The name may cause confusion, but it is worth understanding the difference: injected botulinum toxin and a cream with botulinum action are two completely different things in terms of mechanism, intensity, and type of result.
What does injected botulinum toxin do?
Botulinum toxin, known commercially as Botox, is a protein that is injected directly into the muscle and temporarily blocks the nerve signals that cause it to contract. The result is muscle relaxation that softens expression lines—those that form when frowning, smiling, or raising your eyebrows.
It is a medical procedure with very visible and rapid results that lasts between 3 and 6 months and must be repeated. It has contraindications, requires a trained professional, and its main objective is the temporary paralysis of the muscle.
What does a cream with botulinum action do?
A cream like the La Forêt Botulinum Anti-Wrinkle Cream acts in a completely different way: it does not paralyze muscles or block nerve signals. Instead, it works on the surface and the more superficial layers of the skin with active ingredients that mimic some of the effects of Botox without the need for injections.
Its cutting-edge technology acts to reduce superficial muscle contractions, fills wrinkles from within with ingredients that stimulate collagen and elastin, and deeply hydrates to improve the skin's overall texture. The result is a visible reduction in expression lines with consistent use, without procedures, without recovery times, and without side effects.
Which one is for whom?
Injected botulinum toxin is a medical option for those seeking immediate and marked results on deep expression lines, and who are willing to maintain the procedure every several months.
Botulinum Anti-Wrinkle Cream is for those who prefer a daily, preventive, and progressive care approach—without needles, without downtime, and with the added benefit of hydrating and treating the skin while it works.
Can they be used together?
Yes. Many people who get botulinum toxin injections complement their care with creams of similar action to maintain and prolong results between sessions, and to treat areas where they are not injected.
They are not competitors—they are different options for different needs, or supplements in the same ritual.