A family polyclinic since 1998 · Zagreb & Daruvar
Botox in Croatia
Botox softens the expression lines created by muscle activity, especially on the forehead, between the eyebrows, and around the eyes. We plan the dose and the injection points around your natural expressions, the strength of individual muscles, and the result you want to achieve.
Botox is used to soften the expression lines created by the repeated action of the muscles, especially on the forehead, between the eyebrows, and around the eyes. Because the strength and pattern of muscle activity differ from person to person, the treatment is preceded by an exam of your expressions. There we assess the treatment areas, the dose needed, and the degree of change you want to achieve.
Is this for me?
Which wrinkles Botox can soften, and which it cannot
Botox is the common name for treatment with botulinum toxin type A, a medicine applied in very small, precisely measured doses into individual facial muscles. By reducing the activity of the treated muscle, the creasing of the skin above it is softened, so the expression line gradually becomes less pronounced. Botox does not replace lost volume — it acts on muscle activity.
To assess the expected result, it is important to distinguish expression lines from wrinkles that are visible even at rest.
Expression lines and etched-in wrinkles
Expression lines appear when you frown, smile, or raise your eyebrows, and at rest they fade or become less visible. Botox generally has the most pronounced effect on this type of wrinkle.
Etched-in wrinkles are visible even when the face is at rest, because over time the changes have become fixed in the skin itself. Botox can soften them, but as a rule it does not remove them completely.
The longer a wrinkle has been visible at rest, the less likely it is that Botox alone will remove it completely.
For more pronounced etched-in wrinkles, a combination with another treatment can be considered. The decision depends on the depth of the wrinkle, the quality of the skin, and the result each method can realistically achieve.
Where Botox is most often applied
In aesthetic use on the face, Botox is most often applied in the upper third of the face: to forehead lines, the vertical lines between the eyebrows, and the fine lines around the eyes created by smiling and squinting. In these areas the wrinkles are strongly linked to repeated muscle activity, so they can respond well to the treatment.
Botulinum toxin is also used in a number of medical indications unrelated to aesthetics, among them excessive sweating. At our clinic, excessive underarm sweating is addressed differently — we write about it on the page on laser surgery for excessive sweating.
A common mix-up
The difference between Botox, fillers, and skin quality treatments
Botox, dermal fillers, and skin quality treatments act on different causes of facial change, which is why they are not interchangeable.
Botox acts on muscle activity, so it softens wrinkles created by movement. Dermal fillers replace lost volume, for example in the midface or in an area with a weakened contour. Profhilo acts neither on muscle activity nor on volume, but on the quality and hydration of the skin.
For some patients the most appropriate result is achieved by combining methods. The decision is made after examining the face at rest and in motion and assessing the cause of the changes that bother the patient.
How it is done
What a Botox treatment with us looks like
The exam and your expressions
The first part of the appointment includes an assessment of your face in motion. We will ask you to frown, raise your eyebrows, and smile, so we can assess the strength of individual muscles and the symmetry of your expressions. Based on those findings, the injection points and the dose needed are determined.
During the conversation, the degree of change you want is determined as well. The plan differs depending on whether you want a very mild reduction of muscle activity or a more pronounced softening of the wrinkles, while preserving functional facial expression.
- Duration
- 15–20 minutes
- Anesthesia
- numbing cream or skin cooling, if needed
- Recovery
- back to everyday activities the same day
- Performed by
- Mario Bartol, MD
How many units, and why not by zones
The dose is expressed in units of medicine. There is no universal dose, because two people with visually similar wrinkles can have muscles of different strength and activity. The same amount of medicine can therefore be insufficient in one person and excessively reduce facial expression in another.
A facial zone is a billing category, while a unit is a measure of the amount of medicine. Because the dose needed within the same area can differ between patients, the Polyclinic calculates the price by the number of units applied.
The first 24 hours
The application takes 15–20 minutes, and you can return to your everyday activities the same day. For the first few hours, lying down and massaging the treated areas are not recommended, and for the first 24 hours you should avoid intense exercise, the sauna, and pronounced overheating of the body.
The effect of botulinum toxin cannot be reversed right away. That is why, if you are undecided about the degree of change you want, we can start with a smaller dose and assess the result at the follow-up visit.See the full price list
Why us
Why choose us for Botox
Two generations of physicians
Two generations of physicians work at the Polyclinic today, at our locations in Zagreb and Daruvar.
Indication assessed before treatment
At the exam we assess the type of wrinkles, the muscle activity, and whether Botox can achieve the change you expect.
Continuity of care
The same medical team accompanies you through the exam, the treatment, and follow-up visits.
Applied in a medical institution
Botulinum toxin is a prescription medicine applied by a physician in a medical institution.
Treatment performed by Mario Bartol
Mario Bartol, MD, is a specialist in surgery and a member of the Polyclinic’s medical team since 2008.
