Would botox help me achieve a more symmetrical smile? (photo)

Question

The circled side of my smile is more prominent, but I want it to look just like my right side in which, one of the smiling muscles shows up much less. Can Botox achieve this? Can Botox make both of my smile's sides look symmetrical?

Eric M. Joseph, MD · Answer

We can see from your photo that you have a deeper crease in your right nasolabial fold when smiling compared to your left. Since Botox works by paralyzing facial muscles, your smile could get severely distorted with a Botox treatment in the area that you have circled. Botox works best for frown lines, forehead lines, crow's feet, and Bunny lines around the nose. They may also be helpful for some people's platysma bands. Hope this helps! Sincerely, Dr Joseph

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

This is my expertise and a huge portion of my practice. Asymmetry is normal and expected. Buccal fat pad gives slimming not symmetry. Masseter botox will make you slimmer and make the jawline more loose. Fillers help give shaping and contouring. If you want perfect or close to perfect symmetry you need maxillofacial surgery or implants customized. I suggest seeing an expert to go through all options. Most of my younger clients use fillers to give them shaping especially on the cheeks, jawline, and chin which make the face look more slim and tight; and threads such as PDO or Instalift can build collagen and support the facial shaping and skin looseness over time, slowing down the aging process and given the face a more “snatched” look; and morpheus8 or PiXel8 deep microneedling RF can tighten crepe skin especially on the neck and jawline and is great for long term tightening of the full face, neck and chest; its often used to give the face a slimmer more sculpted look because it tightens the skin and gives lift. an early face lift can be performed as well even in younger clients if they want a different facial shape, maxillofacial surgery with bone breaking or shaving can also be done. For facial slimming a combination of treatments are always needed. Options include: 1. Buccal fat pad removal to reduce fat on the lower face 2. Factite or Renuvion/J Plasma to tighten the lower face, jawline, and chin to reduce fat and give the jawline and neck tightening and shaping. 3. Botox to the masseter to reduce the muscular size of the jaw giving the face an illusion of being more slender 4. Fillers to the jawline, chin, cheeks, temples and brow help to shape the face and make it more angled and defined Always use at home derma rolling (see link to Emerageskin x anteageMD roller plus stem cells/hyaluronic acid ampules) and peels like emeragecosmetics enlighten or aerify that can be used to improve skin quality and tighten the skin while improving wrinkles, pigmentation, acne, and Melasma. See an expert who does facial shaping with surgical and non surgical methods to get a comprehensive option. Best, Dr. Emer.

Anna Chacon, MD, FAAD · Answer

Botox & Dermal Fillers can be used to correct asymmetry in facial areas. Facial Symmetry has long been a basis for beauty. While we're not all born with balanced facial features, advances in Cosmetic Surgery can now give patients a more symmetrical appearance with the use of Dermal Fillers and Botox.

Camille Cash, MD · Answer

Typically to address asymmetry of the nasolabial folds the correct treatment is fillers.  The treatment is done in the office with some of the results seen immediately.  I encourage you to visit with an experienced injector near you for an assessment.

Dean P. Kane, MD, FACS · Answer

Dear Original783296,
Thanks for your question. This photo illustrates the crease or fold you speak of but drawing out the rest of your face dampers my response. Please consider a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon to evaluate your needs. 
Botox is a muscle relaxer and will actually worsen the fold/crease of the nasolabial fold by weakening the cheek muscle lifters. 
Consider filler and / or thread lift.
I hope this helps. All the best.

Leonard Grossman, MD · Answer

The smile and its shape, position of the eyes and ears, as well as the teeth, is determined by the construction of the skeleton of the skull. Muscle development is also dependent on where the muscle is attached to the bone. The natural balance of the muscles that has been created during your development will be destroyed with a use of Botox and a worse smile than you currently have may be created. This lack of symmetry exists in every individual on this planet. I hope this helps and good luck from New York City lPlastic Surgery.

Would botox help me achieve a more symmetrical smile? (photo)

Answers (6)

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