Botox is great at getting rid of lines and wrinkles on and around your mouth and in many other areas. If you are looking for a temporary fix that does not require surgery, this treatment could be for you. You may be a candidate if you feel that your upper lip looks invisible when you smile.
Using a retinol or retinoid cream can help, too. "Retinol slowly thickens the deeper layers of the skin, while thinning out the superficial layers," says Levine. "This softens fine marionette lines, making the skin look more youthful."
Botox is a nonsurgical procedure that's used to smooth wrinkles by temporarily relaxing muscles. It can be done around the mouth to reduce the appearance of smile lines. The effects of the procedure typically last about 3 to 6 months.
Botox is the cosmetic form of botulinum toxin , a chemical that can temporarily weaken or paralyze your muscles. One round of injections can cause your muscles to relax for about three months . When injected in the lip area, Botox can help: minimize creases in the upper and lower lip area.
Many healthcare professionals now use injectable fillers to fill in fine lines and wrinkles and provide a fuller looking lip. A solution containing hyaluronic acid, such as Restylane, Juvederm, and a new product Volbella designed specifically for lip lines, is injected directly into the lips and the surrounding area.
Best for lines that are not yet visible while the mouth is at rest, these injectable toxins can prevent smoker's lines from becoming etched into the skin. In the case of deep lines, Botox injections can soften their appearance but will not eliminate them completely.
Compared to Botox, dermal fillers are just as effective. More importantly, the results last longer. However, the duration of the effects of dermal fillers still varies mostly on the type of filler. Some may last as long as Botox, while other types of fillers can last for more than a year.
Here are what the average units of Botox for the different areas of the face are, so you have a baseline of what to expect when doing your first treatment: Chin: 2-6 units. Corners of the mouth: 3-6 units. Crow's feet (outer canthal lines): 5-15 units.
Keeping your skin hydrated also goes a long way, whether you already have smile lines or not. Be sure to drink plenty of water every day, and avoid drinking too much caffeine or alcohol — both have diuretic effects. Wash your face once or twice a day and follow up with a moisturizer tailored to your skin type.
CO2 laser treatment is a safe and effective treatment for all kinds of wrinkles. This is a treatment that easily resurfaces the skin and quickly reduces the appearance of wrinkles, especially wrinkles around the mouth and on the forehead. This treatment is an effective option for the vast majority of patients.
Luckily, non-surgical injectables like Botox and dermal fillers are also found to be effective in erasing the marionette lines off the face.
Deep wrinkles near the mouth (also known as perioral wrinkles) appear when ligaments around the mouth and chin loosen, causing fatty tissue in the area to sag. Wrinkles are an unavoidable part of aging, but you can take several natural measures to prevent and erase lines around the mouth.
When it comes to reducing the appearance of wrinkles and frown lines, injectable therapies such as Botox and other botulinum toxin injections are the clear winner. Injectables such as Botox, Dysport, Jeuveau, and Xeomin are derived from botulinum toxins, which are safe in small amounts.
Botox has the advantage of being around longer, making it a trusted brand. This means that most patients interested in injectables would opt for Botox. However, Xeomin is just as effective at reducing wrinkles in areas like eyebrows, the forehead, and around the eyes.
During the procedure
Here are a few things to know about the lip flip procedure itself: It should take only around 10 minutes. The doctor likely won't numb your lips beforehand, because the procedure isn't very painful. Some people have compared it to the sensation of having a pimple on your lip.
The effects of Botox will eventually fade. A lip flip typically lasts between two to five months.
Dysport® is BOTOX®'s most well-known competitor. Unlike BOTOX®, which takes five to seven days to act, Dysport® can create visible results in as little as two days. The active ingredient in Dysport® also contains smaller molecules, so you may need less product if you choose Dysport®.
Where to Inject Botox. There are a few key areas to avoid when injecting Botox. These include the forehead, the area between the eyebrows, and the crow's feet. These are some of the most commonly injected areas, and injecting Botox into them can result in a frozen or surprised expression.
Your Botox and filler provider may recommend having just one of the two treatments first, before adding the other based on that outcome. In some cases, it's best to relax muscles first using Botox and then have filler treatment about two weeks later.
Botox injections work to enhance the lips through a series of injections made in the muscle just above the upper lip. The toxin will then relax the muscle, causing the lip to roll outward and appear more voluminous and defined. This will also cause lines and wrinkles on and around the lips to diminish.
Moisturize and hydrate skin.
Using a rich moisturizer that contains tretinoin, such as Retin-A, may help build collagen and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles around the mouth. A daily moisturizer that contains a broad spectrum SPF can reduce exposure to UVA and UVB rays. Shop for retinol.
Small amounts of Botox are injected into the DAO muscle to relax it, virtually erasing the marionette lines. The Botox injections also create a slight lift in the area around the mouth for a more pleasant facial expression. Dermal fillers temporarily add shape and volume to the treated area.
BOTOX DOSAGE:
in females: 2 units per side. in males: 2-4 units per side.