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Botox is a very well-known and popular wrinkle treatment today. It is, perhaps, best known for treating frown lines, also known as glabellar lines or the “11’s”. In fact, it is those small, vertical lines between the brows that Botox is FDA-approved to treat. However, Botox is effective in treating other lines and wrinkles on the face and even the neck.
Botox is a neuromodulator. Unlike injectable fillers which fill in and plump up static wrinkles, Botox is effective in treating dynamic wrinkles. These are the wrinkles caused by the repeated or overactive muscle action associated with certain facial movements and expressions. Frown lines, for example, occur from drawing the brows together, often when frowning or squinting. When injected into the underlying muscle responsible for these movements, Botox relaxes the muscle, thus reducing or eliminating the presence of the wrinkle for up to three to four months.
Though the frown lines are the most commonly treated lines with Botox, there are other facial lines and wrinkles which, though off label, can be successfully treated as well. It is important to note, however, that use in other areas of the face, particularly the lower face, is often less frequently done and typically requires additional skill and experience.
- Forehead Creases. Forehead creases are the vertical lines and furrows that appear on the forehead. These appear when raising the eyebrows, for instance when one is surprised. Botox can very effectively smooth these lines, but care should be taken to avoid a “frozen forehead” look.
- Crow’s Feet. Crow’s feet and smile lines are the small wrinkles that extend outward from the corner of the eye. They are often associated with smiling and squinting. They may begin to appear in the 30s and even late 20s.
- Bunny Lines. Bunny lines are wrinkles which form on the sides of the nose closer toward the eyes. They are usually associated with intense smiling and laughing. Bunny lines can be treated with Botox by themselves or in conjunction with frown lines and crow’s feet.
- Smoker’s Lines. Smoker’s lines, or lip lines, are the fine vertical lines which occur around the mouth, typically from pursing the lips as when smoking or even drinking out of straws. Botox effectively relaxes the muscles responsible for these actions, thus smoothing the wrinkles.
- Chin Dimples. Chin dimples caused by hyperactive muscles can be treated very successfully with multiple tiny injections of Botox across the chin.
- Neck Bands. Vertical neck bands can be softened with Botox injections into the platysma muscle. This muscle tends to loosen as we age which can lead to visible banding in the neck.
To learn more about Botox wrinkle treatments, contact renowned facial plastic surgeon Dr. Rami K. Batniji of Newport Beach, California, at (949) 650-8882.
Botox is one of the most popular and widely used injectables used today. With something so popular, it is inevitable that myths, misconceptions, and false information would emerge about the product. The following are myths and facts about Botox injections:
Myth: Botox is toxic to your body.
This belief comes from the fact that Botox is a purified protein derived from the botulinum toxin, a serious form of food poisoning. The botulinum toxin lives in poorly preserved foods, including canned meats. This toxin primarily affects the central nervous system. Botox is the cosmetic form of this toxin and the concentration of the toxin is very low that it is incapable of spreading its effects outside the area of injection.
Myth: Botox will permanently distort your facial expressions.
Some people believe that faces injected with Botox are no longer capable of honest facial expressions. Distortion of facial expression is rare and is usually caused by an overdose or the drug injected in the wrong area. This rarely ever happens if the injection if performed by a qualified physician.
Myth: Botox injections are physically addictive.
There is nothing in the chemical properties of Botox that makes is physically addictive to the human body. It is possible that some people who enjoy the results of Botox injections may begin to desire more injections than they need. This is a psychological condition and can be compared to someone who is “addicted” to participating in extreme sports or risky activities.
Myth: You must be over the age of 30 to have Botox injections.
While it is not advisable for a teen to have Botox injections, people in their twenties do have wrinkles and frown lines. The results of fillers in younger people usually have a more natural appearance and regular use may even help to stave off wrinkles!
The best source to find information about Botox is a qualified physician. For a consultation, contact renowned facial plastic Dr. Rami K. Batniji of Newport Beach, California, today at (949) 650-8882.
Botox is one of the safest non-surgical cosmetic treatments, but it still has a few side effects and risks that patients considering treatment should be aware of. It is important to know that the side effects of Botox can vary depending on the site of the injection.
Botox is most commonly used to treat wrinkles. When injected around the eyes and the mouth, the possible side effects include pain at the injection site, headaches, bruising, swelling, and bleeding. These are common and usually subside within a few hours. The drooping of the muscles of the face is a slightly more serious side effect, but also goes away within a few days.
If the side effects do not disappear within a day or two or if you feel like you have an adverse reaction to the injection, contact your physician immediately. He or she will evaluate your situation and advise you on the best way to deal with the problem.
