Botox Balancing Blog
I used to say that Botox injections were easy. The more I practice, the more I learn this is not the case. For some folx the standardized pattern will yield beautiful outcomes, however there is too much anatomical variation to rely on a ‘one pattern fits all’ strategy.
Botox takes two weeks to fully take effect. As your injector, it is my job to predict the treatment outcome. Accordingly, I am a fan of two week follow-up appointments to review the outcomes together and ensure that we are happy.
I recently met with a client for their two week follow-up. The treatment looked great, however she wanted more results in the forehead. What a wonderful opportunity to learn; for me to explain why and for her to be able to explain expectations. In an attempt to minimize any eyelid hooding, I intentionally went lighter in the dose and placed it higher on the forehead. This resulted in her maintaining movement of the brow with expression. While some request this, others want a smooth and ‘frozen’ result. We added more units at that appointment and I’m confident she got a smooth result.
Botox is an opposite medicine; when injected into a muscle, it yields results that are opposite to its action. For example, when you frown, your brows gather down and in, so with Botox, the muscles relax upward and out. We see this upward and out action when we treat the crow’s feet as well. The forehead however, acts to raise the brow, so the opposite is a lowering effect. Treating the forehead takes the most care; I balance meeting the client’s goal with keeping the brow and eyelids lifted.
It is common for a client to seek treatment in one area of the face. Even if the forehead is the main concern, I still recommend treating the frown and crows feet together for a balanced result. Because Botox is an opposite drug, if we treat the forehead alone, we get a ‘downward’ result while missing the opportunity to lift. Treating the three areas of forehead, frown, and crows feet together is most likely to yield a harmonious outcome.
Further, I have been integrating treatment of the lower face into Botox sessions. We know that Botox prevents the imprinting of lines. To aid in the overall balance of our faces as we age, it is worth considering adding the treatment of the lower face. Over time, we don’t achieve a natural aesthetic when our forehead and eyes are smooth but our chin and neck are not. To accomplish this, we can lift the corners of the mouth, relax the chin, flip the lip, and/or treat the neck through treatments like the nefertiti neck lift and microtox.
Botox works. The potential for great results lies in the hands of your injector. I am forever learning and working to deliver the best, most natural, and most harmonious results that are individualized to meet your goals and expectations.