Botox vs Xeomin: botulinum toxin injections compared at Seoul clinics
Botox and Xeomin are both botulinum toxin type A injections offered at Seoul clinics for forehead lines, frown lines and crow's feet, and the table below lists 20 clinics providing one or both.
Botox and Xeomin compared on the same rows, from clinic-published pages in Seoul. 20 clinics list these treatments. Checked on 2026-10-28.
9 sources Checked
- Question
- How do Botox and Xeomin compare for wrinkle treatment at clinics in Seoul?
- Treatments compared
- Botox, Xeomin
Comparison
| Botox | Xeomin | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | OnabotulinumtoxinA, made by Allergan/AbbVie, a botulinum toxin type A product complexed with accessory proteins. | IncobotulinumtoxinA, made by Merz Pharmaceuticals, a purified botulinum toxin type A free of complexing proteins. |
| How it works | Blocks acetylcholine release at the neuromuscular junction; delivered as an about 900 kDa toxin-protein complex. | Blocks acetylcholine release at the neuromuscular junction; delivered as a 150 kDa pure neurotoxin with no accessory hemagglutinin proteins. |
| MFDS-approved cosmetic areas | Approved in Korea for glabellar lines, crow's feet and forehead lines, plus several medical indications. | Approved in Korea for the same three cosmetic areas: glabellar lines, crow's feet and forehead lines. |
| Dose conversion | Small comparative studies have dosed it 1 to 1 against Xeomin for glabellar lines. | Small comparative studies have dosed it 1 to 1 against Botox for glabellar lines. |
| Sessions | One injection session per treated area, no series of visits required. | One injection session per treated area, no series of visits required. |
| Onset | Visible softening begins within 2 to 4 days, with full effect reported by about 14 days. | Visible softening begins within 2 to 4 days, with full effect reported by about 14 days. |
| How long it lasts | Reported to last about 3 to 4 months per treatment area. | Reported to last about 3 to 4 months per treatment area, similar to Botox in head-to-head comparisons. |
| Downtime | No formal downtime; possible redness, swelling or small bruises at injection sites fading within a few days. | No formal downtime; possible redness, swelling or small bruises at injection sites fading within a few days. |
| Flying after | No specific flying restriction in the sources reviewed; clinics advise staying upright for a few hours and waiting about 24 hours before air travel. | No specific flying restriction in the sources reviewed; clinics advise staying upright for a few hours and waiting about 24 hours before air travel. |
| Storage before injection | Supplied as a frozen or refrigerated powder requiring 2 to 8 degrees C storage before reconstitution. | MFDS-approved for storage at 1 to 25 degrees C, described as the only botulinum toxin sold in Korea with room-temperature approval. |
| Antibody and resistance notes | Contains accessory complexing proteins; repeated high-dose use is linked to a theoretical higher antigenic load. | Free of complexing proteins; studied as a switch option for patients who developed neutralizing antibodies to other botulinum toxin products. |
Clinics
| Clinic | District | Botox on the menu | Xeomin on the menu | Official page | Checked on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CORE DERMATOLOGY | Gangnam | Botox | core-derma.com | 2026-10-20 | |
| Delight Dermatology Clinic | Apgujeong | Botox | seouldermatologyclinic.com | 2026-10-20 | |
| DOD Dermatology Clinic | Cheongdam | Botox | dodskin.com | 2026-10-20 | |
| Doje Clinic | Gangnam | Botox | cheongdamaestheticclinic.com | 2026-10-20 | |
| Dr New Cell Clinic | Gangnam | Botox | drnewcell.com | 2026-10-20 | |
| Dr. DAMI Clinic | Gangnam | Botox | damiclinic.com | 2026-10-20 | |
| Dr. E-Laser Dermatology | Gangnam | Botox | drelaser.com | 2026-10-20 | |
