Making a trip to Korea is on every beauty lover’s bucket list. The thought of filling an entire suitcase with K-Beauty products you’ve never seen before or making a coveted aesthetic treatment appointment you can’t get anywhere else in the world is enough to make that impulsive plane ticket purchase. But now there’s one treatment that has finally made its way Stateside to appease those hungry for an advanced K-beauty skin treatment closer to home: Letybo.
Letybo, more formally known as letibotulinumtoxinA or Botulax and colloquially known as “K-Tox” in Korea, is a botulinum toxin type A neuromodulator. It is specifically FDA-approved to treat the glabellar lines (aka the frown lines between the brows) in the US, but works pretty much the same as other neuromodulators such as Botox, Dysport, Xeomin, Jeuveau, and Daxxify to soften dynamic lines on your face. What sets it apart from the rest, Y. Claire Chang, MD, board-certified cosmetic dermatologist at UnionDerm, says, is its softer, faster, cheaper, and more natural-looking results. “It has a long history of use in Korea with a highly regarded manufacturer, Hugel Inc. Its pricing in Korea is more competitive than other international brands, making it a more affordable and widely available alternative,” says Dr. Chang.
Since its debut in the US in March 2025, Letybo has been positioned as Botox’s biggest competitor in the injection space. And with 31 million treatments globally and approval in 65 other countries, including Canada, Australia, and many European countries, Letybo only reinforced K-Beauty’s dominant presence in Western beauty markets.
“K-beauty, and its more advanced K-Aesthetics, has shown it’s here to stay in the US,” says Ethan Min, chief executive officer of BENEV, the American drug manufacturer that partnered with Hugel Inc. to bring Letybo to the States. “The adapted philosophies, such as high levels of innovation, youthful appearance, a skin-first approach, and the pursuit of skin quality, have proven to be equally as appealing to US consumers as those in Korea.”
How does Letybo work?
To soften dynamic lines, Letybo reduces muscle contraction. It blocks the release of acetylcholine, which is what our body uses to move our facial muscles. When a neuromodulator blocks the acetylcholine release, Dr. Chang says that’s how it softens facial expression lines like frown lines, forehead lines, crow’s feet, and bunny lines. Right now, it is only FDA-approved for the frown lines between the brows, but she says it can be used off-label in other areas.
The Downsides
Whether it’s Letybo or Botox, Sonia Badreshia, MD, board-certified dermatologist at
Elite MD, says that any botulinum toxin has the same side effects: risk of bruising, headache, rare hypersensitivity, swelling, or eyelid ptosis. She advises that those who are pregnant or breastfeeding should avoid getting any neuromodulator injection, as there is limited data available about its safety in those instances. Dr. Chang adds that those with active infections, wounds, or rashes in the desired treatment area should wait until the skin is fully healed.
You’ll also want to keep in mind that Letybo is newly FDA-approved. While it’s already been used widely in Asia, Dr. Badreshia says that any long-term data in the US is still being collected.
What should one expect from a Letybo treatment?
Dr. Chang says to expect a consultation first with your practitioner, to go over your expectations and hopes for the treatment, and to assess if you are a good candidate for neuromodulators. If it is deemed that you are well-suited for Letybo, your practitioner will take photos of your face and facial expressions pre-treatment and then cleanse and sanitize your skin. You may opt for numbing cream to ease the pain, but she says it’s typically not necessary unless you are sensitive to needles. She likes to use a very thin needle for precise injections in the targeted areas. After, you may have some swelling or risk of bruising; but the swelling should resolve itself after an hour or so, and the bruising can last up to two weeks.
What is post-care like?
Post-care is simple and comparable to the post-care of other aesthetic treatments. Dr. Badreshia says to avoid lying down flat and rubbing the affected area for four hours. Over the next 24 hours, you’ll also want to avoid strenuous exercise, alcohol, saunas, and other workouts that involve heat and sweat so that you don t bruise. Stick to a gentle skincare routine, she adds, and to use sunscreen every day.
How long does it take to see results?
Results are pretty quick. Dr. Chang points to early reports that suggest you can see results as fast as two to three days, with maximal effect by about 2 weeks. Similar to other toxins like Botox, Dr. Badreshia says these results will typically last three to four months, depending on how much you get, your muscle strength, and metabolism.
How much does Letybo cost?
This will be dependent on who you see and where you get it done. Dr. Chang says at her practice, she charges by the area treated—not the type of toxin used or how much of it is used. Dr. Badreshia says that early US market reports suggest that the per-unit price for Letybo can either be lower or higher than Botox, depending on the market and the units used. But she can expect a treatment to range anywhere from $180 to $300.
As for the future of other Korean aesthetic treatments making their way to the US, there is good news: experts believe there is more reason than not to believe that we could potentially see more approvals coming down the pipeline. “We would stand to believe that is the case,” reads the statement BENEV and Hugel Inc. reps sent to Vogue. “With the interest and trust growing with K-Aesthetics.”
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