Neuromodulators
Precision Neuromodulator Treatments
Neuromodulators
Designed for Natural Facial Balance
You catch yourself in a photo and the expression doesn’t match the mood. The line between your brows reads as irritated when you were only concentrating. The forehead creases have stopped smoothing out when your face relaxes. Nothing about your face has changed dramatically — it has simply started holding the shapes it used to release.
Radiance Aesthetics is a physician-led practice where neuromodulator treatment is planned and administered by Dr. Sharon Lawrence, a physician board certified by the American Board of Surgery with advanced training in aesthetic technique. Her approach favors conservative dosing and precise placement, because the outcome most patients actually want is subtle enough that no one can name what changed.
Patients travel to Radiance Aesthetics from across North Arlington and the surrounding communities of Bergen, Hudson, and Essex counties for treatment planned with restraint rather than volume.
Every treatment begins with a Get to Know You Consultation. Dr. Lawrence evaluates your facial anatomy in motion, reviews your health history, and builds a plan around your face — not a standard injection map applied to everyone.
Ready to Explore Your Options?
A Get to Know You Consultation is where your plan takes shape. Dr. Lawrence will assess how your muscles actually move, discuss what is realistic for your anatomy, and recommend an approach built for you.
What Is a Neuromodulator Treatment?
Neuromodulators are injectable prescription medications that temporarily reduce the signal between nerve and muscle. When a treated muscle contracts with less force, the skin above it folds less, and the lines created by that folding soften over the following days.
Radiance Aesthetics uses Xeomin® (incobotulinumtoxinA), manufactured by Merz. Xeomin® is a purified formulation produced through a process that removes accompanying proteins, leaving the active molecule on its own.
The goal is not to eliminate movement — it is to soften the lines that repeated movement has carved, while leaving your expression intact and recognizable.
Xeomin® is FDA-approved for the temporary improvement of moderate to severe frown lines between the eyebrows in adults. Other facial areas are commonly treated with neuromodulators based on clinical evaluation, and Dr. Lawrence will discuss which areas are appropriate for your anatomy during your consultation.
What Concerns Can Neuromodulator Treatment Address?
Neuromodulator treatment may help soften:
- Vertical frown lines between the eyebrows
- Horizontal lines across the forehead
- Fine lines fanning from the outer corners of the eyes
- Small diagonal lines across the bridge of the nose
- A downturned appearance at the corners of the mouth
- Dimpled or pebbled texture across the chin
- Vertical banding along the neck
- Asymmetry related to how the muscles move
What neuromodulators do not address. They do not restore lost volume, resurface the skin, fade pigmentation, or improve texture. Lines that remain fully visible when your face is completely at rest are usually the result of changes in the skin itself, and those respond to different treatments. If that is what is bothering you, Dr. Lawrence will say so and recommend accordingly.
Treatment Areas
Frown Lines (Glabella)
The vertical lines between the brows that deepen with focus or concentration. This is the FDA-approved cosmetic indication for Xeomin®.
Forehead Lines
Horizontal lines created by lifting the brows. Dosing here is a balance, because the same muscle holds brow position.
Crow's Feet
The fine lines radiating from the outer eye with smiling and squinting.
Bunny Lines
The short diagonal lines across the bridge of the nose.
Lip Flip
A small amount of product along the upper lip border, softening the muscle’s inward pull.
Downturned Mouth Corners
Treatment of the muscle that draws the mouth corners down.
Chin
Softening of the dimpled texture that appears with movement.
Jawline and Masseter
Treatment of the chewing muscle, for jaw tension or lower-face contour.
Neck Bands
The vertical cords that become more visible over time.
Which areas are appropriate depends entirely on your anatomy. Dr. Lawrence determines this during your consultation.
Benefits of Neuromodulator Treatment
- Softened appearance of expression lines
- Preserved natural movement when conservatively dosed
- Non-surgical, with no incisions and no general anesthesia
- Short appointments, generally 15 to 30 minutes
- Most patients return to normal activity the same day
- Treatment planned and administered by a board certified physician
- Dosing tailored to your muscle strength rather than a fixed protocol
- Adjustable over time as your face and preferences change
What Patients Often Notice
- Frown lines that read softer in photographs
- A rested appearance that better matches how they feel
- Fewer comments about looking tired or upset
- Fine lines around the eyes that are less pronounced when smiling
- Makeup sitting more smoothly over the treated areas
- Comfort maintaining the result on a predictable schedule
Individual responses vary considerably. Muscle strength, anatomy, metabolism, treatment history, and the areas addressed all influence both the degree of change and how long it lasts. Some patients notice a pronounced difference; others find the change subtle. Dr. Lawrence will give you a realistic assessment for your anatomy before treatment rather than after.
