What is the "new Botox" people are talking about?

It is a short-acting botulinum toxin, approved in the European Union on 15 July 2026 for frown lines in adults only . It acts on the same mechanism as the type A toxin used for many years, but its effect starts earlier, from 8 hours, and wears off sooner, usually after 2 to 3 weeks . It does not replace the long-acting toxin: it adds a different profile, to be discussed with your doctor.

Where is the new botulinum toxin approved?

It has been approved throughout the European Union since 15 July 2026 and in Canada since 22 June 2026 . In France, it had no entry yet in the public medicines database on that date , and we found no public date of availability there.

Is the short-acting toxin safer than the long-acting toxin?

No study allows us to say so. There is no trial directly comparing the two families of toxins , and the published frequencies of side effects come from different trials, run in different patients at different doses. Both families have side effects described in their product information , which you should go through with your doctor before any injection.

Can the short-acting toxin be used on the forehead or crow's feet?

Not within its approval: the short-acting toxin is approved only for frown lines between the eyebrows in adults, when they have an important psychological impact . The forehead and crow's feet are covered, depending on the product, by some type A toxins whose product information includes these areas . The choice of area and product is made during a consultation.

Why does its effect wear off sooner?

The active part of the toxin, called the light chain, does not persist for the same length of time inside the nerve ending depending on the serotype: that of type A toxin is the most persistent, that of serotype E the least persistent . Once the nerve ending works normally again, the muscle contracts again. In practice, the effect of the short-acting toxin usually lasts 2 to 3 weeks .

Understanding

New botulinum toxin: what changes and what stays the same

A new botulinum toxin has been approved in the European Union since July 2026. It works faster than the long-acting toxin and its effect wears off sooner. It does not replace it: it adds a choice, for a single indication, frown lines. Here are the facts, taken from the official product information.

Updated on 19 October 2026

A new generation of botulinum toxin arrived in Europe in 2026². It complements the long-acting toxin, described on our page understanding botulinum toxin, without replacing it: the short-acting botulinum toxin (serotype E) gives you a choice between two profiles of action, to be decided with your doctor.

Key points

Short-acting botulinum toxin, approved in the European Union since 15 July 2026 and in Canada since 22 June 2026^2,4.
A single indication: frown lines between the eyebrows (glabellar lines) in adults¹.
First effects from 8 hours, peak effect around day 7, usual duration 2 to 3 weeks¹.
It does not replace the long-acting toxin, which remains the right choice in several situations.
The choice of toxin, and the decision whether to be treated at all, are made during a consultation.

What is the new botulinum toxin?

There are several botulinum toxins, designated by letters: they are called serotypes. Until 2026, all the toxins approved for aesthetic use in France were type A^3,5. The new botulinum toxin is a serotype E botulinum toxin^1,4. Its label describes an early onset and a short duration of action¹, so on this site we call it the short-acting botulinum toxin, and type A toxins, whose effect lasts longer, long-acting toxins.

The same mechanism as the long-acting toxin

After injection into a muscle, the toxin binds to the endings of the nerves that control this muscle, then enters them. Inside, its active part cuts a protein called SNAP-25, which is essential for the release of acetylcholine, the chemical messenger that tells the muscle to contract¹. The injected muscle contracts less, partially and temporarily¹. Type A toxin acts on the same protein⁷: the two families therefore share the same logic. What differs is their pace.

Why is the effect shorter?

The duration of action depends on the serotype. In animals as in humans, type A toxin has one of the longest durations of action and serotype E the shortest⁷. One explanation lies in how long the active part of the toxin persists inside the nerve ending: longest for type A, shortest for type E⁷. Once the nerve ending works normally again, the effect wears off¹.

Where is it approved?

In the European Union, the European Commission approved it on 15 July 2026, after a positive opinion from the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use on 21 May 2026². This approval is valid in every EU country, including France. The medicine is subject to additional monitoring².

As of 9 October 2026, the short-acting toxin did not yet have an entry in the French public medicines database³, and we found no public date of availability in France. In Canada, it has been approved since 22 June 2026⁴.