Minimizing Potential Complications
There are a few things you can do to reduce the likelihood of Botox side effects. First, make sure your provider is a trained, trusted and reliable practitioner. Plastic surgeons usually receive the best training and are the most specialized doctors for injecting Botox. Avoid “Botox parties” where no health professional is present. Also make sure to discuss your health history with your doctor freely and openly, as some medications can counteract or react negatively with Botox.
Be aware that the toxin involved in a Botox treatment builds up antibodies in your system. The more treatments you have, the less effective they may be. There are also no studies about the neurological and physical long-term effects of Botox injections, but some neurologists have expressed concern about its effects on the brain, muscles and nervous system over time.
Millions of women the world over have been successfully treated with Botox. To learn if Botox is right for you, contact facial plastic surgeon Dr. Rami Batniji of Batniji Facial Plastic Surgery in Newport Beach, California, at 949-650-8882.
Question:
I used to smoke and I've just started to notice that I'm getting some awful vertical lines above my lip. Can fillers fix these?
Answer:
Vertical lip lines have a few potential treatment options, depending upon the severity of the lines as well as your skin type and preference. One option is Botox to soften the muscle activity that causes the lines. Another option is filler to fill in specific lines. Finally, one may consider skin resurfacing (chemical peel or laser resurfacing) to achieve a smoother appearance to the skin.
Question:
I am having a browlift surgery, and would like to have Botox done at the same time. Is this possible? How would you ensure that I don’t have a bad reaction to the Botox, while under anesthesia?
Answer:
I favor the use of Botox in conjunction with browlift surgery. The reason for this preference is that I like to minimize the activity of the muscles that pull the forehead down...the frown muscles. This way, those muscles are not working against our desire to elevate the brow. I prefer to inject the depressor muscles with Botox approximately 1 week prior to surgery so that the Botox has enough time to work on those muscles as it takes approximately 4-7 days for the Botox procedure to have effect.
Question:
Is there a gel treatment for crow's feet?
Answer:
The treatment options I recommend for crow's feet include Botox which softens the muscles that form crow's feet. I also recommend a good eye serum, such as IS Clinical's eye serum, to hydrate the skin around the eyes. If the crow's feet are more prominent, I may recommend a laser resurfacing with fractionated CO2 laser or chemical peel with 35 percent TCA or 88 percent phenol. Interestingly, there are trials going on now for a botulinum toxin gel. The initial trials show some promise using this product for the treatment of crow's feet; however, studies need to be performed to determine its effect compared with Botox.
Question:
I had Botox injections about a week ago which have successfully made the lines in the middle of my forehead disappear. Unfortunately the sides of the forehead lines are still there and it looks really awful. Why did this happen and will it resolve on its own? Will I need to have this fixed and how?
Answer:
Botox is an excellent treatment option to minimize the appearance of lines that form from muscle movement in the forehead and around the eyes. Specifically, I like to use Botox to smoothen the area of the forehead, the frowning region, and the lines around the sides of the eye commonly known as crow’s feet. Botox takes approximately four to seven days to show effect. I like to use something termed a microinjection technique where I inject very small amounts of Botox in very specific areas to provide a very natural result.
It sounds as if your injections of Botox were placed to effectively treat the middle aspect of the forehead, but not the sides of the forehead. As such, you are experiencing what appears to be un-natural movement of the forehead on the sides. While you had Botox one week ago and you may still demonstrate improvement from your injections, I would recommend a touch-up of Botox in the sides of the forehead to minimize that unnatural appearance of movement on the sides of the forehead while the middle of the forehead has no movement.
When I do Botox injections, I always have the patient raise their eyebrows and frown. I look at the specific lines and the muscle action that creates these lines. As well, I use my knowledge of anatomy as a facial plastic surgeon and my knowledge of the location of the muscles to inject small amounts of Botox throughout the distribution of the muscle to provide a very natural result.
Question:
I have very deep lines between my eyebrows. These lines are particularly noticeable when I frown. Is Botox a good treatment?
Answer:
Treatment of frown lines (some people refer to frown lines as "elevens" because the lines sometimes look like the number 11) is a common reason patients come to my office. During the consultation, I analyze the muscle action of the brows and forehead. The muscles that form frown lines are located between the eyebrows and travel along the brows. I inject small amounts of Botox in the muscles that create the frown lines. Botox acts to soften the muscle action and, therefore, minimize the appearance of the frown lines. Some people use Botox to prevent formation of the frown lines; for an example of this, please click here. However, the frown lines might be rather deep. In this instance, I recommend Botox to minimize the muscular activity that forms the lines and filler augmentation with Juvederm to minimize the appearance of the deep line. These procedures are performed at the same time. For an example of this, please click here.
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