Botox is one of four neuromodulators offered at Arkatiea Aesthetics & Wellness, alongside Jeuveau, Xeomin, and Daxxify. It's also the one with by far the longest history — decades of real-world use that the newer options are still building toward.
First FDA approval (medical)
for eye muscle disorders
First-ever cosmetic approval
for frown lines (glabellar)
Crow's feet approval added
Forehead lines approval added
A Brief History
Botox's story starts earlier than most people realize. According to FDA approval records, the underlying drug (onabotulinumtoxinA) was first approved in 1989 for eye muscle disorders, more than a decade before anyone used it cosmetically. It wasn't until April 2002 that the FDA approved Botox Cosmetic specifically for moderate to severe glabellar lines — the first product of its kind to receive that kind of approval. Two additional cosmetic approvals followed: crow's feet in 2013, and forehead lines in 2017, making Botox Cosmetic the first and only neurotoxin FDA-approved for all three of those areas.
The Safety Track Record
This is the area where Botox's head start really shows. A company announcement marking its use for cervical dystonia noted that by that point, Botox's safety and efficacy had been established across approximately 50 randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials and roughly 11,000 patients in Allergan's own trials, with about 26 million vials distributed and 29 million treatment sessions performed over 20 years. Independent of company data, a peer-reviewed review published in PubMed examined adverse events reported to the FDA across both therapeutic and cosmetic botulinum toxin use over 13.5 years of licensure, giving regulators and researchers a long, independently studied safety record most newer products haven't had time to accumulate yet.
First FDA approval
Over a decade before any cosmetic use
Randomized, placebo-controlled trials
Cited in company safety data
FDA-approved cosmetic areas
Frown lines, crow's feet, forehead
What It's Approved For Today
Beyond its three cosmetic indications, Botox carries FDA approval for a range of medical conditions that no other cosmetic neuromodulator currently shares — including cervical dystonia, chronic migraine, overactive bladder, and severe underarm sweating. Arkatiea's own use of Botox is cosmetic, but that broader medical history is part of what's built its long-term safety reputation across such a wide range of patients and doses.
Onset and Duration
Botox typically shows visible results within a few days, with full effect apparent by about two weeks. Results generally last three to four months, consistent with the duration profile shared by most traditional neuromodulators — the tradeoff that newer, longer-lasting formulations like Daxxify were specifically designed to improve on.
Who Botox Is a Good Fit For
Botox tends to be the starting point for clients who want the most established, most studied option available — the product with the longest real-world track record and the broadest FDA-approved treatment area coverage. It's also often preferred by anyone who's used it successfully before and simply wants to continue with a known quantity, rather than switching to a newer formulation.
Where Arkatiea Fits In
Arkatiea Aesthetics & Wellness offers Botox as part of a full neuromodulator lineup that also includes Jeuveau, Xeomin, and Daxxify — so your consultation with Katie Redburn, RN can match the right product to your goals, whether that means the newest formulation or the most established one. Treatments are performed under the medical oversight of Hoder Independent Medical Consulting, PC.
Curious whether Botox or another neuromodulator is the right fit for you? Call 816-442-5520 or book a consultation online.