Botox mouth lift treatments have gained attention as a way to address drooping corners that make you look tired or sad, even when you’re not. Botox for a downturned mouth targets specific muscles around your mouth that pull the corners downward over time. This Botox injection approach helps soften wrinkles and creates a more neutral or uplifted appearance on your face.
What is a Botox Mouth Lift?
A Botox mouth lift targets a specific facial muscle called the depressor anguli oris, or DAO muscle, which extends from your mouth corners down to your lower jaw [29]. This muscle pulls your mouth corners downward during certain expressions, but overactivity in this area can create a perpetual frown appearance, even at rest [29].
How Botox Works for Mouth Corners
Botox contains botulinum toxin type A, a neurotoxin that blocks communication between nerves and muscles [8]. A practitioner at Beauty Vault will inject Botox around mouth corners, and the neurotoxin prevents nerve signals from triggering muscle contraction [8]. This relaxation reduces the DAO muscle’s downward pull and allows your mouth to settle into a more neutral or subtly uplifted position [8].
The treatment approach involves low-dose injections to provide lift at your mouth corners without inhibiting normal mouth and jaw function [29]. Practitioners use careful dosing to maintain your natural movements since the DAO muscle participates in eating, drinking, and facial expressions [29].
The relaxed DAO muscle allows other facial muscles to work without resistance. Your mouth corners can turn upward as a result, creating a more relaxed and approachable appearance [4]. This could also smooth the beginning of marionette lines, which are the vertical creases that extend from your mouth corners down toward your chin [4][29].
Botox Mouth Lift vs. Lip Fillers
Understanding the difference between these treatments helps you determine which approach might suit your concerns. Botox for drooping mouth corners works by relaxing muscle activity, while dermal fillers add volume to the lips themselves [8]. Fillers inject hyaluronic acid into lip tissue to create fullness. Botox injection treatment addresses the muscle movement causing the downturned appearance [30].
These treatments serve different purposes and can complement each other. Botox around the mouth area might be appropriate if you don’t have volume loss but instead have an overactive mouth corner muscle [19]. Combining both treatments could deliver more balanced results if you experience both muscle activity and volume depletion [6][3].
What Results You Can Expect from Treatment
You’ll start noticing changes from downturned mouth Botox within two to three days. Full effects become visible at the 14-day mark [8]. Results last about three to four months [4][3][3][30][8][30], depending on your metabolism and the dosage used. Regular maintenance sessions help sustain your results over time [7].
Can Botox Really Fix Drooping Mouth Corners?
Success Rates and Effectiveness
Research supports the effectiveness of Botox for drooping mouth corners. One systematic review looked at a study with 36 patients and found that injecting botulinum toxin type A into DAO muscles resulted in a lift of the mouth corner [33]. The effect persisted for approximately half a year [33], which is longer than the typical three to four months most Botox treatments last [33].
Limitations of Botox Around the Mouth
The mouth area presents unique challenges for Botox injection treatment. Injecting botulinum toxins into this region can cause loss of emotional expression, asymmetry, and drooping [36]. The area contains numerous interconnected muscles that control eating, drinking, and facial expressions. Precision is essential [32].
The treatment requires repeat sessions since results are temporary [37]. Getting too much Botox injection in this area can cause droopy-lipped side effects like lower lip sagging or a weak smile [36].
The Botox Mouth Lift Procedure
Before Your Appointment
Your Beauty Vault provider will assess your general health during your original consultation. This includes any preexisting conditions or risk factors [1]. Come prepared to discuss why you want Botox around your mouth and what you expect from the procedure [1].
Certain medications increase your risk of bruising at injection sites. Stop taking blood thinners and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs at least 24 to 48 hours before your appointment [11][8]. Avoid alcohol for the same timeframe since it thins your blood and can make healing more difficult [11][1]. Cigarettes may increase bruising risk as well [1].
What Happens During Injection
The procedure takes 10 to 20 minutes on average [1][2]. Your Beauty Vault provider uses an ultra-fine needle to inject small amounts of Botox into the DAO muscles [2]. You’ll feel a pinch with each injection [8][192]. Most patients describe the sensation as minimal discomfort, like a tiny pinprick [12].
Your Beauty Vault provider injects two to four units into each side of your mouth [1][13]. The exact dosage varies based on your facial structure and correction goals [7]. Numbing isn’t necessary for this quick procedure [1][12], but if you’re concerned about pain, ask your provider about applying a topical anesthetic beforehand [1][11].
Risks and Side Effects of Drooping Mouth Corners Botox
Ideal Candidates for Treatment
Good candidates are those who want non-surgical solutions with minimal downtime [8][2]. You should have realistic expectations about what Botox around the mouth can achieve. The procedure provides subtle enhancements rather than dramatic transformations. You might pursue this treatment if your resting expression doesn’t match your mood or if you feel your face appears tired or stern without cause [20] [244].
Healthy adults in good overall condition make better candidates [21]. Your facial structure matters as well. Younger patients with overactive depressor muscles can benefit from this approach, even when aging isn’t the main concern.
