When a Doctor Injects Botox Around Mouth for Smokers Lines, Are They Injecting into the Lips or the Muscles Around the Mouth?

Botox can be very helpful for treatment of "smoker's lines" around the mouth. The main risks include asymmetry (more/ less effect on one side) and involvement of muscles that the injector did not intend to weaken. That is likely what is happening in your case as you've noticed some difficulty elevating one side of your mouth. The upside is that this effect is temporary and will wear off. I would recommend returning to your injector to mention your concerns. It is possible, in certain cases, to inject a small amount of additional Botox to provide summetry or just wait until the effect of the Botox dissipates. These injections are always performed into the muscle surrounding the mouth as opposed to the body of the lip itself.Stephen Weber MD, FACS

Botox, in small amounts, can work well to reduce “smoker’s lines” when injected appropriately around the lips. Since Botox is intended to soften the fine lines caused by muscle movement, it needs to be injected to the “white lip” and not into the actual “red lip.” Depending on the amount of Botox that was injected, the asymmetry may improve slightly over the next few weeks. I would make an appointment to see the physician and discuss your concerns. Good luck!

 

Dr.Sunder
Beverly Hills, Los Angeles