NP-C, our Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner and facial balancing specialist, performs neurotoxin treatment with an emphasis on restraint and proportion. Darian Anderson, DDS, handles cosmetic dentistry. Monica Kieu, D.O., FACS serves as our Medical Director. For San Diego patients, that means one appointment location and one coordinated conversation instead of a fragmented plan pieced together across three different places.
That coordination matters more than it might sound. A patient considering porcelain veneers or a full smile makeover is already thinking about how their face reads to other people. Where the upper lip sits at rest, how much movement the surrounding muscles create, and how the eyes and brows frame everything are all part of that picture. Because both services live under the same roof here, we can talk through how neurotoxins and dental work relate before either one begins — or treat them entirely separately if that is what you want.
Most adults who are bothered by dynamic lines — the ones that appear or deepen with expression — are reasonable candidates. That includes San Diego patients in their late twenties who want to soften early forehead lines before they settle in, and patients decades older who want to relax a persistent furrow between the brows. Some people come in for one area only. Others want a broader, balanced approach across the upper face.
Candidacy is something we determine in person, not over the phone, which is why we offer a complimentary consultation. During that visit we look at your face at rest and in motion, ask what bothers you and what you want to keep, and review your health history and any past aesthetic treatments. If neurotoxins are not the right tool for your concern, we will say so — some concerns respond better to dermal fillers or microneedling, and some are better addressed by a conversation about your smile.
What Treatment Day Involves
The appointment itself is short and straightforward. We cleanse the treatment area, mark the injection points based on your anatomy and the way your muscles actually move, and place a series of small injections with a fine needle. Most people describe the sensation as a quick pinch. There is no downtime built into the procedure, and San Diego patients routinely return to work or the rest of their day afterward.
Results are not immediate. The effect develops gradually over the following days and continues to settle over roughly two weeks, which is when the final look is clearest. Because the effect is temporary, treatment is repeated periodically to maintain results. We would rather start conservatively and refine at a follow-up than overtreat at a first visit — that restraint is central to how we practice.
Aftercare and What to Expect
Aftercare is simple, and we review your specific instructions before you leave:
- Stay upright for several hours after treatment rather than lying flat
- Avoid rubbing, massaging, or applying pressure to the treated areas
- Hold off on strenuous exercise and heat exposure for the rest of the day
- Expect possible small bumps at injection sites that settle quickly
- Allow about two weeks before judging your final result
We encourage patients to reach out if anything feels unexpected during that settling period. A brief check-in is often all that is needed, and it gives us useful information for planning your next treatment.
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 treatment. We welcome self-pay and cash patients, and we quote your cost clearly during your consultation so there are no surprises at checkout.
For patients who prefer to spread payments over time, we offer financing through Cherry. That option is available whether you are treating one area or combining neurotoxins with other services in a longer-term plan. Along with San Diego, we care for patients from Del Mar, Encinitas, La Jolla, and Solana Beach — and the complimentary consultation is the easiest place to begin.