This page is for Burlingame residents who are weighing Botox against Dysport and want to fit a visit around a working day. Dr. Susan Lin, M.D., personally performs every treatment at MD Laser and Cosmetics, 448 N San Mateo Drive in San Mateo, about 1.3 miles from Burlingame Avenue. What follows explains how the choice between the two products is made, what the visit involves, and how to get here and back.
How the Botox or Dysport decision gets made
Botox and Dysport are both injectable neuromodulators, and both are offered here. If you arrive with a brand name already in mind, perhaps the one a friend or a previous injector used, that is a reasonable starting point, and it is not the end of the conversation.
Dr. Lin’s clinical preference is to use Dysport in preference to Botox. Dysport gives a very natural look and, in her experience, seems to last longer. That is the practice’s own judgment from its own work, not a claim about the products in general, and you remain free to ask about Botox. The choice is settled at your consultation, where Dr. Lin assesses you, explains the options and recommendations, and lets you decide. You can read more on the Botox and Dysport treatment page, or on the Dysport page.
A natural result, not a done one
The practice’s approach is built around a natural look, and the dosing is deliberately conservative. For a first treatment, or whenever a new dosing pattern is tried, a follow-up assessment is encouraged about 14 days afterwards, so Dr. Lin can see how you responded before anything is adjusted. Starting cautiously and reviewing is the reason for that appointment.
What a visit looks like when you are working around a job
Botox and Dysport carry no downtime, as the practice describes it. There is no recovery period to schedule around, so there is nothing to book the following day off for. The visit itself runs in a simple order:
- You complete the New Patient Intake Form before you arrive.
- Dr. Lin reviews your history and goals, and explains the options in person or, if you prefer, by video on Zoom.
- If you proceed, she performs the treatment herself. You receive a written, itemized treatment plan before anything is administered, and pricing is reviewed at the consultation.
ACS 2020-2024 estimates that 27.9% of Burlingame workers work from home. If you are one of them, a video consultation lets you cover the educational part from wherever you work, with no travel at all.
Planning the appointment around your day
We are open Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, by appointment only. Treatment on the same day as the consultation is possible, and the consultation fee is applied toward same-day treatment. Before you choose that option, check that your work and social calendar allows for it. Having no downtime does not remove the need to look at the calendar first. Booking the consultation and the treatment as separate visits is equally fine.
A few general points are worth knowing in advance. Aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, fish oil, vitamin E, ginkgo and ginseng increase bruising risk, so the practice asks patients to avoid them for 48 to 72 hours before injectables; acetaminophen is fine. Prescription blood thinners are not something to stop without the prescribing physician’s approval. Botox and Dysport are not administered to pregnant patients and are contraindicated during breastfeeding. Pregnant patients are still seen for a consultation or other treatments, and Dr. Lin advises on timing at the consultation.
Door to door from Burlingame
Measured from Burlingame Avenue and Primrose Road, the drive is about 1.3 miles, roughly three minutes without traffic (a free-flow figure, not a peak-hour estimate). The drive is straight down El Camino Real, Burlingame’s main street, or along California Drive or San Mateo Drive. It stays on surface streets and never touches US-101 or Highway 92, so the Caltrans work on that interchange is not part of your trip. Parking at the practice is free and on site.
Caltrain is possible but rarely the easier choice. Burlingame station, at 290 California Drive, is the adjacent station to San Mateo: a 3-minute ride on any of 75 weekday Local trains. San Mateo station is then 0.80 miles from our door, about a 15-minute walk, which together with the walk to the Burlingame platform adds around 25 minutes of walking to the 3-minute ride. Burlingame’s other station, Broadway, has no weekday trains in the current schedule, so it cannot serve a weekday appointment. For a weekday visit, driving is likely to be simpler. More detail on getting here is on our Burlingame medical spa page.
Questions from Burlingame patients
Does Dr. Lin use Botox or Dysport?
Both are offered, but Dr. Lin prefers Dysport. It gives a very natural look and, in her experience, seems to last longer. This is the practice’s own clinical preference rather than a general claim about the products. At the consultation she assesses you, explains the options and recommendations, and you decide which you would like to proceed with.
Do I need time off work after Botox or Dysport?
The practice describes Botox and Dysport as having no downtime, so there is no recovery period to plan for. Individual experience varies, and Dr. Lin advises on what to expect at your visit. If you are having treatment on the same day as your consultation, check that your work and social schedule allows for it.
How far is the practice from Burlingame, and is there a freeway?
It is about 1.3 miles from Burlingame Avenue and Primrose Road, roughly three minutes without traffic. The drive is straight down El Camino Real, or along California Drive or San Mateo Drive. It stays on surface streets and does not use US-101 or Highway 92. Free parking is on site, so there is no meter to look for.
Is taking Caltrain from Burlingame worth it?
Usually not for a weekday visit. Burlingame station (290 California Drive) is a 3-minute ride to San Mateo on any of 75 weekday Local trains, but San Mateo station is 0.80 miles, about a 15-minute walk, from our door. With the walk at the Burlingame end, driving three minutes with free parking is simpler. Broadway station has no weekday trains.
Can I be treated at the same visit as my consultation?
Yes, same-day treatment after a consultation is possible, and the consultation fee is applied toward it. The consultation itself is educational: Dr. Lin assesses you and explains your options so you can make your own decision. Because you may leave having been treated, plan the day around it, and you can ask when booking if you would rather have the consultation on its own first.
MD Laser and Cosmetics is at 448 N San Mateo Drive, San Mateo, CA 94401, telephone (650) 340-7546, open Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, by appointment only, with free on-site parking and a ground-level wheelchair-accessible entrance. Consultations are available in person or by video. You can book an appointment, contact the practice with questions, or see the areas we serve.