Common Side Effects
Most side effects remain mild and temporary. You might experience bruising, swelling, redness, or pain at injection sites [5][7][25]. These resolve within 24 hours to a few days [21][1]. Headaches occur in some patients [9]. Numbness, tenderness, or nausea may also occur [26][27]. Bruising affects 11% to 25% of patients [9]. Swelling resembling mosquito bites is normal and temporary [17].
Effect on Facial Movements
Botox injection around your mouth can affect daily functions for a time. You may find it hard to pronounce certain words [17][252]. Drinking through straws, eating with spoons, whistling, and pursing your lips might become challenging for the first week [26][252][17].
Like other cosmetic procedures, this approach has limitations and potential side effects you should think about. Your facial anatomy and aesthetic goals determine whether this treatment might suit your needs. During a consult with a practitioner at Beauty Vault in West Hollywood, you can discuss whether this procedure fits your concerns. Call us today at (323) 800-6770 or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment.
FAQs
Q1. How does Botox fix droopy mouth corners?
Botox relaxes the depressor anguli oris (DAO) muscle, which naturally pulls your mouth corners downward. By blocking nerve signals to this muscle, Botox reduces its downward pull, allowing your mouth to settle into a more neutral or subtly uplifted position.
Q2. Can lip fillers complement Botox for fixing downturned mouth corners? Dermal fillers are an alternative that adds volume directly to the lips and surrounding areas, while Botox works by relaxing muscle activity. For some patients, a combination of both treatments may provide more balanced results, especially if there’s both muscle overactivity and volume loss. The best approach depends on whether your concern is primarily muscle-related or volume-related.
Q3. Will drooping side effects from Botox around the mouth go away?
Yes, any drooping or unwanted effects from Botox are temporary and will resolve as the treatment wears off. Most side effects like mild swelling, redness, or bruising disappear within a few hours to a couple of days. If more significant issues occur, they typically resolve within two to four weeks as the Botox effect diminishes.
Q4. How much Botox do I need to lift downturned mouth corners?
Most patients require two to four units of Botox per side for mouth corner lifting, though some practices may use four to eight units per side depending on muscle activity and treatment goals. The exact dosage varies based on your facial structure and the degree of correction you need.
Q5. How long do results from a Botox mouth lift last?
Results from a Botox mouth lift typically last three to four months. You’ll start noticing changes within two to three days, with full effects visible around the 14-day mark. You’ll need regular maintenance sessions to sustain your results over time, as the effects are temporary and will gradually wear off.
References
[1] – https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22362-lip-flip
[2] – https://wymorelaser.com/botox-for-mouth-corners/
[3] – https://www.plasticsurgeryak.com/blog/can-botox-help-frown-lines-around-the-mouth/
[5] – https://drhegedosh.com/blog/anti-aging/drooping-mouth-corners-lift-with-botox-dermal-fillers
[6] – https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/articles/perfect-your-pout-with-a-lip-flip
[7] – https://www.harleyacademy.com/aesthetic-medicine-articles/treating-a-down-turned-mouth-with-botox/
[8] – https://www.laseraway.com/articles/injectables/treating-drooping-mouth-corners-aka-dao-with-botox/
[9] – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7874868/
[10] – https://radiantfr.com/contraindications-to-botox-injections-in-aesthetics/
[11] – https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/8312-botulinum-toxin-injections
[12] – https://www.mitzimorrisdmd.com/blog/getting-botox-around-your-mouth-heres-what-to-expect/
[13] – https://www.newyorkfacialplasticsurgery.com/botox-how-long-does-it-last
[14] – https://radiancerx.com/what-to-avoid-after-botox-10-post-treatment-dos-and-donts/
[15] – https://pureskinlasercenter.com/blog/botox-treatments-a-comprehensive-guide/
[16] – https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/botulinum-toxin/recovery
[17] – https://www.kalosmedicalspa.com/botox-lip-flip-what-is-normal-and-what-is-not/
[18] – https://www.bodyclinic.nl/en/treatments/botox/drooping-corners-mouth/
[19] – https://dokteres.com/en/blogs/drooping-corners-of-the-mouth-botox-or-fillers/
[20] – https://renuforyou.com/smile-lift-botox-guide/
[21] – https://smartmedsf.com/botox-around-the-mouth/
[22] – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557387/
[24] – https://dermreston.com/botox-for-corner-of-mouth-lift/
[25] – https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/botox/about/pac-20384658
[26] – https://www.healthline.com/health/botox-lips
[27] – https://www.webmd.com/beauty/lip-flip
[28] – https://www.theskincentermd.com/botox-danger-zones/
[29] – https://www.michelegreenmd.com/dao-botox
[30] – https://futurebrightdermatology.com/what-the-botox-lip-flip-really-looks-like-before-and-after/
[31] – https://myeyelids.com/blog/botox-around-the-mouth-what-to-expect/
[33] – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9342679/
[34] – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S246878552200146X
[35] – https://www.dallasdermpartners.com/botox-injections/can-botox-help-a-downturned-mouth/
[36] – https://drmajidshah.com/non-surgical-cosmetic-tips/where-not-to-inject-botox/
