Botox in Covington, KY: Smooth Frown Lines, Forehead Lines and Crow's Feet
- Treatment Time:
- 10-20 minutes
- Downtime:
- None to minimal
- Results Last:
- 3-4 months
- FDA Approved:
- Yes, cosmetic use
Injectable Wrinkle Care
Botox Treatment in Covington, Kentucky
Botox is the most requested cosmetic injectable at our Covington, KY practice, and patients travel to us from across Kenton County, Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati, OH. We treat frown lines, forehead lines and crow's feet for people in Newport, Bellevue, Fort Wright and Erlanger who want to look rested rather than altered.
Your injections are placed inside a dental practice, which is unusual and deliberate. Dr. Barry Applegate, DMD has spent three decades working in facial anatomy, nerves and musculature, and Elizabeth Taylor, APRN brings a background in acute care medicine and advanced aesthetic training to every treatment plan.

About Botox
Why Expression Lines Set In, and How Botox Helps
The problem and the solution
Expression lines are the cost of a face that moves. Every time you concentrate, squint into afternoon sun or laugh with friends, small muscles in your upper face fold the skin above them. In your twenties that skin springs back. By your forties, collagen and elastin have thinned and the fold stays after the expression ends. Patients tell us they look tired or annoyed in photographs when they feel neither. That is when wrinkles and fine lines stop being occasional and start being permanent.
Botox interrupts that cycle at the source. Relaxing the muscle that creates the crease gives the skin above it a rest, and over a few months an etched line softens on its own. Treatment takes about fifteen minutes, needs no anesthesia and no recovery, and the effect fades gradually, so nothing about it is permanent. It is the most requested option on our injectables menu, and for most patients it is the first step rather than the last.
Understanding Your Treatment
What Is Botox and How Does It Work?
Botulinum toxin type A explained
Botox is a purified preparation of onabotulinumtoxinA, a botulinum toxin type A protein licensed by the FDA and used cosmetically since 2002. We use it here for one purpose: softening the expression lines that appear when you frown, raise your brows or smile.
The injection briefly blocks the nerve signal telling a small facial muscle to contract, a mechanism described by the National Library of Medicine. The muscle rests, the skin stops creasing, and the etched line begins to smooth. Most patients see a change within three to five days. Botox is one of three type A neurotoxins we keep at our Covington practice, alongside Letybo and Jeuveau, and which one suits you depends on the areas you want treated and how quickly you need the result.
Treatment Timeline:
- Treatment Time:
- 10-20 minutes
- First Signs:
- 3-5 days
- Full Effect:
- 10-14 days
- Recovery:
- None
Your Visit
What Happens During Treatment
Step by step, start to finish
Mapping
Elizabeth watches your face at rest and in motion, then plans unit placement for each area.
Preparation
The skin is cleansed with alcohol, and ice or topical numbing is offered if you want it.
Injection
Elizabeth places small amounts of onabotulinumtoxinA with an ultrafine needle, ten to twenty minutes total.
Aftercare
You get written instructions: stay upright four hours, skip the gym and no rubbing the area.
Two-Week Check
We review the result at two weeks and adjust dosing at your next appointment if needed.
Treatment Areas
Cosmetic Areas We Treat with Botox
Where the injections go and why

Frown Lines
Softens the vertical glabellar lines between your brows
Forehead Lines
Relaxes the horizontal creases across the upper forehead
Crow's Feet
Smooths the fan of lines at the outer corners of the eyes
Bunny Lines
Eases the small wrinkles along the bridge of the nose
Lip Flip
Relaxes the upper lip for a subtly fuller resting smile
Chin Dimpling
Calms the pebbled texture of an overactive chin muscle
Benefits of Botox
What the treatment gives you
Botox vs Other Wrinkle Treatments
Botox, Letybo, Emface, fillers and retinoids solve different problems. Here is how they compare for expression lines. If you are weighing the two neurotoxins, read how Letybo compares to Botox or see our Letybo treatment page.