| EGGCLINIC | Seocho | Botox | eggclinicseoul.com | 2026-10-20 | |
| Ever Skin Clinic | Apgujeong | Botox | dermatologistsgangnam.com | 2026-10-20 | |
| Gangnam Dermatology, Planew Clinic | Seocho | Botox | planewclinic.com | 2026-10-20 | |
| Jcell Dermatology Clinic | Cheongdam | Botox | cheongdamantiagingclinic.com | 2026-10-20 | |
| Jfeel Dermatology Clinic, Gangnam | Gangnam | Botox | jfeelclinic.com | 2026-10-20 | |
| LEE JAE BONG | Apgujeong | Botox | widwinskin.com | 2026-10-20 | |
| Liftique | Seocho | Botox | liftique.co.kr | 2026-10-20 | |
| LOUAVE Clinic | Gangnam | Botox | seoulskinclinic.co | 2026-10-20 | |
| Peau Reve Clinic | Gangnam | Botox | cheongdamskinclinic.com | 2026-10-20 | |
| Reberry clinic myeongdong | Myeongdong | Botox | myeongdongskinclinicreberry.com | 2026-10-20 | |
| ReYeonK Clinic | Sinsa | Botox | reyeonk.co.kr | 2026-10-20 | |
| WOOA Plastic Surgery & Dermatology | Gangnam | Botox | sinnonhyeonskinclinic.com | 2026-10-20 | |
| Yaan Clinic | Gangnam | Botox | enyaanclinic.com | 2026-10-20 |
Sources note
Rows draw on FDA and Korean MFDS-related regulatory reporting, manufacturer clinical-evidence pages for Xeomin, a peer-reviewed pharmacology review of botulinum toxin complex sizes, and peer-reviewed meta-analyses on neutralizing antibody formation.
Frequently asked questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Can Botox and Xeomin be used interchangeably at the same dose? | Small comparative studies have dosed the two products 1 to 1 for glabellar lines and reported similar efficacy, but clinicians still adjust units to the individual patient and treated area. |
| Is Xeomin a better option for people who stopped responding to Botox? | Because Xeomin lacks the complexing proteins found in Botox, it has been studied as a switch option for patients who developed neutralizing antibodies to other botulinum toxin products, though resistance can still occur with any brand. |
| How soon can I fly home after getting Botox or Xeomin in Seoul? | Neither treatment has a specific flying restriction in the sources reviewed; clinics ask patients to stay upright for a few hours and wait about 24 hours before a flight. |
| Do Botox and Xeomin last the same amount of time? | Comparative data put both in a similar 3 to 4 month range per treatment area, though individual duration varies with dose, muscle activity and treated region. |
| Which facial areas are Botox and Xeomin approved for in Korea? | Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has approved both products for glabellar lines, crow's feet and forehead lines; Botox also has additional medical indications beyond cosmetic use. |
| Does Xeomin need special storage that affects where it is offered? | Xeomin has MFDS approval for storage at 1 to 25 degrees C, reported as the only botulinum toxin sold in Korea with room-temperature approval, which can simplify handling compared with refrigerated products. |
Sources
- primary-regulatory XEOMIN (incobotulinumtoxinA) FDA prescribing information · Checked
- primary-brand-record BOTOX Cosmetic (onabotulinumtoxinA) FDA prescribing information · Checked
- primary-academic PMC review on botulinum toxin complex sizes and Xeomin manufacturing · Checked
- primary-brand-record Merz Xeomin Aesthetic clinical evidence page · Checked
- primary-brand-record Medigate report on Xeomin MFDS approval in Korea · Checked
- primary-brand-record Kormedi report on Hanwha Pharmaceutical Xeomin launch in Korea · Checked
- primary-academic PMC meta-analysis on neutralizing antibody formation with onabotulinumtoxinA · Checked
- primary-academic PMC meta-analysis on secondary treatment failure and immunogenicity with botulinum neurotoxin A · Checked
- primary-academic PMC study on switching to incobotulinumtoxinA after secondary non-response · Checked