Honestly, I didn’t think this would work. I’d already tried three other things for my smile lines and felt stupid for hoping again. I kept telling myself it was “fine,” that everyone gets lines around their mouth, that I should just age gracefully. Then I’d catch my reflection in bad lighting and spiral for a minute. Not proud of that, but that’s how it went.
I ended up trying smile line botox after a late-night doom scroll and one too many before/after videos that made it look effortless. Not gonna lie… I was half convinced I’d walk out looking weird. Or frozen. Or like I’d spent money just to feel worse about my face.
What happened was messier than the internet makes it look. Some of it worked. Some of it absolutely didn’t. I learned a few things the hard way. And I wish someone had told me the boring, practical stuff before I went in with expectations that were way too clean.
If you’re here because your smile lines are starting to bug you and you’re trying to decide if this is even worth touching… yeah, I get that headspace. Let me walk you through what I actually experienced. The good, the annoying, and the parts people don’t mention until after you’ve already paid.
Why I even tried this (and what I misunderstood at first)
My smile lines didn’t show up overnight. They kind of crept in. One day I noticed makeup settling into them. Then selfies started needing more “strategic angles.” I told myself it was dehydration. Then I blamed my pillow. Then I bought a stupidly expensive serum that smelled nice and did nothing.
Here’s what I misunderstood at first:
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I thought smile line botox literally fills the lines
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I assumed one session = permanent fix
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I believed everyone gets the same result
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I didn’t realize placement matters more than the brand
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I thought I’d walk out looking “rested,” not different
Turns out, botox doesn’t really “fill” smile lines the way filler does. It relaxes muscle movement that deepens them. That’s a subtle but important difference. If your lines are mostly from volume loss or skin texture, botox alone might not do much. I didn’t fully get that until after my first round.
That first appointment? I was nervous in a low-key way. Smiling too much. Joking with the injector like that would somehow make me feel more in control. I walked in wanting my lines gone. I walked out realizing I should’ve wanted them softened, not erased.
That shift in expectations mattered more than I expected.
What actually happened after my first round (timeline, feelings, tiny freak-outs)
Here’s the unglamorous timeline. No hype.
Day 1–2
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Slight redness where the injections went in
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A faint headache (not awful, just annoying)
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Kept checking the mirror like something dramatic would happen instantly
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Nothing did
Day 3–5
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Started noticing my smile felt a little… different
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Not frozen. Just less “crunchy” around the mouth
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This honestly surprised me
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Had a mini panic: “Did I mess up my face?”
Day 7–10
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This is when I saw the change
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Smile lines didn’t vanish, but they looked softer
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My resting face looked less tired
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I stopped obsessively zooming in on photos
Week 2
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This was the peak result for me
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Subtle, but noticeable
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People said I looked “well-rested”
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No one clocked botox (which I appreciated)
Here’s the thing no one tells you: the emotional rollercoaster is real. You go from “why did I do this” to “oh… okay, this is kind of nice.” That swing messed with my head more than the needles did.
Also, I expected relief to feel bigger. It was quieter. Less dramatic. But that quiet relief stuck around.
What worked (and what straight-up didn’t)
Let’s get real about outcomes.
What worked for me
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Softening, not erasing
My smile lines didn’t disappear. They stopped grabbing my attention every time I looked in the mirror. -
Resting face improvement
When my face was neutral, I looked less tense. That alone felt worth it. -
Better makeup wear
Foundation didn’t crease as aggressively around my mouth. Small win, but I noticed. -
Confidence bump
Not a glow-up moment. More like… less self-conscious. Which was honestly what I wanted.
What didn’t work (or worked way less than I hoped)
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Deep-set lines
If your lines are etched in from years of movement + volume loss, botox alone won’t do miracles. I learned that the annoying way. -
One-and-done mindset
The results faded. Slowly. But they faded. Maintenance is a thing. -
Over-relaxing the area
My second session went a bit too far on one side. My smile felt uneven for about two weeks. It corrected itself, but wow… that was stressful.
If you’re expecting a dramatic transformation, this might disappoint you. If you’re hoping for a quieter improvement that makes mirrors less annoying? That’s more realistic.
Common mistakes I made (don’t repeat these)
I messed this up at first. Here’s where I tripped:
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I didn’t ask enough questions
I nodded through explanations I didn’t fully understand because I didn’t want to sound clueless. -
I chased symmetry too hard
Faces aren’t perfectly symmetrical. Trying to force them to be can backfire. -
I ignored my own tolerance for “change”
Some people love dramatic results. I don’t. I learned that only after feeling weird about my smile for a week. -
I didn’t plan timing around events
Don’t book this right before a wedding, photoshoot, or big presentation. Give yourself buffer time. -
I assumed price = outcome
More expensive didn’t automatically mean better for me. Skill and communication mattered more.
