Only trust an expert with your Botox

With over 3.7 million Botox injections in 2013, it’s obvious that this non-invasive procedure is popular. In fact, it is the most performed non-invasive procedure in the US. Such a massive amount of procedures begs the question, are they all being done properly? We all know the face of an over-done celebrity from fillers and Botox, why is it still so popular?

The answer lies in the fact that Botox properly injected by an expert is completely different than the results found on TMZ. Dr. Christine Hamori, a board certified plastic surgeon in Boston, has been injecting Botox for a long time and uses her deep understanding of facial anatomy to refresh her patients. The difference between an expert and a novice needs to be understood by patients everywhere.

By Christine A. Hamori, MD
and Adam McMillon
The Plastic Surgery Channel

What makes a Botox provider an expert?

Nurses, family doctors and even dentists are providing Botox these days due to the lucrative market. Does a dentist’s expertise really match that of a plastic surgeon when it comes to understanding how the face works? “I’ve been injecting Botox for 16 years,” says Dr. Hamori. “Over those years, I’ve learned a lot from my patients and their differing anatomies. I’ve learned how to make them look younger and better.”

“Basically what I do is a dynamic assessment. When patients come in, I don’t just go, ‘Hi, Mrs. Smith. Let’s do the Botox, you’ll be fine. OK, done, see you!’ I ask them to move their brows, I ask them what shape of brow they like. Do the lines bother them between their eyes? Do their forehead lines bother them? Are they bothered by their crow’s feet?”

Balance is key, and understanding facial anatomy is only the beginning. Experts know more than just where to inject Botox to get desired effects; they also know how the surrounding muscles will react to the Botox and take that into consideration. “You have to balance all of the muscles because Botox weakens muscles,” says Hamori. “If you weaken one, the other is a little stronger because their isn’t a counter force against it anymore. The art of it is keeping it very individual per patient.”

Paying for an expert guarantees the most visible part of your body won’t look odd

With the variety of nurses and/or physicians of unrelated disciplines marketing their Botox injections for cheaper than your local plastic surgeons, it’s no wonder many patients seek out the cheaper alternative. While patients may save some on the procedure, the final outcome probably won’t achieve their desired results and they may end up having to pay more to have it corrected.

“People who are novice injectors (such as nurse injectors who buy product from physicians) are injecting at a very inexpensive price for the Botox,” says Hamori. “They don’t have a lot of experience, and patients start to realize that they don’t look right after their Botox. They think, ‘I look funny.'”

Understanding what looks good is also a trait that board certified plastic surgeons have spent their lives working on. A nurse may be qualified to know how to safely inject the product, but do they know where to put it that maintains facial aesthetics?

“It’s a difficult perception to understand what’s not right about the face, and that happens a lot,” explains Hamori. “You have to teach the patients what’s natural and what looks good. Yes, it’s ok to have a little lines above your brow, because it looks natural and healthy, not done.