FOREHEAD LINES: KOREAN BOTOX BRAND SELECTION BY WRINKLE TYPE

Not all forehead lines are the same. Different wrinkle patterns respond differently to the four Korean botox brand tiers. Here's the practical brand-by-pattern guide most foreign visitors don't get from a counsellor.

PATTERN 1, SOFT HORIZONTAL LINES, MILD

Mild horizontal forehead lines visible only with significant brow elevation, no static lines at rest. Best treated with: Wondertox or Nabota at conservative dosing (8–12 units across the forehead). The lines are dynamic-only, so the cheaper brands work well; the conservative dose preserves natural brow movement.

PATTERN 2, DEEP HORIZONTAL LINES, ETCHED IN AT REST

Deep static lines that persist when the face is relaxed. These are dynamic wrinkles that have transitioned to structural, the skin has lost elasticity from years of muscle contraction. Botox softens but doesn't eliminate static lines.

Best protocol: Allergan or Xeomin at higher dosing (16–24 units) for maximum and predictable suppression, combined with hyaluronic acid filler placed superficially to plump the line itself. The botox prevents further deepening; the filler reduces what's already there. Plan: $400–800 for the combo.

PATTERN 3, VERTICAL GLABELLAR "11S"

The vertical lines between the brows from chronic frowning. Classic dynamic wrinkles. Best treated with: any of the four brand tiers at 16–25 units across the corrugator and procerus muscles. The pattern responds well across all brands; pick based on your budget and resistance history.

For first-time patients, Nabota or Xeomin at 20 units is the standard starting dose. Allergan is overkill for a first treatment unless you've been told you have antibody resistance.

PATTERN 4, FULL FOREHEAD + BROW LIFT

Treating both horizontal lines and adding a subtle brow lift requires more strategic injection. Some forehead muscle activity is needed to support brow position; over-treating produces a heavy/dropped brow. Best approach: an experienced injector using Allergan or Xeomin (the brands with the most predictable diffusion patterns) at strategic injection points rather than uniform dosing.

“Cheaper brands work for routine patterns. Premium brands earn their price for complex injection patterns where diffusion predictability matters.”

PATTERN 5, ASYMMETRIC FOREHEAD LINES

One brow visibly higher than the other, or one side of the forehead with deeper lines. Usually caused by uneven muscle activity (nerve dominance differences from sleeping habits or expression patterns). Requires: Allergan or Xeomin (predictable diffusion) at asymmetric dosing, more units on the dominant side, less on the weaker side.

This is a case where named-injector experience matters. Volume-tier injectors often default to symmetric injection patterns; correcting asymmetry requires deliberate dose adjustment. Premium-tier Apgujeong is often the right call.

BRAND SELECTION SUMMARY

• 01Mild dynamic lines, first-time → Nabota or Wondertox at 8–12 units. ~₩40K–80K total.
• 02Standard horizontal + glabella → Nabota or Xeomin at 20–24 units. ~₩100K–250K.
• 03Deep static lines + filler combo → Allergan/Xeomin botox + HA filler. ~₩400K–800K.
• 04Asymmetric or revision case → Allergan at premium-tier clinic. ~₩200K–400K for botox alone.
• 05Annual maintenance after first treatment → drop to Nabota at volume-tier clinic. ~₩100K–200K per session.

HOW LONG IT LASTS BY BRAND

Duration is similar across brands at standard doses, 3–4 months for most patients. Allergan and Xeomin slightly outperform domestic brands in long-term use (year 5+) where antibody resistance becomes a factor for some patients. For a single one-off treatment, the brand-duration difference is not a meaningful factor.