Botox Secrets in the Lower Face

While Botox is most commonly used in the upper face, there are a few secrets in the lower face to rejuvenate your skin. Botox is a purified protein used to treat certain wrinkles on the face. When injected into the mucle, Botox will relax the muscle and smoothen out the overlying wrinkles. The most common areas of treatment are the forehead, between the brows, and the crow's feet around the eyes. Some people have what is called a gummy smile, which means that the lips are elevated so high on smiling that the upper gums are seen. The gummy smile can be treated with two to four units of Botox placed just to the sides of the nostrils. A small minority of people have a muscle just under the nose that pulls the tip of the nose down when smiling. This is treated with one to two units of Botox just under the nose. Smoker's lines, which can occur in people who don't smoke, are the vertical lines above and below the lips which can be seen at rest or when you purse your lips. A few units of Botox above and below the lips can soften these lines. Some people have a strong muscle in the lower face which pulls down the corners of the mouth. Two to four units of Botox can be used to provide a subtle lift of about one millimeter, improving the sad appearance. Finally, some people have a dimpled or orange peel appearance on the chin with certain facial expressions. Two to four units of Botox here can smoothen the skin. When treating the lower face, it is important to understand that very small amounts of Botox are used so as to avoid difficulties with using the mouth for eating, speaking, and breathing. While side effects are rare in the lower face, the most common is an assymmetric smile, which will last no longer than the three to four months Botoxtypically lasts. Botox in the lower face can be combined with fillers such as Juvederm and Voluma for outstanding results. Contact us to schedule a free consultation with Dr. Alex.