When we think of BOTOX, the first thing that often comes to mind is its ability to smooth out wrinkles and fine lines around the eyes. Yes, BOTOX effectively erases crow’s feet, vertical worry lines, and horizontal forehead wrinkles. But you might be surprised to learn BOTOX offers benefits for other parts of the face, too, and not all of them are wrinkle smoothing.
BOTOX Wrinkle Treatment Areas
The most common use of BOTOX is for wrinkles around the eyes, including vertical frown lines (the “11s”), crow’s feet at the corners of the eyes, and forehead wrinkles. Here are some other benefits of BOTOX:
Nonsurgical brow lift: As we age, the depressor muscles in our forehead and brow area can become overactive, causing the brows to droop and giving the face a tired or angry appearance. Strategic injections relax the depressor muscles, allowing the elevator muscles to produce a subtle brow lift that creates a more youthful and refreshed look.
Jawline slimming: Injecting BOTOX into the masseter muscle (the muscle used to chew) is an option if you think your face has a square or boxy appearance. Relaxing the masseter muscle allows it to shrink, creating a slimmer jawline. It can also provide relief from jaw clenching and teeth grinding.
Erasing chin dimples: If you’re self-conscious about chin dimples, sometimes called “cobblestone” or “orange peel” chin, BOTOX injections create a smoother appearance by relaxing the underlying muscles.
Reducing “bunny lines”: These are wrinkles that appear on the sides of your nose when you laugh or smile.
Soften neck bands: Vertical neck bands are a common concern for both women and men. They become more prominent with age. BOTOX injected into the platysmal muscles on either side of the neck makes them less noticeable.
Beyond Wrinkles
BOTOX treatments are also effective for other concerns, including:
Gummy smile: When the upper lip elevates too far above the teeth when you smile, it exposes a large portion of the gums. BOTOX injections lower the upper lip to reduce the visibility of the gums.
Lip flip for a more visible upper lip: BOTOX creates the appearance of a fuller upper lip by weakening the muscles that pull inward on the lip.
BOTOX vs. Dermal Fillers
In general, there are 2 categories of wrinkles—static and dynamic. Static wrinkles, like nasolabial folds, are caused by volume loss, skin laxity—the natural aging process. We use dermal fillers to treat these wrinkles.
BOTOX treats dynamic wrinkles, which are also called expression lines, because they’re caused by squinting, frowning, smiling, and other ways our faces change expressions. BOTOX works by blocking certain nerve signals that make muscles contract. The muscles relax, reducing unwanted wrinkles.
Take our quiz to learn if you should get BOTOX or filler injections—or both.
Come in for a Consultation
Do you want to learn more about how you can benefit from BOTOX injections? Request a consultation using the online form to meet with Dr. Dax or our licensed medical aesthetician to discuss your options. You can also call our Boston practice at (781) 740-7840 .
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