Even people who have never set foot in a medical spa know that BOTOX® injections reduce wrinkles around the eyes and on the forehead. BOTOX injections at our London, Ontario, med spa are among the most popular cosmetic treatments, but their aesthetic versatility comes as a surprise to many people who think of BOTOX as simply an anti-wrinkle procedure.
We wrote an earlier blog post about the surprising non-cosmetic uses for BOTOX and thought it would be helpful for our readers to know about cosmetic uses for BOTOX that go beyond wrinkle reduction.
Surprising Cosmetic Uses for BOTOX
Many people confuse BOTOX and dermal fillers as essentially the same thing because they’re both used for wrinkle reduction. Fillers, however, are smooth gels that restore volume. BOTOX is a neuromodulator that minimizes “dynamic wrinkles”—crow’s feet and worry lines, for example—caused by a lifetime of changing expressions. It relaxes muscles used to make those expressions.
From giving someone more confidence in their smile to reducing age-related neck bands, BOTOX injections provide a range of cosmetic improvements for men and women by relaxing specific muscles in the targeted area. Here are 5 ways we use BOTOX to improve your overall appearance:
Gummy smile: Some people feel self-conscious because a large portion of their gums show whenever they smile or laugh. It can even cause them to hold back from being overly expressive in situations that would normally make them smile. Surgery used to be the only way to treat a gummy smile. BOTOX injections changed that. It’s injected into the lip muscles under the nose, preventing the upper lip from elevating too high. With BOTOX, patients can still smile but without exposing as much of their gums.
Jawline slimming: A contoured, well-defined jawline is considered universally attractive for both men and women. That’s one reason treatments to improve the definition of the jawline are very popular. BOTOX helps create a more angular jaw when it’s injected into the masseter muscle (sometimes called the “chewing muscle”). When combined with fillers to create more volume in the cheek, BOTOX injections into the jaw create a slimmer overall facial appearance.
Orange peel chin: When the muscle of the chin contracts, it can create a wrinkled appearance that resembles the pebbled look of an orange peel. Injecting BOTOX into the mentalis muscle relaxes it, smoothing the appearance of the chin’s skin.
Platysmal banding: People bothered by the prominence of vertical neck muscles running up the left and right sides to the chin—often called neck banding—can choose BOTOX injections as a temporary solution. BOTOX relaxes the platysmal muscles that become more noticeable with age.
Lateral brow lift: A nonsurgical brow lift using BOTOX is an excellent alternative to a surgical brow lift, which can create a perpetual look of surprise if not performed well. A lateral brow lift using BOTOX injections reduces the appearance of upper eyelid hooding and raises sagging eyebrows.
BOTOX typically lasts 3 to 4 months, and periodic treatments are needed to maintain the results of these procedures. It’s important to choose a highly trained and skilled injector, especially for the less common uses described in this post. Using the incorrect dose or imprecise injections will produce undesirable results.
You can discuss various ways to use BOTOX or any of the other cosmetic dermatology treatments we offer at DermEffects in London, ON, by contacting us using the online form to request a consultation. You can also call our office at (519) 472-8686 to schedule an appointment.
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