How Can I Get Rid of Botox Side Effects?

Botox is a wonderful treatment when in the right hands. However, you can have disastrous, although temporary, problems if you are not injected properly. It is my feeling that Botox should never be injected around the mouth. The effect of Botox is to paralyze muscles. This effect is advantageous in the forehead and around the eyes since these muscles cause wrinkles when contracted and do not contribute significantly to facial function. However, even if you are not injected properly in these areas, you can have problems. The muscles in the cheeks and around the mouth have important functions such as talking and eating. Unfortunately, you have found this out the hard way. Also, unfortunately, there is no way to remove the Botox now that it has been injected. On the bright side, Botox is always temporary. However, you may have a few months ahead of you that are difficult. One thing to keep in mind is that only surgeons see these muscles from the inside out on a daily basis and have an intimate understanding of their functions. In the future, I would highly recommend going to a surgeon for your injections.
I hope this is helpful.
David Shafer, MD
Shafer Plastic Surgery
New York City
www.DoctorShafer.com

Unfortunately, the only thing to do in this case is wait. There is no reversal mechanism as is the case for Dermal fillers. The good news is that the Botox should begin to wear off after a month or so. Because of the constant movement around the mouth, Botox wears off more quickly in this area than any other.
As a side note, we have never heard of using Botox for jowls and are puzzled as to why this person would do that. Botox is not used in this area and would not be effective for that type of issue. It may be a good option for Fine lines of the upper lip, but only when used very sparingly (typically 4 - 6 units four our patients).

Botox cosmetic is a safe treatment if performed correctly. A board certified plastic surgeon is ideal for Botox treatments because of our knowledge of the deep anatomy of the face. Injection into areas around the mouth may produce unwanted palliation of normal smile mechanisms. In this particular case, the only thing to expedite the recovery phase is to exercise your smile and wait 3 to 4 months.