Cost of Botox

When administered properly, Botox is safe. However, some people experience side effects such as bruising, droopy eyelids, headaches, pain in the injection area, swelling, redness and numbness.⁵ In rare cases, people can have an allergic reaction, or the toxin effects can spread and lead to problems breathing and swallowing.

Botox injections are now offered in various facilities, including doctors, dermatologists, plastic surgeons, dentists and beauty parlours. Botox is a potent neurotoxin and can be dangerous when misused. Therefore, it’s important that whoever your injector is knows the correct dosage to give.

Sometimes, inexperienced or unqualified practitioners will attempt to perform Botox treatment, and this can lead to botched results. Therefore, we highly recommend researching your options and only receiving treatment from a high quality, qualified health practitioner.

Cosmetic Botox is when the purpose of the procedure is to improve physical appearance (e.g. wrinkles). Therapeutic Botox is when the product is used to treat medical conditions (e.g. Botox for migraines). Both treatments use the same product, just for different reasons. Where and how many injections you receive will depend on the size of the area being treated and why you’re having the treatment.

There are alternative treatments to all of the above, and your GP may try other solutions before suggesting Botox. Often, a condition of receiving a Medicare rebate for Botox injections is that your doctor has tried different medications and treatments without success. You’ll also need to meet all Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) requirements. Even if you’re using Botox to treat a medical condition, it may still affect your appearance.

Most health insurance funds won’t cover Botox (or any cosmetic injections, filler or surgery) unless deemed medically necessary. In other words, if you’re going to use Botox for purely cosmetic reasons, you’ll have to cover all costs from your own pocket.

If you’re getting Botox to treat medical conditions, such as migraines, your health fund may pay towards your costs, depending on your policy. For it to qualify, the procedure will need to hold a Medicare item number. But you’ll also need to check whether the treatment for your particular need for medical Botox is actually covered by the policy you hold.  In addition to this, your fund may have additional requirements that you need to meet, such as a supporting letter from your medical practitioner. The best way to know for sure is to talk to your health insurance provider or review your policy brochure.

Similar to private health insurance, Medicare will not cover cosmetic treatment, like Botox. If there is a medical purpose for the Botox injection (e.g. treatment for migraines) and your doctor has recommended it, Medicare may cover some of the costs, depending on your eligibility.