Are the myths associated with Botox injections true? Dr. Joel Kopelman discusses Botox and the common myths and misconceptions about it on Medical Mythbusters.

Dr. Joel Kopelman, an oculoplastic surgeon who has been working with Botox since 1983, taps into his extensive experience and knowledge with Botox to give informative insight while dispelling the rumors.

DOES BOTOX REALLY FREEZE YOUR FACE?

The first thing to know about Botox is that it is not a filler but a toxin that temporarily paralyzes your muscles. This sounds scary and gives the impression that Botox injections can prevent you from moving your face, but as Dr. Joel Kopelman says, this myth is nonsense. You will still be able to move your face after being injected with Botox.

While it is completely possible to inject every single inch of your forehead so it doesn’t move, who would actually do that? There are some people out there who don’t want any visible lines on their forehead. This would leave the patient looking completely unnatural. Dr. Joel Kopelman strongly discourages this and believes you should still have some expression left in order to achieve a natural, aesthetically pleasing look.

HOW LONG DOES BOTOX LAST AND IS IT REVERSIBLE?

The number one misconception about Botox is how long it lasts. Botox only lasts for a maximum of three to four months. The notion that Botox can last up to six months to a year is completely false. This brings us to the next Botox myth, is it possible to reverse a “bad” Botox injection? Unfortunately, there is no way to reverse a Botox injection. There is no miracle antidote to cancel it out. Patients will just have to wait it out until the Botox wears off and they gain recovery of their muscles.

IS CHEAP BOTOX TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE?

There are no shortages when it comes to deals on Botox. The question is can Botox really be both cheap and effective? Sadly, if you see Botox being offered for an insanely low price, it’s probably too good to be true. It is completely possible to dilute Botox. Dr. Joel Kopelman warns that Botox can have any amount of water mixed into it in order to make more of it. This will obviously not have the same effective results since the diluted Botox will not be as powerful as concentrated Botox. If you see a deal for really cheap Botox, it’s highly likely that it has been diluted past the point of being effective. Yes, it is cheaper, but it definitely won’t give you the same results as more expensive concentrated Botox. Keep this in mind and be careful before you jump on that “too good to be true” Botox deal.

BOTOX CAN CAUSE FACIAL IMBALANCE

Dr. Joel Kopleman shares the most common problem areas where he injects Botox: crow’s feet, low brows, frown lines, the “11s”, bunny lines, and Spock Brows. He stresses the importance of balancing Botox injections, which consists of injections in between the brows, on the outer ends of the brows, and on the upper parts of the forehead. This ensures that the brow doesn’t form an inverted V-shaped contour and that a natural contour that raises the brow can be achieved.

So what happens when Botox injections aren’t balanced? Facial imbalances are a very real thing and not a Botox myth. Dr. Joel Kopelman talks about correcting Spock Brows with Botox injections, but what exactly are they? Spock Brows are an overly arched eyebrow with its peak out to the side of the forehead. They occur when there is an imbalance in facial muscles resulting from a single injection of Botox being injected into the middle of your eyebrows. These muscles are inhibited and are no longer able to pull down. The muscles in your forehead are still pulling up, creating a weird looking brow contour.

Sometimes Botox will be injected right above the brow to remove a line. The Botox can drift down into the eyelid and cause ptosis (a droopy eyelid) if injected incorrectly on the forehead. Dr. Joel Kopelman makes sure that his patients know about the risks of ptosis. He doesn’t want to inject too close to the brow area because there is a chance that the Botox can drift down and paralyze a muscle that opens their eyelid up. While a temporary inconvenience, this can definitely cause a lot of distress for patients.

EXPERIENCE IS A NECESSITY, NOT A MYTH

Before getting Botox, you need to make sure you go to a doctor with a deep understanding of facial anatomy. Ideally, you want to find a doctor with a solid understanding of facial muscles, particularly muscles around the forehead and around the eyelid. This is crucial because if you get injected incorrectly, you won’t get the results you want. You might run into problems such as peaked brows, one brow ending up higher than the other, droopy eyelids, etc. Seek a doctor who has experience and knows what they are doing. Find a doctor that can give you the facts about Botox while dispelling the myths and misconceptions. Even though Botox injections are a fairly simple procedure, experience does matter if you’re looking to achieve the best results possible.