| Treatment | Mechanism | Session Time | Results Appear | Results Last | Downtime | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Botox | OnabotulinumtoxinA relaxes the muscle that folds the skin | 10-20 minutes | 3-5 days | 3-4 months | None | Frown lines, forehead lines and crow's feet |
| Letybo | LetibotulinumtoxinA, a newer type A neurotoxin | 10-20 minutes | 2-4 days | 3-4 months | None | Glabellar frown lines at a lower per unit cost |
| Jeuveau | PrabotulinumtoxinA-xvfs, a type A neurotoxin made only for aesthetics | 10-20 minutes | As early as 2 days | 3-4 months | None | Glabellar frown lines when the fastest start matters |
| Emface | HIFES muscle stimulation plus radiofrequency, no needles | 20 minutes | After 2-3 sessions | About 12 months with upkeep | None | Needle-free lifting and toning of the whole face |
| Dermal Fillers | Gel adds volume under the skin rather than relaxing muscle | 30-45 minutes | Immediately | 6-18 months | Bruising possible | Volume loss, folds and static lines at rest |
| Topical Retinoids | Vitamin A derivative speeds cell turnover and collagen | Nightly at home | 8-12 weeks | Only while used | Peeling early on | Fine surface lines, texture and daily maintenance |
Candidacy
Who Is a Good Candidate for Botox?
Honest guidance before you book
Botox suits adults who are bothered by lines that appear when the face moves. The clearest test is a mirror: if the line deepens when you frown or smile and softens when your face relaxes, it is a muscle problem and Botox is the right tool.
Ideal Candidates for Botox
- Adults in good general health with dynamic frown lines, forehead lines or crow's feet
- Patients who want to soften expression lines while keeping natural movement
- Younger patients starting preventive treatment before lines etch in permanently
- Anyone who needs a treatment with no recovery time built into the week
- Patients with realistic expectations who understand results are temporary
Who Should Wait or Consider Something Else
- Anyone pregnant or breastfeeding
- Patients with myasthenia gravis, Lambert-Eaton syndrome, ALS or another neuromuscular disorder
- Known allergy to any botulinum toxin product or to albumin
- Active skin infection, rash or inflammation at the planned injection site
- Patients whose lines are visible at complete rest, which usually points to volume loss instead
- Anyone who would rather avoid needles entirely, who may prefer needle-free facial lifting with Emface
Deep static folds that stay put when your face is relaxed respond better to volume correction or energy-based treatment than to a neurotoxin. Elizabeth will tell you plainly at your consultation if Botox is not the right answer for what is bothering you.
Side Effects and Safety
What the evidence shows
Common Botox Side Effects
Cosmetic Botox has one of the longest safety records in aesthetics, and a meta-analysis of facial rejuvenation studies found adverse events were mostly mild, local and self-limiting. The common ones are small: pinpoint redness, a temporary bump at each injection site, mild bruising, and a short headache on the day of treatment. These typically resolve within a few hours to a few days.
Less Common Reactions
Less common effects are dose and placement dependent, which is why anatomy matters. Temporary eyelid or brow droop can occur if the product spreads beyond the target muscle, and it resolves on its own as the effect wears off. Asymmetry can usually be balanced with a few extra units at your two-week check.
Rare Risks and Safety Screening
Rare but serious reactions to botulinum toxin, including swallowing or breathing difficulty from distant spread, are described in the National Library of Medicine review of botulinum toxin. Tell us about any neuromuscular condition, recent injectable treatment or medication before we begin.
Results You Can Expect
Real Results
Botox works on a predictable schedule. Movement in the treated muscle begins to soften around day three, the visible line keeps smoothing through day ten, and the peak result usually lands at two weeks. From there the effect holds for roughly three to four months before it fades gradually. Individual results vary with muscle strength, dosing and how long the line has been there.

The Difference
Why Choose Applegate MedSpa for Botox in Covington, KY
A nurse practitioner led approach to injectables
Dr. Barry Applegate, DMD has worked in facial anatomy, nerves and musculature since 1993, and Elizabeth Taylor, APRN adds a background in acute care medicine and advanced aesthetic training. That depth of anatomical training is the honest reason to have your Botox placed here.
