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 There are now many innovative cosmetic and medical uses for Botox® — the ever-popular muscle paralytic, including not only frown lines and "crow's feet" around the eyes, but also "smoker's lips" and "turkey neck" as well as excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) and migraine headaches. Pioneered by dermasurgeons more than 10 years ago, the skin conditions for which Botox® still works best are in the upper third of the face — frown lines between the eyebrows, horizontal bands of wrinkles across the forehead and crow's feet at the corners of the eye. But now, Botox can be used to soften or erase lines around the mouth, to sculpt the face by raising one or both eyebrows, as well as to smooth vertical and horizontal neck lines. Initially, physicians were reluctant to use Botox® around the mouth where 'static' wrinkles predominate and where injections would be needed so close to muscles that are needed for talking, eating and kissing. However, after more than a decade of experience with Botox procedures, the technique has been perfected to a higher skill level. For example, Botox® is now being used to treat not only delicate skin areas and a growing number of cosmetic concerns, but also to prevent lines from forming once they have started. In addition, Botox® can be injected to enhance the results of other cosmetic surgery procedures, such as laser skin resurfacing and injectable fillers (such as collagen and Restylane). Tiny Botox® injections into certain oral muscles can safely prevent the mouth from creasing the skin and forming the deep vertical lines caused by habitual over-pursing. Fleshy folds or bands across the chin and neck are also treatable with Botox by relaxing the platysmal (neck) muscles. Previously, the only way to treat the "turkey neck" on aging patients was to perform invasive scalpel surgery. Drs. Alster and Tanzi have extensive experience treating the lower third of the face and neck areas which require a great deal of finesse in technique. Dr. Tina S. Alster, founding director of the Washington Institute of Dermatologic Laser Surgery, is a clinical professor at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Dr. Alster earned her B.S. and M.D. degrees from Duke University where she graduated magna cum laude and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa honor society. She interned at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital and completed her dermatologic residency at Yale, specializing in laser surgery. Dr. Alster pioneered the use of cosmetic lasers, having published numerous textbooks and related articles in the medical literature and lectured at symposia and congresses worldwide. She has been honored by her peers by receiving numerous awards and accolades and currently serves as the consulting dermatologist to Lancome. Send your questions to tina@smartnow.com. |
