My nostrils flare when I smile which doesn’t work well with my narrow smile. I worry that using Botox for nostril flare will reduce my upper teeth exposure. I already don’t show my gum line at all when I smile. One last think, is there a way to widen a smile? I’m just looking for recommendations. I’m open to Botox, fillers, and threading. But I would like to keep surgery as a last resort. I asked a surgeon about a lip lift but he didn’t think it was necessary. I will take any recommendations!
August 17, 2021
Answer: Nostril flare Although I am limited by the photos, it appears that your ala do widen with smile excursion which is normal to some degree. The nose is nicely balanced at rest, but with smile I recognize your concerns. The muscles which cause you to smile act to pull the alar (notril) soft tissues laterally and superiorly. This effect cannot be fully diminished with botox as it would cause some degree of facial paralysis to inject the main smiling muscles (zygomaticus major/minor/risorius). It can be worth a trial of a small amount of botox at the depressor septi muscle which appears to be pulling your tip down when you smile and enhancing the effect. You physician can also place a judicious amount of botox at the levator labii superioris alque nasi muscle as well. This is always a balance because weakening the dilating muscle can cause unwanted nasal obstruction. Filler would not be a good option for your concerns.
Helpful 1 person found this helpful
August 17, 2021
Answer: Nostril flare Although I am limited by the photos, it appears that your ala do widen with smile excursion which is normal to some degree. The nose is nicely balanced at rest, but with smile I recognize your concerns. The muscles which cause you to smile act to pull the alar (notril) soft tissues laterally and superiorly. This effect cannot be fully diminished with botox as it would cause some degree of facial paralysis to inject the main smiling muscles (zygomaticus major/minor/risorius). It can be worth a trial of a small amount of botox at the depressor septi muscle which appears to be pulling your tip down when you smile and enhancing the effect. You physician can also place a judicious amount of botox at the levator labii superioris alque nasi muscle as well. This is always a balance because weakening the dilating muscle can cause unwanted nasal obstruction. Filler would not be a good option for your concerns.
Helpful 1 person found this helpful
August 10, 2021
Answer: Taming the nostrils Given your age and helpful photos, it seems your main issue is nostril positioning or widening with animation. At rest, the nostrils sit in better proportion. I would suggest a non surgical approach as you lip length ratios are in good proportion. The nasalis muscle is a sphincteric like muscle that can cause nostril flaring in certain individuals. An experienced injector can place their toxin of choice in the targeted muscle to relax the flaring during expressive movements. It is hard to tell given the photos are static images but some toxin placed in the depressor septi nasai may help with tip depression during smiling.
Helpful
August 10, 2021
Answer: Taming the nostrils Given your age and helpful photos, it seems your main issue is nostril positioning or widening with animation. At rest, the nostrils sit in better proportion. I would suggest a non surgical approach as you lip length ratios are in good proportion. The nasalis muscle is a sphincteric like muscle that can cause nostril flaring in certain individuals. An experienced injector can place their toxin of choice in the targeted muscle to relax the flaring during expressive movements. It is hard to tell given the photos are static images but some toxin placed in the depressor septi nasai may help with tip depression during smiling.
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