Compare · Procedures

Botox vs Clear + Brilliant

Botox: An injection that temporarily weakens specific facial muscles, so the lines those muscles make soften. It wears off in about three to four months. It does not fill, lift, or improve the quality of the skin.

Clear + Brilliant: A low-energy fractional laser aimed at dullness, early fine lines, and rough texture. It is the gentlest treatment in this family, with about a day of downtime and a correspondingly small change per session.

Reviewed by Dr. Schwarz, Board-Certified Dermatologist
Last updated: 10/22/2026
Editorial illustration for Botox, based on the entry’s treatment or equipment reference.Editorial illustration for Clear + Brilliant, based on the entry’s treatment or equipment reference.
Choose ifKey differencesWhat is it?What it treatsTreatment areasSkin tonesHow it worksBefore your treatmentDay of treatmentAfter your treatmentRisksCostQuestionsRelated

Choose Botox if…

Choose for lines that appear when you move — frowning, squinting or raising your brows.

  • Frown lines, crow's feet, forehead lines
  • You want no downtime
  • You're fine with a visit every 3–4 months

Choose Clear + Brilliant if…

Choose for gentle brightening and smoother texture with about a day of downtime — small change per session.

  • Dull skin or uneven tone
  • Early fine lines
  • You want minimal downtime
Often combined

Can you have both?

A common pairing: Botox relaxes lines while Clear + Brilliant refreshes tone and texture. Many clinics do laser first, then Botox, or space them 2 weeks apart.

Key differences

● Botox
● Clear + Brilliant
DowntimeNone → 2+ weeks
None
1–2 days
PainMinimal → Needs anesthesia or sedation
Minimal
Mild
Results showImmediately → 3+ months
Within days
Within days
How long it lastsWeeks → Years or permanent
3–6 months
3–6 months
Visits neededOne → Every few months
Every few months
A longer series (4–6+)
Cost per visit$ → $$$$$
$$
$$
ReversibleYes, can be undone → No, permanent
No, wears off
No, fades slowly

What is it?

Botox

Clear + Brilliant

What is it?

It is a botulinum toxin.

Botox is the brand name for onabotulinumtoxinA, given by a trained clinician.

It relaxes selected muscles.

Its effect on muscle activity is temporary.

It is not a filler.

It does not add volume.

Health history matters.

Neuromuscular disease, swallowing problems, pregnancy and previous toxin treatment should be discussed.

It is a nonablative fractional laser.

Clear + Brilliant treats selected cosmetic skin concerns.

Treatments vary.

Options depend on the system and handpiece.

“Gentle” is not risk-free.

Burns and pigment changes can still occur.

History matters.

Tanning, pigment changes, herpes and skin disease should be discussed.

What it treats

Evidence level
Botox
Clear + Brilliant
Strong evidenceMost established uses
A relaxed forehead with faint shallow horizontal fine lines.

Wrinkles and Fine Lines

Smooths frown lines and crow's feet.

Moist palms with visible perspiration.

Hyperhidrosis

Stops underarm sweating for months.

—
Moderate evidenceSome supportive research
—
Uneven Skin Tone.

Uneven Skin Tone

Evens tone with a series.

Limited evidenceEarly or small studies
Redness and fine superficial vessels across a light-skinned cheek and nose.

Rosacea

Small studies show less flushing.

Enlarged Pores on light skin.

Enlarged Pores

Smooths texture.

A relaxed forehead with faint shallow horizontal fine lines.

Wrinkles and Fine Lines

Softens fine lines.

Little evidence
A relaxed forehead with pronounced deep horizontal furrows.

Deep Wrinkles

Lines at rest may need filler.

—
Not effective
Sagging Skin on light skin.

Sagging Skin

Doesn't lift loose skin.

Volume Loss on light skin.

Volume Loss

Doesn't add volume.

A relaxed forehead with pronounced deep horizontal furrows.

Deep Wrinkles

Too gentle.

Ice Pick Scars on light skin.

Ice Pick Scars

Too superficial.

Treatment areas

Treatment areas

Forehead, between the brows, crow’s feet and underarms.

Face; the selected area depends on the concern and treatment plan.

Skin tones

Skin tone
● Botox
● Clear + Brilliant
Lighter skin
Low risk
No pigment change expected.
Low risk
Brief redness.
Medium skin
Low risk
No pigment change expected.
Low risk
Gentle settings suit most.
Deeper skin
Low risk
No pigment change expected.
Some risk
Lower risk than stronger lasers; ask about dark-mark prevention.

How it works

Botox

Clear + Brilliant

How it works
Botox mechanism diagram. Placed near nerve endings: A clinician injects botulinum toxin into selected muscles. Reduces signal release: The treated nerve ending releases less acetylcholine. Muscle activity relaxes: Movement-related lines can soften as contraction decreases.
Clear + Brilliant mechanism diagram. Creates tiny heat zones: Fractional energy treats small columns while sparing nearby tissue. Supports surface renewal: Healing can help improve uneven tone and superficial texture. Remodeling develops gradually: A course may improve skin appearance; response varies.
Diagram explanation

Placed near nerve endings: A clinician injects botulinum toxin into selected muscles. Reduces signal release: The treated nerve ending releases less acetylcholine. Muscle activity relaxes: Movement-related lines can soften as contraction decreases.

Schematic illustration. Technique and response vary. This explains a mechanism and does not specify treatment settings.

