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Raise your brows, and the crease stays. Squint at the sun, and the tiny lines around your eyes hang on a beat too long. That’s where Botox helps. At Total Aesthetics in Westport, Connecticut, you’re treated by a board-certified plastic surgeon who maps muscle movement and builds a treatment plan that fits your features—not the other way around.
We take a surgeon-led approach to medical aesthetics. Botox injections relax overactive muscles that crease the skin when you frown, grin, or squint. Less pull on the overlying skin means softer facial wrinkles, while your facial expressions remain yours. Patients choose this treatment because it respects anatomy and preserves a natural-looking result.
What we treat most often:
Botox is a purified botulinum toxin used in very small doses. It blocks nerve signals to targeted muscles. With less muscle activity, dynamic wrinkles soften. This is not filler; it doesn’t add volume. It reduces movement in specific spots so wrinkles smooth out and the appearance looks more rested.
| Feature | Botox | Dermal Fillers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary role | Softens movement-based lines by relaxing targeted muscles. | Restores volume and softens folds that remain at rest. | They solve different problems; often used together. |
| Best for | Upper face and brow: frown lines, forehead lines (including horizontal), crow’s feet, bunny lines. | Volume loss and contour: cheeks, lips, under-eye hollows (select cases), deeper folds. | Choice depends on your aesthetic goals. |
| Not for | Pigment/texture changes from sun damage. | Pigment/texture changes from sun damage. | Pigmentation and texture aren’t injection problems. |
Most healthy adults who want to soften lines in the brow, forehead, and eye area are candidates. During your consultation, the doctor reviews your health history, current meds, and timing around events. We’ll pause treatment during pregnancy or breastfeeding, and if there’s an infection at the planned injection sites. Safety first, always.
First step: a map of how your muscles move. We look at the brow position, where the eyebrows peak, and how the forehead wrinkles form when you lift or speak. You’ll see the plan, including areas treated, the units needed, and expected recovery time.
Comfort options are available. A topical numbing cream can be applied before Botox injections; many patients skip it, but it’s here if you want it. No general anesthesia is required. The procedure uses a fine needle and a series of small injections that most patients describe as quick pin-pricks.
There’s minimal downtime. You can return to your day with simple rules: avoid rubbing the sites, skip heavy sweat sessions at first, and keep your head upright for a few hours. Most people like that patients feel “normal” right after a Botox treatment—no dramatic pause required.
As movement fades, lines look more relaxed. You still raise your brows and smile; those expressions just fold the skin less. The goal is a youthful appearance without a stamped-on look.
“How many units needed?” depends on your anatomy, muscle strength, and prior response. A forehead with big muscles needs a different plan than a fine-skinned brow with light pull. New patients often start conservatively, then refine at a two-week check. This protects a natural result while we learn how your face responds.
Glabella (the “11s”): Eases the scowl that projects an aged appearance or stress.
Forehead: Targets forehead lines and horizontal forehead lines while guarding brow height and balance.
Crow’s feet: Softens the fine spokes at the outer eyes yet keeps a real smile.
Bunny lines: Eases the tiny scrunch on the upper nose.
Neck (select cases): Helps vertical bands for a smoother frame around the jaw.
Redness at the injection points fades fast. Small bruises can happen. Keep workouts light the first day. Skip pressure on the brow or heavy headwear for a bit. Makeup can return once the skin settles—often the same day. There’s no formal surgery recovery here; think “back to life” with a short list of common-sense rules.
Every procedure carries risk. With Botox injections, the main concerns are temporary brow or lid relaxation too far (soften where you didn’t want it), small bruises, a brief headache, or rare spread of effect. Choosing a board-certified plastic surgeon adds layers of training, plastic surgery judgment, and respect for safe dosing. Your treatment plan is built to guard brow support, eye comfort, and symmetry.
Brow shape, hairline position, and muscle activity can differ by person. Men often have stronger, overactive brow muscles and may need higher doses. Women might need more careful shaping around the lateral brow. We adjust to the face in front of us, not a template.
Good rejuvenation is often a team effort. Injectables can be paired with skincare for sun damage, light resurfacing, or—when goals call for it—select cosmetic surgery options. A small brow-lift for structure, for instance, changes how much Botox treatment you’ll ever need in the future. Your face has a past and a future; the plan should consider both.
At Total Aesthetics, injections are administered by Dr. Joseph O’Connell, a board-certified plastic surgeon with decades of experience in plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery. Surgeon-delivered injectables bring precise mapping, control over brow position, and a steady eye for balance across the upper face and neck. That’s the benefit of having one doctor who plans and performs your care.
Your visit is surgeon-led from the first conversation to the last unit injected. We map a plan you can see—shape, brow support, and symmetry—so you know exactly why each point matters before we start.
You’ll get straight talk about what Botox can and can’t do, plus how it pairs with fillers or skin treatments if that serves your goals. And if those goals change, we have the full spectrum of care to pivot with you. The aim is simple: soften lines, protect expression, and deliver a refreshed, natural look that still feels like you.
If you’re considering Botox injections in Westport or New Canaan, start with a consultation. We’ll map the face, set a precise treatment dose, and outline what to expect from your first round. Use our online schedule or call the office—your next step toward smooth, rested skin takes one visit.
Total Aesthetics in Westport and Fairfield County
No. We measure, test, and watch how your muscles move. The plan softens lines while keeping real facial expressions.
You’ll often notice early shifts in a few days, with best smoothing near the two-week mark.
Plan on a few months. We’ll time visits so results glide from one round to the next without a big drop-off.
Most patients do well with a fine needle and quick passes. A topical numbing cream is available by request.
No. It won’t reverse sun damage or replace filler for volume loss. That’s why we discuss tools, not trends.
Arrive with clean skin. Tell us about meds or supplements that might raise bruise risk. We’ll guide the rest.
The first step towards a new, beautiful you is to schedule a personal consultation.
Along with providing the highest level of care, no effort is spared to create an environment where each patient is nurtured and cared for as an individual. Use our form to contact Dr. O’Connell with questions about any of our aesthetic or plastic surgery procedures.
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Total Aesthetics proudly serves patients from Westport, New Canaan, Bridgeport, Greenwich and all of Fairfield County Connecticut.
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