Areas On The Lower Face Where You Can Benefit From Neurotoxin (Botox/Dysport)

By Sara Katan, APRN

Both Botox and Dysport are well known for their effects on smoothing the forehead and around the eyes, but did you know there are more areas you can treat with neurotoxin (Botox/Dysport)? Today we will talk about some of the areas we can use neurotoxin for the lower face and how it may benefit you.

The Lip Flip

Many clients who are new to injectables will ask about lip filler and talk about their concerns with us. Will it be too big? Will it look weird on my face? Will it look unnatural? These are all valid concerns when you are starting your injectable journey. For the right candidate, you may want to start off with a “lip flip.” If you are not quite ready to use a hyaluronic acid filler to plump your lips, you can do a short-term and less obvious treatment with Botox or Dysport. We use 3-8 units of Botox or Dysport to partially relax the orbicularis oris, which is the muscle that is located around your mouth. This treatment will slightly pull the muscle up giving the appearance of a slight pout to the upper lip. It will be subtle and usually lasts 6-8 weeks. Neurotoxin in this area can also be used to minimize the appearance of perioral lines, which are the fine lines located around the lips. If those lines are deep, filler may be necessary to achieve full correction, but the use of Botox or Dysport around the lips can help prevent the motion that causes those lines to form. You can talk with your injector to determine if this treatment will be right for you and your personal lip goals.  

Gummy Smile

Does it bother you when you see your gums when you smile? A small amount of Botox or Dysport can be applied to the levator labii, superioris alaeque nasi, levator labii superioris, and zygomaticus minor, which is the collection of muscles that pull the smile up. Using neurotoxin for a gummy smile will help pull that muscle lower so you do not see as much gum when you smile. We use 4-8 units of Botox or Dysport to this muscle group located around the sides of the nose.

Downward Turn Smile

Do you ever feel like you look sad even when you are not? No matter how happy you are, people always ask you what is wrong. Botox or Dysport can be placed into the depressor anguli oris muscle that lies near the corners of our mouth and is responsible for the downward turn pull of our smile. As we age, the use of this muscle will lead to the drooping of the corners of our mouth. Placing 2.5-10 units of neurotoxin will relax the muscles, preventing that continuous pull when making facial expressions. Although it is very beneficial to do this procedure preventatively, it will not replace volume for those who have deep lines on the lower face. Restylane or Juvéderm filler will be better suited for these clients.

Orange Peel Chin

When making normal facial expressions, over time the muscle that clenches the chin will eventually cause dimpling on the skin, leading to an aged appearance. Doing 2.5-5 units into the mentalis muscle will help give the smooth appearance on the chin area and avoid the pebbled appearance.

Masseters

Did you know that Botox or Dysport can be used to slim the lower face and relieve jaw clenching? The masseter muscle is used when chewing food and many individuals tend to involuntarily clench the muscle while they are sleeping. This causes soreness around the jawline when they wake up in the morning. When that muscle is used over time, like with any muscle building, it gets bigger. When the muscle becomes relaxed it will reduce the appearance of a bulky muscle, leading to a slimmer face. It can also relax that muscle so while you are sleeping you do not clench or grind the teeth. The masseter muscle will take anywhere from 20-40 units, depending on the strength of the muscle while clenching.

These are just a couple of areas, in addition to the notable upper face areas, that can be treated with Botox or Dysport. Some other areas that can be treated include the nostrils for nasal flaring, the lower lip, along the neckline (Nefertiti neck lift), platysmal bands, which are the vertical muscles located on the neck, the trapezius muscle located on top of the shoulder, and underarms for excessive sweating.

Are you ready to see what Botox or Dysport can do for you? Contact us to schedule a free consult!