Botulinum toxin gel application istead of injecting Botox.

Most patients see effects of Botox or Dysport for 3–4 months. Dysport often kicks in slightly faster (2–3 days vs. 4–7 for Botox) and may last marginally longer in some patients. The differences are small enough that the right choice is usually about how each patient personally responds. Dr. Rafizadeh's Northern New Jersey patients typically settle into a 3–4 visits-per-year cadence.

Botox is typically priced per unit (around $14–$18 per unit in Northern New Jersey); Dysport is priced per unit of its own (roughly 1 Botox unit ≈ 2.5–3 Dysport units). A typical full-face treatment runs $400–$800 depending on areas treated. Dr. Rafizadeh's office runs periodic specials and rebates on injectables; ask during the consultation.

Per visible result, the two are roughly equivalent — Dysport's lower per-unit price is offset by needing more units. The real question is which neuromodulator your face responds to best. Some patients find one diffuses too much or doesn't last as long for them. Dr. Rafizadeh often recommends trying both over the course of a year to settle on the better fit for an individual.

Mild, short-lived bruising and tenderness at injection sites is the most common side effect. Serious complications (vascular occlusion from filler, asymmetric ptosis from Botox) are rare but real, and they're almost always related to injector experience. Dr. Rafizadeh's North Jersey patients see complications at rates well below national averages because he uses cannulas for filler in higher-risk areas and a precise injection map for neuromodulators.

Most hyaluronic acid fillers (Restylane, Juvederm, Voluma, Volbella) last 6–18 months depending on the product and where they're placed. Voluma in the cheek can last close to 2 years. Lip filler tends to dissipate faster (6–9 months) because the lips move constantly. Calcium-based fillers like Radiesse can last 12–18 months. Fat grafting, when used instead of filler, is essentially permanent for the volume that survives.

Hyaluronic acid fillers (most of the ones Dr. Rafizadeh uses) can be dissolved with hyaluronidase if a patient doesn't like the result or if there's any complication. The injection takes minutes and the filler dissolves within hours to a few days. This reversibility is part of why HA fillers became dominant. Permanent fillers and silicone do not have a safe reversal option, which is why Dr. Rafizadeh avoids them.

Filler can delay the conversation about a facelift but is not a substitute once true descent has occurred. Filler adds volume; a facelift repositions tissue that has moved. Many North Jersey patients use filler well in their 40s and into their 50s, then transition to facelift surgery when volume restoration alone stops producing a natural result. Continuing to add filler past that point creates the “pillow face” look Dr. Rafizadeh works to help patients avoid.