A dose matched to your natural expressions
We determine the amount of medicine by the activity of individual muscles and the result you want to achieve.
A price based on the number of units
The price is calculated by the number of units of medicine applied, not by predefined zones of the face.
Zagreb and Daruvar
the same team and the same standard of work at both locations
Honest about the limits
When Botox is not the right treatment
Botox is not the right treatment for every wrinkle or every change in the area of the forehead and eyes. Suitability depends on whether there is an active expression line, how pronounced it is at rest, and the position of the eyebrows and upper eyelids.
When the wrinkle does not yet exist
The term “preventive Botox” is increasingly used for treating younger people whose wrinkles are not yet visible even in motion. However, there are no large clinical trials on the use of botulinum toxin on a face without visible expression lines, and the available data are mostly based on individual case reports.
If expression lines are visible and gradually becoming more pronounced, the treatment can be considered regardless of age. If the wrinkles are not visible even in motion, Botox is not recommended.
When the wrinkle is already etched in
For wrinkles that are clearly visible even at rest, Botox generally gives partial softening. At the exam we assess whether the expected result can be achieved with the treatment alone or whether a combination with another method is more appropriate.
When the problem is a drooping brow or a heavy forehead
With a markedly drooping brow or excess upper eyelid skin, reducing the activity of the forehead muscle can lower the brow further, because that muscle helps raise it. In such a situation Botox may be unsuitable, and the exam assesses whether there is excess upper eyelid skin that would be addressed with blepharoplasty.
“If the findings show that Botox will not address the main cause of the change, I will recommend another method or postponing the treatment.” — Mario Bartol, MD
Risks
What to expect after the treatment, and the possible side effects
Common reactions
At the injection site, brief pain, mild redness, or a small bruise can appear, and some people experience a passing headache. These reactions generally subside within a few days, and bruises can be covered with makeup if needed.
Rare complications
Among the better-known complications are drooping of the brow or the eyelid, which can occur if the effect spreads to a neighboring muscle. These complications are rare and temporary, but they can last several weeks, until the effect of the medicine gradually wears off.
Extremely rarely, the effect can spread beyond the injection site and cause general muscle weakness or difficulty swallowing and breathing. Such reactions have been described primarily with high therapeutic doses in medical indications, not with aesthetic use on the face, but they require urgent medical assessment.
When to contact a physician
Contact us without delay if you notice eyelid drooping that interferes with your vision, pronounced facial asymmetry, signs of inflammation at the injection site, or any general muscle weakness. With difficulty swallowing or breathing, seek emergency medical help immediately.
Realistic expectations
How long the effect lasts, and what happens if you stop
The first effect is visible after a few days, and the full effect develops over two to four weeks. The result is therefore not judged too early. If you are planning the treatment before a wedding, a celebration, or a trip, it is recommended to have it at least one to two weeks in advance, so the initial effect can develop and there is time for a small top-up if needed — bearing in mind that the final effect can take longer to form.
The effect then gradually wears off and most often lasts three to five months, depending on the dose, the area, and the strength of your muscles. After that the treatment can be repeated — but it does not have to be.
If you stop the treatments, the muscles gradually return to their previous activity, and the expression lines become visible again roughly as they were before Botox. Stopping the treatment does not by itself deepen them further.
The result
How the change looks once the effect develops
Once the effect develops, the change is most noticeable at rest and during the movements that previously created pronounced creasing of the skin. The lines on the forehead and between the eyebrows can become less visible, while the degree of preserved expression depends on the dose applied and the activity of individual muscles. Botox softens the trace that repeated movements leave on the skin, but it does not change the basic features of your face.
Botox does not change the quality of the skin, does not restore lost volume, and does not remove excess skin.
Who we are
Who will be taking care of you
Botox at Polyclinic Maletić is applied by Mario Bartol, MD, a specialist in surgery and a member of the Polyclinic’s medical team since 2008. Alongside injectable treatments he also performs laser procedures, and he performed the first laser vein operation in Croatia.
Polyclinic Maletić is a family institution founded in 1998, with locations in Zagreb and Daruvar. The same medical team accompanies you through the exam, the treatment, and follow-up visits — and you can turn to them if a question or an unexpected reaction arises after the procedure.
Meet the whole team
Price
The price of Botox
The price is determined by the number of units of medicine applied, not by the number of treated zones. That way, the amount you pay is tied to the amount of medicine applied during the treatment.
How many units you will need is assessed at the exam, by your expressions and the result you want. In the price list the treatment is listed under its professional name, botulinum toxin therapy, which refers to the same procedure.
The full price list is available on the price list page. To have your expressions, the dose needed, and the expected result assessed, contact us to arrange an exam in Zagreb or Daruvar. You can find our other procedures on the Aesthetic Surgery page.
