Botox for frown lines

Frown lines are excessive vertical and/or horizontal lines or wrinkles between the eyebrows. These lines can be present even when not frowning, leading to an angry or scowling look.

 

Muscles involved in frown lines:

• Procerus muscle. This is the big fan shaped muscle in the middle of the brow marked with the red crosses in the image below. The Procerus muscle causes horizontal frown lines.
• Corrugator Supercilii muscles. These are the muscles stretching out above the eyebrows marked with the green ticks in the image below. The Corrugator Supercilii muscles cause vertical frown lines.
• Depressor Supercilii muscles. These are the  muscles on the sides of the Procerus muscle, although some people see these muscles as part of the Procerus muscle.

 

 

Technique

• The patient sits back on a bed with the backrest up.
• The area is cleaned.
• The skin overlying the muscles to be injected is marked out with a skin marker. The exact placing of the injection points are different between people and depends on the muscle action observed when frowning.
• The muscles are injected. It takes about 1-2 minutes.
• Light pressure is applied to the area to prevent bruising.
• The skin marker marks are wiped off.

Botox dosage:

• Females: 15-28 units
• Males: 25-40 units

Aftercare:

• Do not go to sleep or massage the forehead, because this might displace the Botox toward the upper eyelids, leading to a heavy feeling of the eyelid or even a slightly droopy eyelid. Should this happen, Iopidine eyedrops will counteract the effect until it resolves spontaneously in 7-21 days.
• Some patients experience a slight headache that can be relieved with Paracetamol.
• Slight bruising can occur, but can be concealed with make-up. It resolves in a few days.
• The effect will kick in after 3-10 days and last between 2 and 7 months, depending on the Botox dosage used and the patients physiology. Some patients dissolve Botox faster than other patients.
• First time patients will sometimes be requested to return after 2-3 weeks for a check-up and top-up if required.
• Most patients have the injections repeated once or twice a year.