Treatment Timeline
- Treatment time
Generally, 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the number of areas addressed.
- Onset
Initial softening may begin within 3 to 5 days.
- Full effect
Typically develops over about 30 days.
- Duration
Results generally last approximately 3 to 4 months, though this varies by area treated, dosing, muscle strength, and individual metabolism.
- Follow-up
Dr. Lawrence may schedule an assessment about two weeks after your first treatment to evaluate the result and determine whether any refinement is appropriate.
Results are temporary. Repeat treatment is required to maintain them.
What Happens During Your Visit
- Get to Know You Consultation
Dr. Lawrence begins by watching your face move. She will ask you to frown, lift your brows, smile, and relax, because muscle patterns differ meaningfully from person to person and a static assessment misses most of what matters. She will review your health history, medications, prior treatments, and what you are hoping to change — including what “natural” means to you, since that word means something different to everyone.
- Preparation
The treatment areas are cleansed and injection points are marked according to your anatomy and the plan you discussed. Topical numbing is generally not needed, though it can be arranged if you would prefer it. This is the moment for any remaining questions.
- Treatment
Dr. Lawrence administers the product through a very fine needle at each marked point. Most patients describe a brief pinch that passes immediately. Placement, depth, and dosing are clinical decisions made in the moment based on how your muscles responded during assessment.
The appointment generally runs 15 to 30 minutes.
- Aftercare Guidance
You will receive written aftercare instructions before you leave, including what to watch for and when to call the office. General guidance includes remaining upright for several hours, leaving the treated areas alone, and postponing strenuous exercise and heat exposure until the following day.
Following your aftercare instructions supports the intended outcome, though outcomes cannot be guaranteed.
How Much Does Neuromodulator Treatment Cost?
Cost depends on the areas treated and the amount of product your anatomy requires. Two patients treating the same area may need meaningfully different amounts, which is why a published price would be misleading rather than helpful.
Your investment is reviewed and agreed upon during your Get to Know You Consultation, before any treatment is scheduled. You will never be surprised by a number.
First Time Considering Neuromodulator Treatment?
Most first-time patients arrive with the same question, whether or not they say it out loud: will I still look like myself?
It is a fair question and it deserves a direct answer rather than reassurance. A frozen appearance is the result of overtreatment, not of the treatment itself. Dr. Lawrence starts conservatively and adjusts at follow-up, because too little is easily corrected two weeks later and too much simply has to be waited out.
Your consultation includes evaluation of your facial anatomy in motion, discussion of what is realistic for your muscle pattern, an honest recommendation about which areas will and will not benefit, and a clear explanation of what happens next.
If neuromodulator treatment is not the right answer for what is bothering you, you will hear that.
Maintaining Your Results
Muscle activity returns gradually, and treated lines become more visible again over a period of months. Most patients maintain their results with repeat treatment roughly every 3 to 4 months, though the right interval is individual.
Neuromodulators address one thing well and nothing else. They do not improve skin tone, texture, pigmentation, laxity, or volume. Patients whose concerns extend into those categories generally see more complete improvement from a plan that pairs neuromodulator treatment with skin-focused care, and Dr. Lawrence will map that sequence during your consultation.
Daily broad-spectrum sun protection affects the appearance of facial lines regardless of what else you are doing.
Why Choose Radiance Aesthetics?
- Treatment by a board certified physician
Dr. Sharon Lawrence is board certified by the American Board of Surgery with advanced training in aesthetic techniques. Injectable treatment is a medical procedure and it is planned as one here.
- A provider who has been the patient
Dr. Lawrence came to aesthetics through her own experience with hyperpigmentation and adult acne, and the long search for something that actually worked. That perspective shapes how she listens.
- Conservative by default
Underdosing is a two-week correction. Overdosing is a three-month wait. The choice is not difficult.
- Assessment in motion
Injection points are determined by watching your muscles work, not by applying a diagram.
- Honest recommendations, including no
If a treatment will not accomplish what you want, that is what you will be told.
We are not here to erase your expressions. We are here to soften what time has pressed into them, and leave the rest of your face exactly as it is.
Enhance Your Experience
Neuromodulators address movement. The treatments below address the condition of the skin itself, and many patients find that a combined plan produces a more complete result than either approach alone.
