Illinois/Chicago Area Plastic Surgery Procedures:
BOTOX® Cosmetic Injection for Facial Wrinkles

Dr. Paul Steinwald recently completed a hands-on course in advanced BOTOX® Cosmetic injection techniques. This course reinforced and updated current upper brow/forehead and periorbital techniques, and introduced the concept of BOTOX® Cosmetic in the lower face to potentially fill out lip lines, elevate down-turned corners of the mouth, and even help correct a drooping nasal tip or a "gummy" smile. Techniques of injecting into the neck area to correct faint transverse lines or more prominent vertical bands were also covered. If you are interested in these advanced BOTOX® Cosmetic injection techniques, ask Dr. Steinwald if you are a candidate at our next BOTOX Week.

The injection of BOTOX® Cosmetic (Botulinum Type A, produced by Clostridium Botulinum bacteria and then laboratory-purified) into facial muscles to diminish wrinkles is probably the most commonly performed "non-invasive" cosmetic procedure in America today. This agent works by blocking the nerve impulses to small facial muscles that are responsible for the overlying facial wrinkles, which are generally oriented perpendicularly to the direction of the muscle action. Because the normal activity of these underlying muscles accentuates the wrinkles, the injection of BOTOX® Cosmetic temporarily abolishes this muscle activity, and therefore diminished the overlying wrinkles.

BOTOX® Cosmetic is strategically injected through the skin into these muscles in small therapeutic doses. It can be used to treat the "frown lines" of the mid-forehead between the eyebrows and over the upper nose ("bunny lines"), prominent transverse brow wrinkles (although the desireable/youthful lateral-third flare of the eyebrow is usually preserved), and the "crow's feet" around the eyes. (BOTOX® Cosmetic typically takes effect after several days and has a maximum effect at about two weeks, after which the effect gradually fades over 3-4 months. BOTOX® Cosmetic injections (in the right hands) should have virtually no complications/side effects, and adverse reactions are exceedingly rare.

Case #1: 39 year-old Chicago-area woman before and after BOTOX® Cosmetic into mid-forehead and mid-brow (glabellar area) as well as upper nose ("bunny lines") and peri-orbital areas; approximately 2 weeks post-procedure.

Case #2: Demonstration of brow "smoothing" effect and softening of periorbital "crows' feet"
with BOTOX® Cosmetic, approximately 2 weeks post-procedure.

Case #3: 47 year-old woman before and after BOTOX® Cosmetic into mid-forehead and mid-brow (glabellar area) as well as peri-orbital ("crow's feet") areas; approximately 2 weeks post-procedure.

Since BOTOX® Cosmetic tends to degenerate for several days after being mixed/reconstituted, we must cluster patient appointments in the same several-day period, to insure that a bottle (which typically treats 2-3 patients) remains potent. Therefore, we have scheduled "BOTOX Weeks" (see News/Calendar page) at least once a month, and ask that interested patients try to come in during that week.

For more information on Botox injections, please visit the ASPS Botox information page.

(Link reference used with permission from the ASPS.)