#AskID Anti-wrinkle injections

We asked Prof Caitriona Ryan:
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‘Effective, well-placed botox injections should be subtle and leave a patient looking fresher and more relaxed. The era of the frozen forehead is gone!
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Using large amounts of Botox in the forehead inhibits activity of the frontalis muscle which usually lifts the eyebrows. This leads to downward descent of the eyebrows often resulting in a more angry expression and the eyes can seem smaller. The patient’s wrinkles may be gone but this unnatural appeance can actually make the patient look older and less beautiful.
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Conversely, strategically placed botox injections in the glabellar complex (muscles between the eyes) and at the lateral insertion of the orbicularis oculi (outer eyebrow) can elevate the brow and open the eyes. I typically inject very lightly in the frontalis region to ensure that the patient can make expressions normally but use more in these strategic positions to produce a brow lift and a more youthful appearance.
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I am a big proponent of using lesser amounts of Botox for its preventative action every 3-4 months. Botox should be subtle and stable. Patients should never lose the ability to make normal facial expressions.’