Status checked on 9 October 2026 in the official European and French registers and the Canadian product monograph^2,3,4. It may change: the update date of this page applies.

For which area?

Only one. The approved indication is the temporary improvement in the appearance of moderate to severe lines between the eyebrows seen at maximum frown, when they have an important psychological impact in adults¹. The forehead, crow’s feet and other areas of the face are not part of this approval¹.

Frown lines are also the only area for which both families of toxins are approved in France: the type A toxins approved there for aesthetic use all have this indication^8,9,10,11. The page on botulinum toxin for frown lines explains why this area is treated, how, and what you need to know before deciding.

A different profile: faster and shorter

What sets the short-acting toxin apart comes down to three moments: when the effect starts, when it is strongest, and when it ends.

Long-acting botulinum toxin

First effectsUsually 2–3 days (up to one week)
Peak effectBetween week 2 and week 4
Usual durationUsually 3–4 months, up to 6 months depending on the product

Short-acting botulinum toxin

First effectsFrom 8 hours
Peak effectAround day 7
Usual duration2–3 weeks

Time after the injection · Not to scale: each interval covers a longer time than the previous one.

Original drawing based on the official labels of the two families of toxins. No trial compares them directly.

When does the effect start?

According to its product information, clinical effects begin to show 8 hours after injection¹. This figure is the first time point measured in the trials: it is the beginning of an effect, not a complete result. With a type A toxin, first effects usually appear within 2 to 3 days, and up to one week depending on the product^8,9.

When is the effect at its peak?

The peak effect of the short-acting toxin is seen around day 7¹. For type A toxins, it is reached, depending on the product, during the second week or around day 30: the usual way to put it is "between week 2 and week 4"^8,11.

How long does it last?

The effect of the short-acting toxin usually lasts 2 to 3 weeks¹. That of type A toxins usually lasts 3 to 4 months, and up to 6 months depending on the product^9,10. In other words, the toxin that works fastest is also the one that wears off soonest.

These timelines, and what they mean in practice, are explained in detail on the page how long botulinum toxin takes to work.

Long-acting and short-acting toxin: the comparison

The table below sets out the data from the official product information of both families, row by row. It does not name a winner: it describes two profiles.

Two families of toxins, two different profiles: one works faster and for a shorter time, the other more slowly and for longer. Neither is better than the other. The short-acting toxin gives you a choice, to be made with your doctor.

Comparison of the two families of botulinum toxins
Criterion	Long-acting botulinum toxinType A	Short-acting botulinum toxinSerotype E
First effects^1,2,3,4	Usually 2–3 days (up to one week)	From 8 hours
Peak effect^5,1,2,4	Between week 2 and week 4	Around day 7
Usual duration^3,6,7,4	Usually 3–4 months, up to 6 months depending on the product	2–3 weeks
Approved aesthetic areas (France)^3,2,8,4	Frown lines; depending on the product, crow’s feet and forehead lines	Frown lines only
Track record^8,4	Over 20 years of aesthetic use in France (first aesthetic approval: 2003)	Approved in the European Union since July 2026
Treatment rhythm^1,2,4	Sessions at least 3 months apart	Occasional use (as stated in the label)

No trial directly compares the two families of toxins: this table describes the data from their respective labels; it does not rank them.⁹

Sources

Each row is explained, with its sources and nuances, in our botulinum toxin comparison.

When the long-acting toxin remains the right choice

Speed is not always what you are looking for. Type A toxin has a long track record in aesthetics in France, where the first approval dates from 2003³, and its profile suits many situations. The points below are those described in the product information and the studies; they are discussed during a consultation.

