Botox is a brand name for Botulinum toxin type A, a neurotoxin produced by bacteria Clostridium botulinum and processed into powder form. The medical and cosmetic industries use small, carefully researched doses for therapeutic and aesthetic purposes. Because moving the muscles of the face causes wrinkles, Botox injections use a toxin to prevent a muscle from moving for a limited time. Most people are familiar with the most common areas that we inject with botox, such as the “11’s”, forehead, and smile lines around the eyes. However, there are many areas of the face that can benefit from botox injections.
- Chin: Bone and tissue loss that come with age contribute to wrinkling and dimpling of the chin skin. Botox is used to freeze muscles in the chin (mentalis muscle) to smooth out wrinkles, giving a softer more prominent appearance of the chin.
- Nose: “Bunny lines” are diagonal lines that spread sideways from the bridge of the nose. They form after years of pronounced facial expressions, such as frowning, squinting, and laughing. Botox is injected into the nasalis muscle around the sides of the nose to reduce muscle contraction and smooth nose wrinkles.
- Eyebrows: Lateral eyebrows can droop with age, pulling the upper eyelids down and causing a tired look. Many people think you need surgery to correct this. However, a small amount of Botox can be injected above the lateral aspect of the eyebrows to lift droopy brows.
- Upper lip: Botox can be injected into the upper vermillion border, which is called a “lip flip”. This treatment helps to smooth wrinkles above the lip and create fuller looking lips without dermal fillers.
- Neck: Platysmal bands are vertical cords in the neck that can become more prominent with aging. With age, our neck muscles pull the neck skin down resulting in sagging. Sagging neck skin and wrinkles may also appear from cell phone overuse and bending the neck too much. Botox injected into the neck muscles prevents them from contracting and pulling the skin down.
Botox has become a very common cosmetic procedure for people who want to reverse or postpone the most common signs of aging– wrinkles. The treatment efficiently reduces the appearance of wrinkles, but it is important to have a board-certified, skilled medical professional administer the injections. The success of the procedure depends on accurate dosing and precise placement. At Siperstein Dermatology Group, we are happy to offer cosmetic consultations to help you decide which treatment may be best for you.