Dentist-Founded Practice
Three decades of hands-on facial anatomy behind every injection
Conservative Dosing
We start lower and refine, because a frozen look is hard to undo
Two-Week Review
A follow-up check so your next treatment is mapped to your result
4.9 From 771 Reviews
A Covington practice patients return to and recommend
Pay Per Unit
$12 per unit, so you pay for exactly what is injected and nothing more
Numbing on Request
Ice or topical numbing is offered before an ultrafine needle is ever placed
Pricing
Botox Cost in Covington, KY
Priced by the unit, not the area
Botox at Applegate Dentistry and MedSpa is $12 per unit. There is no flat treatment fee, because no two faces need the same dose. A strong frown muscle takes more product than a delicate crow's feet area, and a first-time patient often uses fewer units than someone who has been treating the same line for years. You pay for exactly what is injected.
Typical Unit Ranges by Area
- Frown lines (glabella): 15 to 25 units, about $180 to $300
- Forehead lines: 8 to 20 units, about $96 to $240
- Crow's feet (both sides): 12 to 24 units, about $144 to $288
- Bunny lines: 4 to 8 units, about $48 to $96
- Lip flip: 4 to 6 units, about $48 to $72
- Chin dimpling: 4 to 8 units, about $48 to $96
Most patients treating the full upper face land somewhere between 40 and 60 units per visit. Ranges are typical, not a quote. Your exact unit count is confirmed at your consultation before anything is injected, so you always know the price first.
Flexible Payment Options
We want the plan to fit your budget, not the other way around.
- Cherry Financing - monthly payment plans with a quick approval process and options for a range of credit profiles.
- Major credit cards - accepted for a single session or a full series.
- HSA and FSA - health spending account funds are accepted where your plan administrator allows the treatment, so check your plan first.
Promotional pricing available at consultation. Call to schedule a free consult.




Related Treatment
Letybo
A botulinum toxin type A approved by the FDA in 2024 for moderate to severe frown lines.
- Newest FDA Approval
- Focused Indication
- Short Appointment
Related Treatment
Jeuveau
An FDA approved frown line neurotoxin with results that can start by day two.
- Fast Onset
- Fifteen Minute Visit
- No Downtime
Related Treatment
RF Microneedling with Exion
Fractional radiofrequency delivered through fine needles to firm skin, refine pores and smooth texture.
- Your Own Collagen
- Multiple Concerns
- Short Recovery
Common Questions
Botox Questions, Answered
How much does Botox cost in Covington, KY?
How many units of Botox will I need?
Does Botox hurt?
How long does a Botox appointment take?
When will I see results from Botox?
How long does Botox last?
How often should I get Botox?
Should I choose Botox or Letybo?
Is Botox safe, and what are the side effects?
Will Botox make my face look frozen?
Am I too young or too old for Botox?
What should I avoid before and after Botox?
What is the difference between Botox and Jeuveau?
Schedule Today Your Botox Consultation
References
- Brin MF et al., Medicine (Baltimore). (2023). Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA) mechanism of action. PMID: 37499078.
- Solish N et al., Dermatol Surg. (2016). Efficacy and Safety of OnabotulinumtoxinA Treatment of Forehead Lines: A Multicenter, Randomized, Dose-Ranging Controlled Trial. PMID: 26863598.
- Carruthers A et al., Aesthet Surg J. (2016). OnabotulinumtoxinA for Treatment of Moderate to Severe Crow's Feet Lines: A Review. PMID: 26979457.
- Li X et al., Aesthetic Plast Surg. (2023). Efficacy and Safety of Botulinum Toxin Type A for Treatment of Glabellar Lines: A Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. PMID: 36097079.
- Jia Z et al., Aesthetic Plast Surg. (2016). Adverse Events of Botulinum Toxin Type A in Facial Rejuvenation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. PMID: 27495260.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Drugs at FDA. (2024). Licensing record and approved labeling for BOTOX and BOTOX Cosmetic (onabotulinumtoxinA), BLA 103000.












