The Balance of Good Botox Treatments

I’m a Libra, the image of the scales is my sign, and I love balance. That’s the way I think of Botox – a balancing act. Too little won’t do enough to make a difference, and too much can make you an expressionless deer in the headlights. Even though I have patients that prefer both ends of the spectrum, the majority fall somewhere in the middle. I totally get it.

The Botox Spectrum

On the one hand, there is the minimalist. The person who doesn’t want anyone to know what he or she does and is extremely conservative.  On the other hand, there are individuals who don’t want any movement for fear that they will encourage wrinkles down the road.  These are the extremes and then there are the vast majority of patients in the middle.

My Approach to Your Botox Treatment

When you come to Oxford Medical Aesthetics, I enjoy finding out why you are getting Botox. Is it to look more approachable at work? Are you getting ready for an event? Do you want to look more relaxed? Do you want to prevent fine lines? These are just some of the questions that we use to understand the result you are trying to achieve.

Next, I ask patients to smile, scowl, and lift their brows to assess their facial muscle movement.  This is so I can assess how your facial anatomy affects the results we are trying to achieve.  Nobody is expressionless, and your Botox treatment should complement the natural expressions of your face.

Finally, I like to discuss goals and expectations. It is really important to understand what people want to achieve and decide if they are even a candidate for Botox in an area before an injector can deliver. It is not a one size fits all, that’s for sure.

Everyone who knows me knows I recommend a conservative approach at first.  This is because we can always add more later or when you become used to your Botox treatments.  After all, you are doing this for YOU, and it should make YOU happy!

Botox Treatment Areas

When it comes to the glabella, or area between the brows, most women require 15-20 units and most men 20-25 units. This should decrease the movement in that area enough that the skin won’t crease as harshly and keep the area smooth. If you receive the amount that I suggest and it is not enough, then I will simply add some more in a couple of weeks complimentary!  I am results-oriented and want you to be able to trust what I recommend.

Crows feet, caused by the contraction of the orbicularis oculi muscle, are lines on the outer aspect of the eyes. These lines soften beautifully with Botox! I can put up to 12 units on each side, but depending on what your “fan pattern” looks like, you may be able to get away with less. The fan pattern refers to lines moving outward from your eye.  An upward fan pattern has lines going upward into the brow.  A middle pattern contains lines going straight back toward the temporal area.  Finally, a lower fan pattern has lines that crease toward the cheek. Again, everyone is different, and a custom plan should be made for YOU and your needs.

Lastly, (and I saved the tricky one for last) the forehead. This muscle (the frontalis muscle) is the most variable between individuals, so sometimes I tweak it after two weeks.

This muscle is responsible for lifting your brows.  So, if it is relaxed beyond a certain point, that muscle cannot lift your brows effectively even though it may be wrinkle-free.   Again, an experienced injector with a conservative approach is definitely in order when treating the forehead.  This muscle can take anywhere from 10-30 units depending on how big and how strong the frontalis muscle is in each individual.  Personally, I like to see some movement in the forehead to preserve some expression in this area, but I am happy to dose it a bit heavier for those that prefer to see less movement and fewer wrinkles.

Don’t Be Afraid to Communicate!

So just as you communicate with your hairdresser about your likes and dislikes, communicate with your injector (hopefully me!), so you can get the results from Botox that you are expecting and will enjoy.

Learn more about Botox by reading these articles:

Botox Frozen Face Myths