Two profiles, a choice to make with your doctor

When the long-acting toxin remains the right choice

For a longer-lasting effect: usually 3–4 months, up to 6 months depending on the product, versus 2–3 weeks for the short-acting toxin.^1,2,3,4
For long-term maintenance treatment: the short-acting toxin’s label specifies occasional use, and there are no data beyond 3 consecutive injections over 18 weeks.^3,4
For crow’s feet and forehead lines: in France, only some type A toxins are approved for these areas; the short-acting toxin is approved for frown lines only.^1,5,6,7,3
Over 65, to be discussed: data on the short-acting toxin are limited and response rates are lower in this age group. Several type A toxins are not indicated after 65 either: there is no simple rule, and the decision rests with the doctor.^3,6,5,8
For less frequent sessions: at least 3 months between two type A sessions, whereas the short-acting toxin’s effect lasts 2–3 weeks.^6,5,3

When the short-acting toxin may be discussed

For a first treatment, or when hesitant: this is the hypothesis put forward by the authors of the phase 3 study, which was funded by the manufacturer.⁴
To see the effect before a longer-lasting treatment: the same authors describe it as a "trial" treatment. A type A toxin injected less than 30 days afterwards has not been evaluated.^4,3
For a rapid effect: first effects from 8 hours, peak effect around day 7.³

These are general pointers. The choice of toxin, and the decision whether or not to be treated, are made in consultation with your doctor.

Sources

Two points deserve emphasis. First, the product information of the short-acting toxin provides for occasional use, because of its early onset and short duration¹: it was not designed for regular maintenance treatment. The authors of the phase 3 trial also write that it is not intended for long-term use⁵. Second, age alone does not settle the question: data on serotype E after 65 are limited¹, but several type A toxins are not indicated after that age either^8,10. There is no simple rule: the decision lies with the doctor.

What do the studies show?

The European approval rests on two identical phase 3 trials against placebo, in 725 adults in total¹. On day 7, 72.1% and 73.6% of treated patients had an improvement of at least two grades in their frown lines according to the investigator, compared with 0.8% and 0% on placebo; according to the patients themselves, 61.0% and 67.9%, compared with 0.8% and 0%¹. In a phase 2b trial, at the highest dose, 41.9% of patients had an improvement of at least two grades at 24 hours, compared with 93.3% on day 7⁶.

The phase 3 trial was funded by the manufacturer, and none of these trials compares the short-acting toxin with a type A toxin: the authors explain that no serotype E product was marketed yet⁵.

No trial directly compares the short-acting toxin with type A toxins: the comparisons on this page are based on their respective product information⁵.

The trials in detail, what they really measure and what is still missing are presented on the page what the studies say about the new botulinum toxin.

What about before an event?

It is a frequent question, because the effect of the short-acting toxin appears quickly. However, no reliable source cites use "before an event" as an indication. The timelines in the product information only make it possible to describe what happens on the day depending on the injection date and the family of toxin. That is what our page on botulinum toxin before an event does, for both profiles, without recommending one over the other.

One point of caution is recalled there: a type A toxin injected less than 30 days after the short-acting toxin has not been evaluated¹. If the result is not what you expected shortly before an important date, no quick correction is documented.

What precautions apply?

The product information sets out several points¹:

retreatment less than 6 weeks after the previous injection has not been evaluated¹;
more than 3 consecutive injections beyond 18 weeks have not been evaluated¹;
a type A toxin injected less than 30 days afterwards has not been evaluated¹; in a study of 90 subjects, a type A toxin injected on day 30 had a similar effect whether they had received the short-acting toxin or a placebo¹;
its units are not interchangeable with those of other botulinum toxins: the dose of one product does not translate to another¹.

As with any botulinum toxin, injection is contraindicated in case of allergy to any of the components, a disease affecting muscle activity in a generalised way (such as myasthenia gravis), or infection or inflammation at the injection site¹. Its use is not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding¹. Tell your doctor about any medicines you are taking and any recent injection of another toxin.

What side effects are described?

In the trials, the adverse reactions reported were a drooping eyelid (0.17% of patients), a drooping eyebrow (0.13%) and an upward lift of the outer end of the eyebrow, known as the Mephisto sign (0.04%)¹. The product information also notes that pain, swelling, redness, bleeding or bruising at the injection site have been associated with botulinum toxin injections¹. These figures cannot be compared with those of type A toxins, which were measured in other trials, in other areas and at other doses.

