Botox at Pandora Family Medicine, Administered by a Board-Certified Physician

Botox works by temporarily relaxing the small muscles that create expression lines. When those muscles ease up, the skin above them smooths out. The effect is subtle when done well. You look like yourself, just a little more rested.

The most common treatment areas are the forehead lines that appear when you raise your brows, the frown lines between the brows (sometimes called the elevens), and the crow's feet at the outer corners of the eyes. These are the areas Dr. Gougian treats most often and knows best.

Botox can also be used for a brow lift, to soften a gummy smile, or to address neck bands. If you have a specific concern, mention it when you book. Dr. Gougian will tell you honestly whether Botox is likely to help or whether something else would serve you better.

1. 1

   The consultation

   Dr. Gougian starts by asking what you want to address and looking at how your face moves. She will point out what she sees, explain what Botox can realistically do, and give you a unit estimate before anything is injected. You decide what you want to treat.

2. 2

   The treatment

   Injections take about ten minutes. The needles used for Botox are very fine, and most people describe the sensation as a quick pinch. No numbing cream is needed for most patients, though it is available if you prefer it.

3. 3

   After your appointment

   You can go back to your day right after. For the first few hours, skip lying flat, skip heavy exercise, and avoid rubbing the treated areas. That is about it. Results start to appear within a few days and settle in fully around two weeks.

4. 4

   Follow-up

   If something feels off at the two-week mark, call us. Minor touch-ups happen. Dr. Gougian would rather hear from you than have you feel like the result missed the mark.

5. 5

   How long does Botox last?

   Most patients see results for three to four months. Over time, with consistent treatment, some patients find they need fewer units or less frequent appointments. Everyone metabolizes Botox a little differently, so your experience may vary from what a friend reports.

When the effects wear off, your muscles simply return to where they were. There is no rebound, no worsening of lines from having had treatment.

Botox has one of the longest safety records of any cosmetic treatment. It has been FDA-approved for cosmetic use since 2002 and used in medicine for decades before that. Serious complications are rare and are far less likely when the person injecting has a thorough understanding of facial anatomy.

That is one reason Dr. Gougian chose to offer this herself rather than refer patients elsewhere. As a physician, she understands what sits beneath the skin, where to place the product, and how to avoid the outcomes that give people pause, a frozen look, a dropped brow, asymmetry. She also uses Botox on her own face. That is not a marketing line. It is how she decided it was worth offering.

If you have heard concerning things about Botox in the news, bring those questions to the appointment. You deserve a straight answer, not a dismissal.

Botox is priced per unit. The number of units you need depends on the areas you are treating and how strong your muscle movement is. Dr. Gougian will give you a unit estimate before she injects anything, so you know what to expect before you commit.

Call or ask at your consultation for current per-unit pricing. There are no hidden fees, no mandatory add-ons, and no package you have to buy to get a reasonable price.

Med spas vary widely. Some are excellent. Others have injectors with minimal training and a business model built on volume. When a physician does the injecting, you have someone who completed medical school, residency, and board certification, and who carries full medical liability for the outcome.

Dr. Gougian decided to offer aesthetics at Pandora Family Medicine because she wanted her patients to have access to treatments she actually trusts. She only offers what she would use herself. Botox made the list. A lot of other things did not.