Facial Areas Where BOTOX® Can Be Injected

It is easy to understand why BOTOX® is incredibly popular. Apart from being safe and accessible, BOTOX® is also effective for improving the appearance of lines and wrinkles. This minimally invasive procedure is FDA-approved for wrinkle-smoothing and has a proven track record of safety. 

BOTOX® is typically used as a cosmetic treatment, but it also has other medical applications. When used as a wrinkle treatment, Botox works by temporarily blocking the signal from a nerve to a muscle using a neurotoxin protein (onabotulinumtoxinA). This reduces the muscles contractions, relaxing and softening the wrinkles. 

With its primary purpose of treating facial wrinkles, you may be wondering where on the face can BOTOX® be injected. Continue reading to learn the facial areas that can be treated with this injectable. Please note, however, that some of these areas are ‘off label’ – please talk to your doctor about the US FDA cleared areas for BOTOX®.

Forehead – This is the most common treatment area for Botox®. Horizontal forehead wrinkles (also referred to as surprise lines) show up when you raise your eyebrows. They tend to become permanent with age, with visible and excessive forehead lines giving your face an older appearance. 

Between the eyebrows – Glabellar lines or angry 11s refer to the vertical lines that appear between your eyebrows. They often show up as a result of frowning, scowling, or deeply concentrating while reading or listening. Relaxing these lines through BOTOX® can make you look rejuvenated and take away a tired or angry appearance.

Crow’s feet – These are the lines and wrinkles that appear at the outer corner of the eyes. They show up when you smile, laugh, or squint and can become etched over time due to aging. You should also know that the skin around the eyes is thinner and more delicate than that of your face, making it more susceptible to premature signs of aging.  

Eyebrows – Droopy eyebrows or lowered eyelids can make you look older and cause vision problems. They also become more prominent with age. A technique called “brow lift” involves the use of Botox to lift droopy lids and open up the eye area. 

Bunny lines – These refer to the straight or diagonal lines or wrinkles that appear on either side of the nose. Bunny lines appear when you crinkle your nose or when you smile or laugh. Years of scrunching up your nose (when smiling or laughing) can lead to the development of etched bunny lines.

Smile or laugh lines – These are the lines that extend downward from the outer corners of the nose to the sides of the mouth.  Smile lines also appear around the corners of the eyes. Also referred to as nasolabial folds, these lines become visible when you smile and tend to deepen with age. 

Upper lip lines – Also referred to as smoker’s or lipstick lines, these vertical wrinkles show up on top of the upper lip. They appear due to repetitive facial expressions. Smoking is a primary cause, as it speeds up the breakdown of collagen and elastin. Repetitive puckering of lips due to smoking can also lead to upper lip wrinkles. The same is also true for regular and repeated use of straw and water bottles when drinking.   

Dimpled or puckered chin – Dimples on the chin appear due to an overactive mentalis muscle or the paired muscles at the tip of the chin. A dimpled or a puckered appearance show through when these muscles flex more than they should. Aging, sun exposure, and bone loss aggravate the appearance of a dimpled chin.

Jawline – Botox can also be used as a jaw reduction or slimming treatment. It can slim or contour the lower face by relaxing the masseter muscles. These muscles are located in the back of the jaw and used for chewing and clenching the teeth. Relaxing these muscles also helps with teeth grinding or bruxism. 

Neck bands – Also called platysmal bands, neck bands are the two vertical strips of muscle located on sides of the neck. These bands are among the first signs of aging on the neck and become more noticeable with age. Sagging skin on the neck can make platysmal bands more visible. 

It can take about two weeks to see the full results of Botox. The results can last between three and six months or longer with touch-up treatments. BOTOX® injections are quick and involve the use of a topical anesthetic cream to numb the treated area.

Other uses of BOTOX®

Apart from treating and correcting facial wrinkles and other signs of aging, BOTOX® has also a lot of non-cosmetic uses. It is also good to know that the FDA has approved most of these applications. These include:

• Excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis)
• Migraines
• TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorder
• Overactive bladder
• Gummy smile

Schedule a consultation today

Looking to undergo Botox to look younger or fresher? Contact Cutis Laser Clinics in Singapore today and schedule a consultation with our Harvard-trained aesthetic doctor, Dr. Sylvia Ramirez, to learn more about the uses of this injectable.