The product information asks patients to seek immediate medical care if they have difficulty swallowing, speaking or breathing after an injection¹.

The choice is made during a consultation

The short-acting toxin does not make the long-acting toxin outdated, and it is not for everyone. It offers one more profile: an effect that appears quickly and wears off quickly, for a single area. Your doctor will help you decide whether an injection suits your situation and, if so, which family of toxin matches what you are looking for.

Frequently asked questions

What is the "new Botox" people are talking about?
It is a short-acting botulinum toxin, approved in the European Union on 15 July 2026 for frown lines in adults only^1,2. It acts on the same mechanism as the type A toxin used for many years, but its effect starts earlier, from 8 hours, and wears off sooner, usually after 2 to 3 weeks¹. It does not replace the long-acting toxin: it adds a different profile, to be discussed with your doctor.
Where is the new botulinum toxin approved?
It has been approved throughout the European Union since 15 July 2026² and in Canada since 22 June 2026⁴. In France, it had no entry yet in the public medicines database on that date³, and we found no public date of availability there.
Is the short-acting toxin safer than the long-acting toxin?
No study allows us to say so. There is no trial directly comparing the two families of toxins⁵, and the published frequencies of side effects come from different trials, run in different patients at different doses. Both families have side effects described in their product information^1,8, which you should go through with your doctor before any injection.
Can the short-acting toxin be used on the forehead or crow’s feet?
Not within its approval: the short-acting toxin is approved only for frown lines between the eyebrows in adults, when they have an important psychological impact¹. The forehead and crow’s feet are covered, depending on the product, by some type A toxins whose product information includes these areas⁹. The choice of area and product is made during a consultation.
Why does its effect wear off sooner?
The active part of the toxin, called the light chain, does not persist for the same length of time inside the nerve ending depending on the serotype: that of type A toxin is the most persistent, that of serotype E the least persistent⁷. Once the nerve ending works normally again, the muscle contracts again. In practice, the effect of the short-acting toxin usually lasts 2 to 3 weeks¹.

Sources

1.Summary of product characteristics of the serotype E botulinum toxin approved in the European Union (EPAR annex I) (opens in a new tab) — European Commission (Union Register of medicinal products)
2.European public assessment report (EPAR) of the serotype E botulinum toxin (opens in a new tab) — European Commission (Union Register of medicinal products)
3.French public medicines database: list of medicinal products (CIS file), updated 29 September 2026 (opens in a new tab) — French public medicines database (Ministry of Health)
4.Canadian product monograph of the serotype E botulinum toxin (authorization date: 2026-06-22) (opens in a new tab) — Health Canada
5.Lain E. et al., pivotal phase 3 trial of a serotype E botulinum toxin for glabellar lines, Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 2026 (manufacturer-funded study) (opens in a new tab) — Aesthetic Surgery Journal (Oxford University Press)
6.Lain E. et al., phase 2b dose-escalation trial of a serotype E botulinum toxin for glabellar lines, Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 2026 (manufacturer-funded study) (opens in a new tab) — Aesthetic Surgery Journal (Oxford University Press)
7.Pirazzini M. et al., Botulinum neurotoxins: biology, pharmacology, and toxicology, Pharmacological Reviews, 2017 (opens in a new tab) — Pharmacological Reviews
8.SmPC of a type A botulinum toxin approved for aesthetic use in France (BDPM, CIS 66865211) (opens in a new tab) — French public medicines database (BDPM)
9.SmPC of a type A botulinum toxin approved for aesthetic use in France (BDPM, CIS 68150775) (opens in a new tab) — French public medicines database (BDPM)
10.SmPC of a type A botulinum toxin approved for aesthetic use in France (BDPM, CIS 69497348) (opens in a new tab) — French public medicines database (BDPM)
11.SmPC of a type A botulinum toxin approved for aesthetic use in France (BDPM, CIS 69878363) (opens in a new tab) — French public medicines database (BDPM)