Wrinkle Botox, 1 Area

• Lines gather in one spot when you smile or frown
• You want to try just one of the five areas first
• You’re new to Botox and want to start with a small change in expression

Wrinkle Botox doesn’t restore lost volume or lift sagging skin. Deeply set lines can be planned together with fillers or skin boosters.

• 01

  Where you are now, and where we start

  Which one expression line among the five areas bothers you most right now, and whether it appears only when you move your face

• 02

  The change you want, the impression you keep

  Lines that stay deeply etched even when your face is at rest don’t smooth out well with Botox alone, so we first tell whether the line forms with movement.

• 03

  How it differs from similar options

  The forehead muscle is the one that lifts the brows, so if your eyelids feel heavy or your brows already sit low, we consider the dose and placement separately.

• 04

  Health information and recovery schedule

  What looks like a line under the eyes can sometimes come from protruding fat or sagging skin, so an examination tells us whether Botox is right for that spot.

Wrinkle Botox doesn’t fill lines — it reduces the strength of the muscle that folds them.

Botulinum toxin blocks the release of the substance (acetylcholine) that carries the contraction signal from the nerve ending to the muscle. When the injected muscle moves less, the skin above it folds less and expression lines become fainter. The effect appears over several days and wears off gradually as the nerve forms new connections. In the US, Botox Cosmetic is approved for frown lines, crow’s feet and forehead lines; the under-eye area and the bridge of the nose are areas where doctors use it on their own judgement outside that approval.

How it works

• 01

  Forehead

  Forehead lines are made by the frontalis muscle, which lifts the brows. This muscle also holds the brows up, so injecting too low can make the brows feel heavy; we therefore keep the injection points well above the brows.

• 02

  Between the brows

  Vertical lines between the brows are made by muscles that pull the brows inward and downward. The stronger the frowning habit, the thicker these muscles, so we choose the injection points while watching you frown.

• 03

  Around the eyes

  The fan-shaped lines at the outer corners of the eyes when you smile are made by the outer part of the muscle circling the eye. So that your smile doesn’t look unnatural, we don’t inject too far down toward the cheekbone.

• 04

  Under the eyes · bridge of the nose

  Fine lines under the eyes come from the lower part of the muscle circling the eye, and the slanted lines on either side of the nasal bridge come from the muscle that scrunches the nose. Both muscles are thin, so only a very small amount is used.

1. 01

   Looking at expressions

   We ask you to raise your forehead, frown and smile, and look at where the lines form and how the two sides differ.

2. 02

   Choosing the area and product

   We decide on one of the five areas and which product to use: Korean-made, Coretox or imported.

3. 03

   Review after 2 weeks

   Around 2 weeks, when the effect has settled, check the left–right balance in the mirror and let us know if you notice a difference.

What the procedure is like

• Most people can go about their day right after the injections.
• Don’t rub or press the injection points for a few hours.
• On the day, it’s best to avoid things that heat up the face, such as saunas or strenuous exercise.

Safety & considerations

Wrinkle Botox reduces expression, and whether you like the reduced movement differs from person to person. We start with a small amount and look at individual differences in effect and duration together.

1. Same day

   Needle marks

   Small bumps or redness may remain briefly at the injection points; most people return to their day straight away.

2. A few days later

   Movement starts to soften

   You begin to notice that the area folds less when you make expressions. The timing differs from person to person.

3. About 2 weeks

   Settled

   This is when the effect is clearest, so this is when we look at the result.

4. 3–4 months

   Gradual return

   As muscle movement returns, the lines show again. (Results vary from person to person.)

Which option suits you is decided by looking at your face both while making expressions and at rest.

• Q. What is the difference between Korean-made, Coretox and imported?

  They are three different botulinum toxin products. We show you the product box before injecting so you can see which product is used. If you’ve had a product before and it worked well for you, please tell us about that experience.

• Q. Which of the five areas should I start with?

  You can start with the line that catches your eye first in the mirror. However, if the forehead is treated without looking at the area between the brows, the brows can feel heavy, so if you want only the forehead, we explain this first. Before choosing, we ask you to raise your brows, frown and smile so we can see together where the lines form and how the two sides differ.

• Q. Can it work for lines under the eyes?

  If they are fine crinkly lines that fold under the eyes when you smile, a very small amount can be tried. Shadows caused by puffiness or hollowness under the eyes don’t improve with Botox and can even look more pronounced, so we don’t recommend it. This distinction is made during the examination.

• Q. What are lines on the bridge of the nose?

  They are slanted lines that form on either side of the nasal bridge when you scrunch your nose or laugh broadly. Some people feel these lines become more noticeable after treatment between the brows, so we sometimes look at them together with that area. These lines are made by the muscle that scrunches the nose, and because it is thin, only a very small amount is used. We also tell you in advance that the nasal bridge is an area treated at the doctor’s discretion, outside the scope of the US approval for Botox Cosmetic.

• Q. If I treat just one area, won’t expressions elsewhere look unnatural?

  When movement in one area decreases, some people feel as though they use the surrounding muscles more. Check in the mirror after about 2 weeks, and if anything bothers you, we take it into account when choosing the area at your next treatment. If the balance between several areas concerns you from the start, you can compare the 3-area option, which treats three areas on the same day.