Microneedling
Supports collagen production to refine texture and soften fine lines
VI Peel®
A light to medium depth peel addressing pigmentation, tone, and clarity, formulated for all skin types
Chemical Peels
Gentle resurfacing to encourage cell turnover
Red Light Therapy
A complementary addition to your treatment plan for the face and décolleté
Not every service is appropriate for every patient. Recommendations are personalized during your Get to Know You Consultation, and results vary.
Serving Patients in North Arlington and Nearby Communities
Radiance Aesthetics provides physician-administered neuromodulator treatment to patients throughout North Arlington, New Jersey, and the surrounding communities of Kearny, Lyndhurst, Rutherford, Belleville, Nutley, Harrison, East Newark, Bloomfield, and Secaucus, across Bergen, Hudson, and Essex counties. Patients searching for Xeomin®, wrinkle relaxer, or neuromodulator treatment near them can reserve a Get to Know You Consultation with Dr. Sharon Lawrence to evaluate facial anatomy, discuss goals, and determine whether treatment is appropriate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is not a candidate?
Neuromodulator treatment is not appropriate for everyone. It is generally avoided in patients with certain neuromuscular disorders, those with an active infection at the intended injection site, those with a known allergy to any component of the product, and those who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Certain medications and medical conditions also affect candidacy. Dr. Lawrence reviews your full health history during your Get to Know You Consultation and will tell you directly if treatment is not appropriate for you.
What are the risks?
As with any injectable medical treatment, there are risks. Reported effects include bruising, swelling, and tenderness at the injection sites, and headache. Temporary drooping of an eyelid or eyebrow can occur, as can asymmetry between the two sides and dry eye. Rarely, the effect may spread to nearby muscles and produce unintended weakness. Most effects are temporary and resolve as the product wears off, though “temporary” in this context can mean weeks. Your written aftercare instructions will tell you what to watch for and when to call the office.
What results can I expect?
Individual results vary and no specific outcome can be guaranteed. Softening typically begins within 3 to 5 days, full effect develops over about 30 days, and results generally last 3 to 4 months. Muscle strength, anatomy, metabolism, dosing, and the areas treated all influence the degree and duration of the response. Some patients notice a pronounced change and others find it subtle. Deep lines that are fully visible at rest may soften but usually do not disappear.
Will I look frozen?
A frozen appearance is a consequence of overtreatment, not an inherent feature of neuromodulator treatment. Dr. Lawrence doses conservatively and reassesses at follow-up, which is specifically intended to avoid that outcome. If preserving movement is a priority for you, say so at your consultation and your plan will reflect it.
Do you accept insurance?
No. Cosmetic neuromodulator treatment is an elective aesthetic service and is not covered by health insurance. Radiance Aesthetics is a fee-for-service practice. Your investment is reviewed with you during your consultation before treatment is scheduled.
How long does the appointment take?
Generally 15 to 30 minutes depending on how many areas are addressed. Your first visit will run longer because it includes your Get to Know You Consultation.
Does it hurt?
Most patients describe a brief pinch at each injection point. The needles are very fine and each injection takes a moment. If comfort is a concern, discuss it at your consultation.
Can I combine this with other treatments?
Frequently, yes. Many patients pair neuromodulator treatment with microneedling, chemical peels, or VI Peel® treatments, since those address skin quality rather than muscle movement. Dr. Lawrence will advise on appropriate sequencing and timing.
Do I need a consultation first?
Yes. All new patients complete a Get to Know You Consultation so that candidacy and safety are confirmed before any treatment is administered.
How often will I need treatment?
Most patients return every 3 to 4 months. Results are temporary and ongoing treatment is required to maintain them.
Medical Disclaimer
The information on this page is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Neuromodulator injection is a medical procedure that carries risks and is not appropriate for everyone. Individual results vary and no outcome can be guaranteed. Candidacy is determined only through evaluation by a qualified healthcare professional. Specific contraindications, risks, and realistic expectations are addressed in the Frequently Asked Questions above and reviewed with you in detail during your Get to Know You Consultation.
Radiance Aesthetics is a fee-for-service practice. Cosmetic treatments are elective and are not covered by health insurance.
Xeomin® is a registered trademark of Merz Pharmaceuticals. VI Peel® is a registered trademark of Vitality Institute Medical Products.
Radiance Aesthetics is operated by Radiance Aesthetics LLC. Treatments are performed by Sharon Lawrence, MD, a physician board certified by the American Board of Surgery.