My Botox 101 blog covered topics like what is Botox, what’s the different between Botox and Dysport, what to expect during your treatment and finding an injector.
This blog dives in to the different areas that are most common and will help you and your injector decide what area is best to target for your needs!
The Most Popular sites for botox and how it works
GLABELLA - Between the brow’s for the “11” lines
This will get rid of the 11’s and wrinkles between the eyebrows. This area is my favorite area to botox because it is how we create what is called a liquid brow lift. By using botox here the complimentary muscles in the forehead take over and cause the eyebrows to lift up. This is the perfect amount of lift for any and everyone. It gives the eyebrows a beautiful arch, and leaves more room for makeup on the exposed eyelid. This is especially helpful in women who are experiencing “hooding” in the upper eyelid. Hooding is the excess skin hanging down over the lid and sometimes sits on the lash line. When we lift the brow we can minimize the hooding and this creates a much more rested and youthful appearance.
Average treatment to this area is about 20 units of botox/50 units of dysport.
Forehead
Here Botox will smooth out the horizontal lines in the forehead and give the skin a tighter and brighter look. If we are treating the forehead, we also want to make sure to treat the glabella mentioned previously because we also need to consider how the botox will shift the eyebrows. As much as it is about lines and wrinkles, it’s also important to lift and balance! Some patients are not candidates for this area of injection based on their anatomy. As I explained previously, if a patient has a lower brow position or has moderate “hooding” on the eyelid they should skip treating the horizontal lines of the forehead. Instead, Botox can help to lift that up by injecting between the brows. When the muscle between the brows is relaxed it allows the forehead to compensate and LIFT the brows. However, if we treat the forehead with botox and relax this muscle in a patient with a heavy brow, they will actually see the forehead drop and the brows will become more heavy – which is not a good look! This is why it is important to always go to an experienced provider who can look at you and know what areas you are a good candidate for and which areas you are not! In women with a shorter forehead, I also recommended skipping this area but treating between the brows is great!
Average dose: 8-10 units of botox/20-25 units of dysport.
Crow's Feet
This is the area in the corners of the eyes also known as the smile lines. Some people like to fully relax them and others choose to slightly soften them, leaving some room for movement. FAQ: Yes, This can absolutely be done without changing the smile.
Average dose: 20 units of botox/50 units of dysport.
Upper Lip
Also known as the “lip flip!” It helps to relax the upper lip muscles responsible for pursing the lips. In turn, the upper lip lines can become softer and the lip can have a little more “pout.” Botox in this area will allow more lip to show while smiling. It can make it a little more difficult to purse and drink from a straw at first, but most people get used to the sensation. An alternative to botox in this area is injectable lip filler. Fillers are quite different than botox and physically enlarge the lip.
Average dose: 4 units of botox/10 units of dysport.
Mentalis or Chin Muscles
Some people have rough, dimpled chin area. We refer to this as “orange peel” look in the texture of the skin. Botox into this muscle can make the chin look ultra smooth!
Average dose: 4 units botox/10 units dysport.
Masseter or Jaw Muscles
Botox in this area is used for a couple of different reasons. Some people use botox in this muscle to help with TMJ or clenching of the jaw which can result in bad headaches and teeth grinding. This gives them SO much relief from pain! Others like to use it for the cosmetic benefit, the slimming appearance that it can give to the jawline. Especially in people with a more square jawbone, this can really help.
Average dose:20-40 units botox/50-100 units dysport.
Platysmal Bands/Neck Area
Certain muscles in the neck underneath the chin area can be treated with botox. This can give the neck a more smooth and less saggy appearance.
Average dose: 20 units botox/50 units dysport.
Armpits
Excessive sweating under the armpits or on the palms of the hands is known as hyperhidrosis. Botox can work to temporarily “turn off” those overactive sweat glands in the skin. We inject it a little differently when using it for sweating versus wrinkles on the face. This is a relatively quick and painless treatment that can make a huge difference in the lives of those who suffer from this condition. I have a lot of very successful business men and women who I treat regularly, because without it they would sweat right through their clothes! It does take more units to treat these larger areas so for these I offer a flat rate that brings down the price per unit.
Average dose: 100 units of botox/300 units of dysport.
Chronic Acne/Large Pores
This is a really cool way to use Botox on the face! I dilute the botox with a little bit of saline and then inject it into the area of large pores or chronic acne to turn off those overactive sweat glands. Patients report tighter pores and less breakouts!
Average dose: 8 botox/20 dysport.
Some Tips
- Zero movement is not pretty! We want to relax the muscles enough to get rid of lines, but still allow for motion and expression. Trust me, you do not want to be completely frozen!
- Treating those pesky little wrinkles right over the tops of the eyebrows is tricky! I see this mostly in older women and unfortunately, these are super hard to get rid of. If we completely relax the muscle responsible for this wrinkle, we will drop your eye brow and make your eyelid sag. It will feel heavy and it will not look pretty! It is a technical area, and usually I can place a little botox in this area to SOFTEN the “comma”. There is definitely some give and take with botox. Trust your provider! He or she will know what areas can and cannot be treated appropriately. I always tell patients the truth even if it is what they don’t want to hear. If someone wants Botox in an area that is not good for them, I tell them I could do it, but in two weeks when its kicked in, they would be really mad at me ;). Your provider has your best interest at heart.
- Don’t worry if you still don’t know what you need even after reading through this whole post! Your injector will create a plan for you and explain everything along the way! 🙂
P.S. Rewards Programs
Rewards programs are offered by the manufacturers of Botox and Dysport. I recommend that all of my patients sign up for these reward programs. In a nutshell, it is like frequent flyer miles for your injections. Each time you get a treatment you will receive reward points which turn into coupons. For example, each treatment typically results in a $20 reward for the next treatment in 3-4 months. It is a great way to save money over time. The companies do not give out your information or harass you.
Aspire, for example gives you $20 for signing up, and both programs have special promotions throughout the year where they will give you even better incentives. Be sure to remember the email and password you sign up with because that it how you will access your coupons in the future.
Botox: http://www.brilliantdistinctions.com
Dysport: http://www.aspirerewards.com
XO
Racquel
4 thoughts on “Which Botox Treatment is Right For Me?”
People who have wrinkles and expression lines usually, choose botox treatment to remove them properly. Almost all of us know about how botox treatment rejuvenates the skin of the face. This article focuses on how botox treatment removes crow’s feet, forehead lines, and other expression lines. People who are going to undertake this treatment should go through this article at least once. By doing so, they will be able to know almost everything about this treatment.
It’s interesting that you mention that Botox treatment can help you get rid of facial wrinkles. I’ve been noticing crow’s feet appearing around my eyes for the past year, so I’m considering trying Botox treatment. I’m going to search for a good medical center in my area that offers Botox treatment.
It’s interesting that you mention that Botox can help you get rid of facial wrinkles. I’ve been wanting to look a few years younger lately, so I’m thinking about trying Botox treatment. I’m going to search for a good plastic surgery center in my area that offers Botox treatment.
It’s cool that you mention that Botox can help get rid of your facial wrinkles. I’ve been looking for a way to get rid of my forehead wrinkles, so I’m thinking about trying Botox treatment soon. I’m going to look for a reputable plastic surgeon in my area that does Botox treatment.