Botox for Migraines
How many days a month do you lose to headaches? If it is 15 or more, small injections of Botox® by Allergan may give some of them back.
- First changeSometimes two to four weeks
- Full responseTwo or three cycles to see whether it helps
- LastsAbout 12 weeks
- DowntimeMinimal
Key takeaway
How many days a month do you lose to headaches? If it is 15 or more, small injections of Botox® by Allergan may give some of them back.
Is it right for you?
- Have headaches on 15 or more days a month
- Have migraine on at least eight of those days
- Get headaches lasting four hours or longer
- Are an adult diagnosed with chronic migraine
- Have tried other treatments without enough control
Tell your doctor about any neuromuscular condition, allergy or trouble swallowing or breathing before you book.
The aim is fewer headache days
Placed in specific muscles around the head and neck, Botox® temporarily interrupts the release of chemicals involved in pain signalling, so fewer signals may reach the nerves behind an attack. It cannot stop one in progress.
Your doctor first counts your headache and migraine days from your headache diary or a migraine questionnaire. If the recognised protocol suits you, that means 155 units across 31 injection sites.
Where it can be used Forehead, Between the eyebrows, Temples, Back of the head, Upper neck, Neck and upper shoulders
In the clinic
The consultation comes first, with your doctor, before anything is booked. 
Refreshments are waiting when you arrive. 
A treatment room at Cocoon Legian. 
The stone path to the treatment rooms at Legian. 
The BOTOX Platinum Award, 2026.
Results
- First change
- Sometimes two to four weeks
- Full response
- Two or three cycles to see whether it helps
Before and after photographs coming soon
- Lasts
- About 12 weeks
- Downtime
- Minimal
Some people notice an improvement within two to four weeks, and others need two or three cycles before it shows in the diary. If it helps, it is repeated every 12 weeks. It is not a cure.
Tenderness, redness, swelling or bruising, a stiff neck, a headache or some muscle weakness can follow, and pass. Results vary, and your doctor says what to expect for your headaches.
Before and after your visit
Before
- Tell your doctor what you take, including blood thinners and aspirin.
- Mention any botulinum toxin or filler treatment in the last four months.
- Avoid alcohol the day before, as it can increase bruising.
- Arrive with clean skin and little makeup on the treatment area.
- Keep a headache diary of days, symptoms, duration, triggers and medication, before and after.
- Bring medical reports, and mention muscle relaxants, injected antibiotics, supplements and past migraine treatments.
The day
The injections are quick, but the assessment before them takes time. With a fine needle and usually no anaesthetic, your doctor works from your forehead to your upper shoulders, a brief pinprick at a time. Keep your head upright for several hours afterwards.
After
- Do not rub, press or massage the treated area for the rest of the day.
- No strenuous exercise, saunas, steam rooms or intense heat for 24 to 48 hours.
- Delay facials and facial massage until your doctor says.
- Contact us if anything unexpected develops afterwards.
Botox treatments, side by side
- First change
- After one to two days
- Lasts
- Up to four months
- First change
- Less jaw tension in one to two weeks
- Lasts
- Three to six months
- First change
- Within several days
- Lasts
- About four to six months
- First change
- Sometimes two to four weeks
- Lasts
- About 12 weeks
Questions people ask
It is not meant for every headache, and has not been shown to work for episodic migraine, with 14 or fewer headache days a month.
Keep taking it, including your acute medication for attacks, unless the doctor who prescribed it says otherwise. Botox® may be part of a wider plan.
Some injection sites overlap with cosmetic Botox® areas, so your lines and movement may change, though the migraine protocol sets the placing.
Contact us promptly about significant weakness, increasing pain, signs of infection or another unexpected reaction. Please have a doctor assess any headache that is new, suddenly severe or unlike your usual migraine.