Botox Cosmetic for lip lines

Hi Anon,

Botox in very small doses is effective at treating fine to moderate upper lip lines. One (1) unit in each quadrant of the lip, four (4) units total, is all that is needed.

For the deeper (bar code) lines, an ablative laser is best; see Fraxel re:pair. Restylane and Juvederm when used correctly are also effective adjunctively.

In general, I prefer to treat “lines in motion” on the upper face with Botox, and lower face lines, which are normally “lines at rest”, with fillers such as Juvederm and Restylane.

Botox, which stops muscles of expression from moving and causing “lines in motion”, works very well on the forehead, between the eyes, and at the “crow’s feet”.

Botox injections at the lip area are meant to improve vertical lip lines, or “smoker’s lines”. These lines are most prominent when we “pucker” our lips, and start out as “lines in motion”. Over time, they can get etched in and become “lines at rest”. To slow this process, Botox can be used to relax the muscle that causes the “pucker”, the orbicularis oris.

What’s the downside? Botox lip injections can cause:

• Difficulty speaking, especially pronouncing the letters “p” and “b” (newscasters and public speakers beware!)
• Difficulty drinking through a straw or whistling
• Uneven smile or mouth movement (you can look like you had a stroke)

The good and bad effects are temporary. However, in most cases, I prefer using a filler to decrease “smoker’s lines”. Although fillers are more helpful for “lines at rest”, they do fill areas of soft tissue in the lip area that have been lost over time, and usually yield great results alone. Sometimes, Botox and fillers are used together in this area for best results.

Remember- It’s Your Face! If you’re considering treatment, talk to a Medical Doctor with experience in Botox and fillers who treats patients him- or herself. This maximizes your chances of great results.