10 BOTOX® Alternatives for Smoother, Firmer Skin

Many people seek BOTOX® Cosmetic treatments, a cosmetic form of the botulinum toxin, to treat fine lines and wrinkles around the face, neck and jaw, improving their appearance and/or reducing the signs of aging.¹ However, because BOTOX® Cosmetic is an injectable treatment, it may be more invasive than some people want, leading them to seek out minimally invasive treatments instead.

Below are 10 alternatives to BOTOX® that might help if you're seeking smoother or firmer skin on your face.

1. Cosmetic Acupuncture

Acupuncture is an alternative medicine treatment originating in China, in which small needles are applied to specific points on the body to improve a variety of health conditions.²

Cosmetic acupuncture applies the same principles of regular acupuncture but more locally, by inserting between 40 and 70² tiny, hair-thin needles into various spots on the face to treat such things as wrinkles, fine lines and dark spots.³ It may create “microtrauma" in the skin that stimulates collagen production.² While the procedure is similar to microneedling, cosmetic acupuncture uses much smaller needles, and is less traumatic to the skin.²

After the treatment, it is possible to experience soreness, bruising, bleeding at needle insertion site and even muscle twitching.⁴

Acupuncture cost

The average cost of a cosmetic acupuncture session can run between $100 and $500, depending upon the practitioner, their experience and location.⁴

2. Microneedling

Like acupuncture, microneedling also uses needles to puncture the top layer of your skin.⁵ This is thought to stimulate collagen and elastin production in the skin, the naturally occurring substances that aid in firming and smoothing skin.⁵

Though microneedling is more invasive than acupuncture, with slightly bigger needles, it is still considered a minimally invasive procedure, and aims to treat conditions such as enlarged pores, fine lines and wrinkles, loose or crepe-like skin, mild scars, skin discoloration or stretch marks.⁵

Microneedling typically requires a topical anesthetic prior to the procedure, and may leave skin irritated or sore for several days after.⁵

Microneedling cost

Microneedling costs around $190 on average, but it may range from $75 to $450 per treatment.⁶

3. Chemical Peels

Chemical peels are another noninvasive way to refresh the look and quality of your skin. This procedure uses natural acids to strip off damaged skin cells, which may improve the appearance of wrinkles and reduce discolorations and scars.⁷ A board-certified plastic surgeon or dermatologist administers these peels⁷ at either a light, medium or deep depth.⁸

It is normal to experience some irritation and redness after. And, depending on the depth of the peel, it can take between one and two weeks for skin to recover on average, though deeper peels can take several months.⁷

Chemical peel cost

On average, a chemical peel costs around $644, but they can range in price from $200 to $6,000, depending upon many factors.⁹

4. Laser Therapy

Lasers are used in a number of ways to treat fine lines and wrinkles, discoloration and scars.¹⁰ These concentrated light beams remove surface layers of skin and stimulate collagen growth, and range from minimally invasive to more invasive (known as non-ablative and ablative).¹⁰ They are typically administered by a dermatologist or plastic surgeon.¹¹

Laser therapy cost

On average, laser therapy treatments cost around $2,509 for ablative and around $1,445 for non-ablative.¹¹

5. Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy might sound like a futuristic technique, but it's just exposing the skin of the face to freezing temperatures for a brief period of time. This kind of cold therapy has been associated with reduced tissue inflammation and an increase in collagen production, as well as tightening the skin and pores.¹²

A cryotherapy facial typically involves a blast of liquid nitrogen vapor to the skin for a couple of minutes for rapid cooling.¹² This must be administered by a dermatologist, as freezing temperatures can also have negative effects on skin if not handled properly.

Those with darker skin tones are also more likely to experience discoloration from the procedure.¹²

Cryotherapy cost

The average cost of cryotherapy treatments runs between $55 and $65.¹³

6. Diet and Nutrition

For people who want to improve their skin without the aid of any treatment, many dermatologists recommend healthy eating as a way to achieve healthy skin.¹⁴ The simplest approach is to avoid processed foods and foods that are linked to increased inflammation, such as dairy, red meat, alcohol, sugar, grains, legumes and additives. Other dermatologists suggest adopting a vegetarian or vegan diet.¹⁴

7. Facial Exercises and Massage

While there's no way to truly stop the process of aging, there are some facial exercises, also known as "face yoga," that can improve circulation and strengthen facial muscles, which can help support a plumper look to the face.¹⁵ Additionally, facial massage, either with fingers or gentle facial massage tools, can reduce puffiness by moving excess fluid from the face.¹⁵

8. Facial Creams

A person could go a little wild trying to figure out which of the many facial creams, serums and salves are actually worth their claims. No cream can literally remove wrinkles, though retinoids (like those found in retinol) can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.¹⁶

What most creams do is offer temporary moisturizing and plumping effects, with such ingredients as hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, peptides and other substances.¹⁶ No single product can promise to achieve what BOTOX® can do, but sometimes just sloughing away dead skin cells and adding moisture can improve the appearance of skin.¹⁶

Facial creams cost

The average cost of these topical treatments runs between $13 and $125 — and they can go higher.¹⁷

9. Neuropeptides

Neuropeptides, such as Argireline (acetyl hexapeptide-3 or acetyl hexapeptide-8) and Matrixyl (palmitoyl pentapeptide-4), are naturally occurring chemical messengers released by nerve cells.¹⁸ When released by the body, they regulate and modulate functions of inflammation and cell proliferation in the skin. When administered topically, they are not as powerful — and certainly not comparable to the effects of BOTOX® — but they can improve skin texture and reduce the appearance of fine lines.¹⁸

Neuropeptides cost

These products may be included in serums for less than $10 all the way up to several hundreds, depending on the formulation, brand and use of the product.¹⁹

10. Face Patches

Face patches are often touted as able to reduce wrinkles in skin with their application to key wrinkle zones. They don't actually change the skin, but work by becoming hard or stiff after wetting and application, making it difficult to move the muscles of the skin while they're on. The idea is that you train your facial muscles to move less by wearing them, which probably won't prevent wrinkles in the long run, but certainly can't hurt.²⁰

Face patches cost

On average, it costs about $24 for a box of face patches.²¹

BOTOX® Alternatives Costs Summary

Below is a roundup of the average costs for alternative treatments to BOTOX®.

Financing BOTOX® Alternatives With the CareCredit Credit Card

When getting an alternative to BOTOX® Cosmetic or another cosmetic procedure, the CareCredit credit card can help you pay for costs not covered by insurance.* Apply today and use our Acceptance Locator to find a doctor or cosmetic specialist near you that accepts CareCredit. Continue your wellness journey by downloading the CareCredit Mobile App to manage your CareCredit account, find a provider on the go and easily access the Well U hub for more great articles, podcasts and videos.

Author Bio

Jordan Rosenfeld has been freelance writing for 21 years about finances, health, education and more. Her work has appeared in The Atlantic, The Billfold, Good Magazine, GoBanking Rates, Daily Worth, Quartz, Medical Economics, The New York Times, PayPal, The Washington Post and more.