Creates tiny heat zones: Fractional energy treats small columns while sparing nearby tissue. Supports surface renewal: Healing can help improve uneven tone and superficial texture. Remodeling develops gradually: A course may improve skin appearance; response varies.

Schematic illustration. Technique and response vary. This explains a mechanism and does not specify treatment settings.

Before your treatment

Botox
Clear + Brilliant
2–4 weeks before

Planning: Timing: Allow at least 2 weeks before an important event; results settle in 10–14 days and bruises may last a week.

2 weeks before: Sun and tanning: No tanning, self-tanner or sunburn.

2 weeks before: Sun and tanning: Tanned skin risks blotchy pigment and usually gets the treatment postponed.

The week before

Preparation: Medicines and alcohol: Ask about fish oil, vitamin E and ibuprofen; avoid alcohol for 24 hours.

A few days before: Bruising and alcohol: Never stop a prescribed blood thinner on your own.

Actives and hair removal: Stop retinoids, retinol and exfoliating acids about 3 days before.

Actives and hair removal: No waxing, threading or hair removal creams on the area.

Day of treatment

Botox
Clear + Brilliant
Before you arrive

What to bring: Arrive with a clean face, reference photos and clear treatment goals.

Clean face: Clean face, no makeup.

Arrival & prep

You say what bothers you while the injector watches your face move.

Skin is cleaned, and the provider checks what you have stopped using and whether you have had sun.

Treatment

The skin is cleaned, then small injections go into the chosen muscles, a few in each area.

The visit runs 10 to 20 minutes. Each point is a sharp sting, then it is over — most people rate it below a blood test. The forehead and between the brows are the most sensitive.

The cream comes off and a roller handpiece moves over the face in overlapping passes, usually four to eight per area.

It feels warm and prickly and builds with each pass. It takes 15 to 20 minutes. Most people call it a strong tingle, much milder than Fraxel.

Before you leave

Small raised bumps like insect bites settle within about 20 to 30 minutes.

Pink, hot, sometimes slightly swollen, like a mild sunburn.

After your treatment

Botox
Clear + Brilliant
First 24 hours

Days 1 to 3: A few people bruise, usually near the eyes.

Days 1 to 4: Skin feels dry, tight and faintly like fine sandpaper, and often looks duller before it looks better.

Days 2–7

Days 3 to 5: Movement feels different — heavy, or a muscle that will not quite fire.

Days 10 to 14: The true result.

Days 5 to 7: The rough layer is gone and skin looks brighter and smoother.

Weeks 2–4
Not specified

Week 2 onward: The fresh look softens over the next few weeks unless another session follows.

Time to results

Starts in 3–5 days, full at 2 weeks

About 1 week

How long results last

3–4 months

Months with maintenance

Risks

Risks
  • A droopy upper eyelid
  • A heavy or dropped brow
  • Unevenness
  • A headache or a flu-like day or two
  • A lump or bruise that is not settling
  • Dry, gritty eyes or double vision
  • Dark patches
  • Redness that keeps increasing
  • A cold sore outbreak
  • A breakout or small white bumps

Cost

Per session

In the US it is priced per unit or per area.

A full-face session runs about $300 to $600 in the US, with neck, chest or hands extra.

Insurance

Insurance does not cover cosmetic use.

Insurance does not cover this.

Questions

Botox

Clear + Brilliant

Individual Questions
How long does it last?

Three to four months for most people and areas. The jaw muscle and underarm sweating last longer. Fading is gradual, so movement returns over a few weeks.

Does it hurt?

A sharp sting for a second or two per injection, several times. Most people find it easier than expected and skip numbing.

Will I look frozen?

Only if the dose says so. Amount and placement decide how much movement you keep, and a lighter dose at a first appointment is reasonable. You can add more at two weeks; you cannot take any away.

What if I do not like the result?

There is no antidote, so it has to wear off over weeks to a few months. Some problems can be balanced with a few extra units elsewhere, which is why starting conservatively is safer.

Is it safe long-term?

Decades of medical use at doses far larger than cosmetic ones, with no pattern of lasting harm. The main reported change is treated muscles getting somewhat weaker over years, which is the intended effect.

How many units do I need?

That depends on the muscle and the face, not a standard number. As a rough reference, frown lines between the brows are commonly treated with about 20 units of one common brand. Units are not comparable between brands, so ask which product is used.

Is Clear + Brilliant worth it?

Depends what you are buying. For generally good skin already on a retinoid and sunscreen, it is reasonable maintenance. For acne scars, established wrinkles or sagging, it is not, and the money goes further elsewhere. One session buys a glow lasting a few weeks.

How is it different from Fraxel?

Same manufacturer, same principle, far less energy. Clear + Brilliant is shallower and gentler, about a day of downtime and much less change per session. Fraxel goes deeper, does more for scars and lines, and costs about a week of downtime.

Is it really a lunchtime treatment?

Redness settles within hours, which is where the phrase comes from. But days two to four bring dryness and fine flaking, and skin looks best five to seven days later. Book a week before an event.

How many sessions do I need?

Four to six, two to four weeks apart, then maintenance every one to three months to hold it. One session gives temporary brightening.

Does it help acne scars or large pores?

Not indented scars — they sit deeper than this reaches. Pores can look smaller because the surface is smoother, but the pore does not change size and the effect fades.

Is it safe on deeper skin tones?

One of the gentler light-based options, used across skin tones, but not risk-free. Dark patches can still happen, settings should be adjusted, and the Permea handpiece carries more risk of worsening pigment.

Dermapedia on YouTube