Lower-face Botox an exacting discipline

Botulinum toxin treatments in the lower third of the face and the neck require caution.

"Many practitioners are becoming more comfortable treating the upper third of the face. As our expertise evolves, we're starting to address the musculature in the lower part of the face," says Seth L. Matarasso, M.D., University of California San Francisco School of Medicine.

Dr. Matarasso offered many pearls for perfecting this procedure, including: Perfect the old - your expertise in treating the upper face - before undertaking the new.

He also emphasized knowing the facial anatomy. "When you're addressing the lower half of the face and the neck, the complications can be much more severe and unforgiving."

And don't forget to prepare patients for a different experience than in the upper third of the face.