From what I’ve seen, at least, most “bad botox stories” come from rushed decisions or unclear expectations. Not always. But often.
Is it worth it, really?
This is the question people actually care about.
For me? Yeah. With caveats.
It was worth it because:
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My lines bothered me, not just in photos but in my head
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I wanted a subtle change, not a new face
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I was okay with maintenance and cost
It might not be worth it if:
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You’re hoping this will fix how you feel about aging overall
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You want permanent results
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You’re doing it because someone else made a comment
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You’re super sensitive to even small changes in your appearance
This isn’t a personality upgrade. It’s a small aesthetic tweak. If your frustration runs deeper than the lines themselves, this might not touch the real issue. That’s uncomfortable to admit, but yeah.
How long does smile line botox take to work (and how long does it last)?
Short, straight answers because people always ask this:
How long until I see results?
Usually 3–10 days. Full effect around 10–14 days.
How long do results last?
Roughly 3–4 months for most people. Some get longer. Some shorter.
Does it build over time?
Sort of. Muscles can weaken a bit with consistent treatment, but it’s not permanent. If you stop, things slowly go back to baseline.
Will it look weird when it wears off?
No. It fades gradually. You don’t wake up one day looking dramatically different.
Objections I had (and how I worked through them)
I had a whole mental argument with myself before booking.
“This is vain.”
Maybe. But caring about how you look doesn’t automatically make you shallow. I wasn’t trying to look younger. I was trying to stop fixating on one thing that bugged me.
“What if I hate it?”
Botox isn’t permanent. That helped me breathe through this one.
“I should just accept aging.”
You can accept aging and still tweak one thing that’s messing with your confidence. Those aren’t mutually exclusive. Took me a while to believe that.
“People will notice.”
Most people didn’t. The ones who did said I looked less tired. No one asked what I’d done.
If any of these objections feel familiar… yeah, you’re not alone.
Reality check (stuff that can go wrong)
I don’t love the fear-based content online, but pretending this is risk-free is dishonest.
Things that can go wrong:
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Uneven smile (temporary, usually)
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Over-relaxation
Your smile can feel weaker for a bit. -
Bruising
Not common, but possible. -
Disappointment
This one’s emotional, but it’s real.
Who should probably avoid this:
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If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding
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If you have certain neuromuscular conditions
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If you’re doing this purely to please someone else
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If you’re in a really fragile headspace about your appearance
This isn’t about gatekeeping. It’s about being honest with yourself about your “why.”
Short FAQ (the stuff people Google at 2 a.m.)
Does smile line botox hurt?
Tiny pinches. Over fast. Uncomfortable, not awful.
Can it make my smile look fake?
It can if overdone or placed poorly. Subtle dosing matters.
Is filler better than botox for smile lines?
Different tools. Botox relaxes movement. Filler adds volume. Some people need both. Some need neither. This is where a good injector earns their money.
How often do I need touch-ups?
Every 3–4 months if you want consistent results.
Can I stop anytime?
Yes. Your face won’t be “ruined” if you quit.
Practical takeaways (the stuff I wish I’d known upfront)
If you’re considering this, here’s the grounded version:
What to do
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Be honest about what bothers you (lines vs. volume vs. texture)
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Ask the injector to go conservative at first
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Give yourself 2 weeks before judging results
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Take before photos in neutral lighting
What to avoid
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Chasing perfection
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Booking right before big life events
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Comparing your results to influencer faces
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Expecting emotional fixes from physical tweaks
What to expect emotionally
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Some doubt right after
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A weird adjustment phase
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A quieter sense of relief, not fireworks
What patience looks like
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Waiting for results
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Letting your face settle
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Giving yourself time to decide if you even like this
No guarantees. No miracle. Just a tool that can help some people feel a little less stuck in their own reflection.
Still… this isn’t magic. It didn’t fix my relationship with aging. It didn’t suddenly make me love every photo of myself. But it took one specific frustration down a notch. And that mattered more than I expected.
If you’re on the fence, you don’t have to rush this. Sit with it. Ask better questions than I did. And if you do try smile line botox, go slow. You can always add more. Undoing “too much” is the part that sucks.
That’s my messy, lived-in take.
