How to Treat Frown Lines With Botox

Frown lines, also called glabellar rhytides, are the lines between the eyebrows that occur when you frown. After many years of frowning and squinting, frown lines can get etched into the skin. These wrinkles make the face look old. Botox Cosmetic is an injectable toxin that paralyzes the muscles that control frown lines. Because the muscles cannot contract, they cannot create wrinkles. In most patients, regular Botox injections prevent frown lines from forming and in some patients Botox can improve or eliminate existing wrinkles.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Medical practitioner

1. Find a cosmetic surgeon or cosmetic dermatologist and schedule a consultation. Only experienced medical practitioners are qualified to do Botox injections, as Botox is a prescription drug.
2. Get evaluated by your doctor. The doctor should take a complete medical history, examine your frown lines and tell you whether or not you are a good candidate for Botox injections. There may be other ways to treat your frown lines that your doctor can suggest.
3. Make an appointment for your Botox injections if you and your doctor agree that's the best way to treat your frown lines. You may have to schedule an additional appointment, or your doctor may be able to do the injections after the consultation.
4. Get your forehead marked at the injection sites. The doctor usually maps out where the injections will go so that she knows where to place the injections to get the best results. This is usually done with a washable pen.
5. Tough out the procedure. After cleaning your forehead with alcohol swabs and possibly cooling it with a cool pack, the doctor will begin injecting the Botox into the muscles of the forehead. Fine needles are usually used to reduce the pain of the injection to a minor sting.
6. Sit with a cool pack on your forehead after the procedure for 10 minutes or so. The cool pack will help prevent bruising at the injection sites.
7. Go on about your day. Botox injections do not require any time off, and you can return to work or home immediately following your appointment. However, you should not lie down for several hours after the injection.
8. Repeat Botox injections about every 3 months to keep up the results. Botox is not a permanent solution, and if you don't have regular injections your frown lines will return.

Tips & Warnings

• Results may not appear until 3 days after the procedure.
• Side effects of Botox injections include headache, droopy eyelids, nausea, respiratory infection, flu symptoms, muscle weakness and redness and pain at the injection sight. Most side effects are only temporary.
• People who have neuromuscular disorders might be more susceptible to side effects.
• Don't expect insurance to cover or offset cost for Botox injections used to treat frown lines. This is considered a cosmetic procedure and is not typically covered by insurance.