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Botulinum toxin therapy, up to 50 IU
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Botulinum toxin therapy, up to 100 IU
Billing is by units of medicine applied, not by zones of the face. In the price list the procedure is listed under its professional name, botulinum toxin therapy, which refers to the same treatment.
See the full price listPatient reviews
What our patients say
Reviews taken from our Google Business profiles, Zagreb and Daruvar, translated from Croatian.
★★★★★
“All praise for Polyclinic Maletić in Daruvar! I had lip augmentation with fillers and I am very satisfied with the result. I would especially like to praise Dr. Mario Bartol, who is extremely kind and professional and has a wonderful approach to patients, which made me feel comfortable and safe throughout the treatment. All the nurses are also very kind, helpful, and professional. I warmly recommend them to anyone considering aesthetic treatments!”
★★★★★
“Since high school I watched the double chin I inherited from my father become more and more pronounced — and 15 years later, the double chin is gone. A big thank you to Dr. Maletić and the whole team for making my wish come true. The procedure was painless, as was the recovery, and the results were visible after just a few days. The whole team was extremely kind and cheerful, and the atmosphere very pleasant. I left the polyclinic satisfied, and when I saw, two days after the swelling went down, that the double chin was gone, my satisfaction knew no bounds. I warmly recommend Polyclinic Maletić.”
★★★★★
“My experience with breast augmentation with Dr. Maletić in Daruvar was excellent. I am extremely satisfied with the result. All the nurses are very kind and professional. I absolutely recommend them.”
★★★★★
“Laser acne treatment is the only treatment that helped me, and I would not choose any other facial treatment over it. Dr. Ines is one of the kindest people I have ever met and always has useful advice. Kind staff and top-level service — I warmly recommend her to everyone!”
★★★★★
“I had a wart on my face removed by laser. A very professional service with excellent results. The wart was quite large, but after just one treatment it was gone. All recommendations!”
★★★★★
“I recently had a varicose vein procedure. All praise to the whole team.”
★★★★★
“Blepharoplasty, 4D laser, and double chin. Perfect. All recommendations!”
★★★★★
“The best team of physicians, extremely professional and kind. I have been loyal to Polyclinic Maletić for more than 10 years and I am always satisfied with the results. Thank you.”
★★★★★
“I came to Dr. Maletić with a big problem and a lot of stress. I was met with such warm empathy and kindness, and patience in answering all my questions. Thank you, Dr. Maletić, for the advice and sincere support. I know I can always turn to her for advice, and that means a lot to me. The staff of the Zagreb polyclinic are also very helpful and kind. My thanks to them as well.”
★★★★★
“Dr. Maletić’s practice, both in Daruvar and in Zagreb — and I have had several procedures — I can only recommend, because I felt very comfortable and in expert hands there!”
Questions and answers
Frequently asked questions
Does Botox hurt?
Very fine needles are used for the injections, and if needed, a numbing cream is applied or the skin is cooled beforehand. The pricks may be felt as brief discomfort or stinging. The whole application takes 15–20 minutes.
Will I look frozen?
Excessively reduced facial expression can occur if the dose is too high or the injection points are not well matched to the muscle activity. That is why we determine the dose after assessing your expressions, and if you are undecided about the degree of change you want, we can start with a smaller amount and assess the result at the follow-up visit. The goal is to soften the wrinkles while preserving the natural mobility of the face.
When are the results visible, and how long do they last?
The first effect is visible after a few days, and the full effect develops over two to four weeks, so the final impression is not judged earlier. The effect then gradually wears off and most often lasts three to five months, depending on the dose, the area, and the strength of your muscles.
What if I don’t like the result — can it be reversed?
The effect of botulinum toxin cannot be reversed the way a hyaluronic acid filler can be dissolved. You need to wait for the effect of the medicine to gradually wear off. That is why we can start with a smaller dose and, if needed, top up the effect at the follow-up visit.
Will my wrinkles be worse if I stop Botox?
No. When the effect wears off, the muscles gradually return to their previous activity, and the expression lines become visible again roughly as they were before the treatment. Stopping the treatment does not by itself make the wrinkles worse.
How many units do I need?
There is no universal dose, because two people with visually similar wrinkles can have muscles of different strength and activity. The dose is determined at the exam by your expressions, the treatment area, and the result you want. The price is calculated by the number of units applied, not by the number of zones.
Who should not have Botox?
The treatment is not performed if there is hypersensitivity to the preparation or inflammation and infection at the injection site, and it is not applied during pregnancy or breastfeeding, because safety in these conditions has not been established. Particular caution is needed with neuromuscular diseases, such as myasthenia gravis, so be sure to tell us about such a diagnosis at the exam. Also tell us if you take medicines that affect blood clotting, because bruising is then more likely.