Can Neurotoxins Turn Your Frown Upside Down? Experts Say This Is the Solution to a Downturned Smile

Some are born with a naturally sunny disposition, while others are dealt the RBF card. One of the biggest components of having an ostensibly sullen demeanor is a mouth that sits in a frown at rest. If your downturned smile bothers you, there is a fairly simple solution. Injecting the depressor anguli oris (DAO) muscles can help actually turn your frown upside down.

Although this trend is starting to pick up steam now, Fresno, CA dermatologist Dr. Kathleen Behr says she’s been performing the technique for years. Scottsdale, AZ plastic surgeon Kelly Bomer, MD says the concept dates back to the ‘90s and was first described by Dr. Jean and Alastair Carruthers. If this tweakment appeals to you, read on for expert insight into the frown upside down injection technique.

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Can a neurotoxin really help lift the corners of my mouth?

Yes, if done by a skilled board-certified doctor, strategically placed neurotoxins can help lift the corners of your mouth, thereby “turning your frown upside down,” says Dr. Behr. “These injection techniques give great, subtle improvements, but must be done by a provider with expert anatomy knowledge.”

How do DAO neurotoxin injections work?

“Injecting the DAO, which pulls down the corners of the mouth, helps relax these muscles. This results in a slight lifting of the corners of the mouth and a happier look,” explains Dr. Behr. “Techniques for optimal aesthetic outcomes with DAO injection continues to be modified and perfected by creative expert injectors,” notes Dr. Bomer who has modified the Carruthers’ original placement and dosage of injection “to tailor the result to a more aesthetically favorable appearance at rest and with facial animations.” Furthermore, dosing, exact injection site and the type of neurotoxin vary from patient to patient to address their individual anatomy, she adds.

Things to consider

Dr. Behr warns that the depressor labii inferioris (DLI) muscle is next to the DAO, and it must not be injected to avoid an asymmetrical smile. “If not done carefully with design and precision, adverse results can cause an asymmetric smile with one side of the lip lacking the ability to show the bottom teeth, a joker mouth at rest, and a strange stiffness and puckering with animations,” says Dr. Bomer.

There’s also the Nefertiti lift

Another way to potentially reduce the appearance of a natural frown is through injecting the platysma muscle, says Dr. Behr. This is referred to as a Nefertiti lift and it aims to lift the jowls and jawline, which could help with a downturned smile.