Dr. Sandra Lee, A.K.A Dr. Pimple Popper, and founder of SLMD Skincare is a board certified Dermatologist with specific interests in cosmetics and surgery — meaning she sees patients for a variety of treatments and procedures beyond pimple popping - one being facial injectables like Botox. Here is what you need to know about Botox + a closer look at two treatments done by Dr. Lee herself. 

What is Botox, and how does it work? 

While Botox is the most commonly known brand name, other FDA approved versions on the market include Dysport and Xeomin and Jeuveau. Botox is the brand name for a protein called botulinum produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria, which blocks communicating signals between the nerves and muscles, preventing specific targeted muscles from contracting. For example, if you can’t contract the specific muscles that cause us to frown and create folds between our eyebrows, you can prevent these deep lines and wrinkles from deepening more or even prevent them from happening in the first place.  Botox is most commonly used to soften lines between the eyebrows, around the eyes, and the forehead. Aside from treating wrinkles, Botox can also improve other medical conditions like TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorder, migraines, excessive sweating known as hyperhidrosis, etc.

First Treatment: Glabella Lines “Elevens”

“For Amanda, I used Botox to smooth out the lines on her glabella which is the area between her brows, (those lines used to make a mean or scowling face) often called “elevens”. Amanda is young so she doesn’t need much, but the results should last 3-4 months. “Baby Botox” like this is great in a younger person, because it temporarily prevents specific muscles from moving, which means she can’t create these lines between her brows when she scowls or frowns.  It is actually preventative, because if she can’t create these lines, they won’t get deeper, and chronic frowning for many of us can lead to permanent frown lines in the area. If you can’t create the lines anymore because of Botox treatments, then you probably won’t develop wrinkles over time!”

Second Treatment: Glabella Lines “Elevens” & Forehead Lines

“For Olivia, I did the similar injections in the glabellar region to smooth out her “elevens” and also treated the horizontal lines across her forehead. These horizontal lines in the forehead are caused by movement of the frontalis muscle (the one that allows us to raise our eyebrows!). You might notice that I wiggle the skin a bit before injecting, and this is because the nerves that communicate pain and the nerves that communicate vibrations are competing… so when we wiggle, we are communicating vibration to the brain, instead of pain. You’ll notice that Botox is a pretty quick & painless procedure.”

Below, watch these procedures firsthand: 

At the end of the day, Dr. Lee says, “it should be known that no one NEEDS botox. However, if certain lines or wrinkles bother you, you are trying to prevent future signs of aging, or struggle with any of the medical conditions mentioned, it is a treatment that you can explore. I would recommend doing your research, and then finding a board certified Dermatologist to walk you through treatment options and pricing.”