Innotox
A botulinum toxin type A from Korea Made by Medytox and approved in South Korea. It is the first version of this drug sold as a ready-to-use liquid.
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Innotox vs Botox
Innotox is a botulinum toxin made in South Korea and sold as a ready-mixed liquid. It was the first toxin sold that way, so the clinic does not mix a powder with saline before injecting. Botox is the original brand, sold as a powder, and it is approved for use in the United States. Innotox is not approved here, it cannot legally be sold or imported for use in the US, and no trial has compared the two.
At a glance
| The difference | Innotox | Botox |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A botulinum toxin type A from Korea | The original botulinum toxin brand |
| What it is used for | Lines that appear when you move | Lines that appear when you move |
| How long until it works | A few days | Three to four days, fully by two weeks |
| Cost | Cheaper abroad, per vial | Priced per unit or per area |
Botox
Side by side
The differences that matter
What it is
Innotox
A botulinum toxin type A from Korea
Made by Medytox and approved in South Korea. It is the first version of this drug sold as a ready-to-use liquid.
Botox
The original botulinum toxin brand
The version most American clinics stock, and the one most of the published research used.
What form it comes in
Innotox
Liquid, already mixed
It goes straight from the vial to the syringe. Nothing is added at the clinic.
Botox
Powder, mixed with saline on site
The clinic decides how much saline to add, which sets how dilute the injection is.
Where you can get it
Innotox
Korea, and parts of Europe and elsewhere
It has never been approved in the United States, and bringing it in to inject is not legal here.
Botox
Widely, across the United States
It is a prescription drug, so it is injected by a licensed practitioner.
What it is used for
Innotox
Lines that appear when you move
The same targets: frown lines between the brows, forehead lines, crow's feet.
Botox
Lines that appear when you move
It is approved in the US for specific facial movement lines. Other uses are common and are off-label.
How long until it works
Innotox
A few days
Reported onset is much the same as other toxins.
Botox
Three to four days, fully by two weeks
Judge the result at two weeks, not at day three.
How long it lasts
Innotox
About three to four months
That is the reported range. No trial has compared it with Botox to see whether it lasts longer or shorter.
Botox
About three to four months
It fades gradually. Movement comes back before the line does.
The downside
Innotox
You cannot check where a vial came from
Vials sold online have no traceable path from the factory to your face. Nobody can confirm how they were stored or that the contents match the label.
Botox
The usual toxin trade-offs
Bruising and headache are common for a few days. If the toxin spreads slightly beyond the target, a brow or eyelid can droop for weeks until it wears off.
Cost
Innotox
Cheaper abroad, per vial
Price is the main reason people ask about it.
Botox
Priced per unit or per area
Ask which of the two your clinic uses, because the totals are not comparable.
The at-home or drugstore version
Innotox
There is none
This is an injected prescription drug. There is no version of it you can apply.
Botox
Peptide serums borrow the name
"Botox in a bottle" creams sit on the surface. The muscle they claim to relax is several millimetres down, and a cream does not reach it.
Who each suits
Innotox
- Best for — Someone being treated in a country where Innotox is approved and supplied through a clinic.
- The mindset — A convenience difference in how the drug is packaged, not a different result.
Botox
- Best for — Anyone being treated in the United States.
- The mindset — The version with the longest track record and a supply chain you can check.
Before you book
More photographs
Botox
Conditions treated
Botox
Hyperhidrosis
A grid of small injections that block the nerve signal reaching the sweat glands in that patch of skin. It starts working within a few days to a week and lasts several months before it needs repeating. Underarm injections are well tolerated; palms and soles hurt more and are usually done with numbing, and palm injections can cause temporary weakness of grip. It is an approved medical treatment for severe underarm sweating, not a cosmetic one, and insurance often covers it once antiperspirants have been tried and documented.
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Rosacea
Very small amounts injected into the surface of the skin, not the muscle, to reduce flushing and background redness. Early studies are encouraging and dermatologists do use it for stubborn flushing. It is off-label for rosacea, it is not usually covered, and it wears off in a few months.
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Wrinkles and Fine Lines
The reliable treatment for lines caused by movement — frown lines, forehead lines and crow's feet. It relaxes the muscle that folds the crease, so the line softens over about two weeks and returns as the effect wears off at three to four months. It does nothing for lines that are already there at rest, and nothing for sagging.
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Common questions
Questions Patients Ask
Is Innotox the same as Botox?
They are both botulinum toxin type A, but they are different products from different makers. Innotox comes ready-mixed as a liquid; Botox comes as a powder the clinic mixes with saline.
Is Innotox approved in the US?
No. Innotox has never been approved in the United States, and selling or importing it for use here is not legal. It is approved in South Korea and sold in several other countries.
Does Innotox last longer than Botox?
There is no evidence either way. No trial has compared them, and reported duration for both sits in the same three to four month range.
Why is Innotox cheaper?
It is priced for markets outside the United States, and vials sold online skip the licensed supply chain entirely. That price gap is the main reason people ask about it.
What is the risk of buying botulinum toxin online?
There is no way to confirm that the vial holds what the label says, that it was kept cold, or that anyone would reach you if a batch were recalled. Nobody can check the path it took.
Do Innotox and Botox use the same units?
No. Each brand has its own unit strength, so a dose of one does not translate to a dose of another. That is why the injector needs to know which product is in the syringe.