What is Downturned Smile?
Downturned mouth corners can make the face look sad, cross or tired even at rest. The cause is usually the depressor anguli oris, a small muscle running from the corner of the mouth to the jaw, which becomes relatively stronger with age as the tissues around it lose support.
How does Downturned Smile treatment work?
A small dose of botulinum toxin is placed into each depressor anguli oris, low along the jawline and away from the muscles used for smiling. Relaxing it allows the opposing lifting muscles to take over, so the corners of the mouth settle a few millimetres higher and the resting expression softens. Where there is also volume loss, a small amount of filler can complement the result.
What are the benefits of Downturned Smile treatment?
- Softens a permanently 'downturned' or unhappy resting expression
- Subtle lift at the corners of the mouth
- Often improves marionette-line shadowing
- Quick, with no downtime
- Pairs well with filler for a more complete result