Botox: When Enough Is Enough!

What can go wrong?

As with most things, there is always some element of risk involved. Problems can happen even in the most experienced of hands. However, complications are more likely to happen if you go to an inexperienced provider. One common complication is “chipmunk cheeks.” This happens when too much dermal filler is injected into the cheeks and/or it’s injected into the wrong spaces. Of course, there’s also the stereotypical overdone lips look. Lips have natural proportions and if you go outside of those proportions, you’re left with a very unnatural pout.

The area around the eyes is especially sensitive, as it changes the whole look of the face when done wrong and can have people making assumptions about your personality. Too much Botox in the middle of the forehead or more of it in the middle than on the sides can result in a constantly-raised, stuck-up look (a.k.a. “Spock brow”). Furthermore, uneven Botox injections can lead to uneven brows, making you look permanently amused or confused! Eyelid drooping or ptosis can be caused by a misplaced injection or spreading of Botox to areas it shouldn’t be.

Then there’s the ubiquitous “frozen face” or “Botox face,” the telltale sign of too much Botox, where the entire face (minus the lips) appears to be one unmovable mass. Droopiness can affect any part of the face if injections are placed improperly. There’s also the risk of unevenness of the facial features. Again, a good provider is much less likely to cause these complications, but it’s important to know the risks.

Go to the experts

In many cases, the best remedy for the nightmare situations listed above is to prevent them from happening in the first place. This is why we can’t stress enough the importance of going to the experts! Not just anyone can administer Botox or dermal fillers. Many have the know-how, but don’t understand the aesthetics and proportions behind the human face. This includes understanding where and how much filler to place in order to preserve the natural look of the face and how to avoid going overboard. A good provider will also know their limits. You can’t come in with a round, small face and very thin lips and ask to look like Angelina Jolie without compromising a ton! So yes, a good provider may not advise doing exactly what you’re requesting, but take their advice. They know what they’re doing!

Be sure to check both reviews and credentials. For example, at the Cosmetic Injectables Center, Dr. Sherly Soleiman is one of the few physicians selected by Allergan (makers of Botox, Juvederm, and Voluma) to instruct other physicians and nurses in the administration of their products. She specializes in injections and in the proportions of the human face. Her customers most often compliment her artistic sense as well as ability to give injections almost painlessly!