Help with SINGLE frown line, not a number 11. It is 1 inch long. Plastic surgeon said it was a split muscle & should be removed?

Dr. Dean Kane Q & A.

Q.  Help with SINGLE frown line, not a number 11. It is 1 inch long. Plastic surgeon said it was a split muscle & should be removed? I am worried about the side effects of resectioning the muscle, I hear its risky. Will Botox work if I get it every 3 month religiously? And maybe add laser resurfacing? I am 45 and it gets worse every day.

A.  ​​​This is a very common concern for many patients.

​A complex of muscles between the eyebrows expressively pull them together and downward toward the top of the nose. This causes the skin to fold and over time create a increasingly permanent crease as a "11", a single fold or many smaller lines.
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​Botox, when injected properly will reduce the expressive pinching of your eyebrows together and thereby reduce the folding of the skin.  The residual skin creasing, skin thinning and fat loss between causing the furrow will not disappear without further options.

Removing or dividing the muscle will only create a deeper depression due to the muscle volume loss.
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​Options to "fill" the "1" or "11"s.

1. ​Filler do just that, add volume. They may be placed at the level of the bone, muscle, fat layer and skin.​Injectible fillers in this precise region have a higher risk of complications and must be selected carefully and performed by a artful and very experienced injector. Layering the filler(s) may be necessary to achieve the results you wish including: fat, hyaluronic acid gels and radiesse.
2. The dermis and epidermis of the skin are also thinned and you may consider stimulating the renewal of skin cell thickening and repair in this areas as well as fine lines, pigmentation and rougher sun / weather damaged facial skin with retinoids (retinols, Retin-A) and proper skin healthcare.

Consult with and consider your injector carefully! Choose a well experienced, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, ENT Facial Surgeon or Dermatologist who performs all of these options so you will not receive a biased approach because he or she is limited in their skills.

​I hope this was helpful.

All the best!