Botox can make a significant difference in facial scarring when used on certain facial cuts as soon as possible after the injury. Knowing how to reduce scarring using Botox is part of the training that any injector should receive.

When a cut is parallel to muscle fiber direction – like a vertical cut on the forehead, for example – the area may heal well on its own and the scar may not show much because the muscle will pull the scar in the direction of the incision, helping it to blend in. If, on the other hand, the incision is horizontal or across the muscle fiber, the pulling of the muscle will attempt to pull open the injured area, making the scar larger and more prominent than it needs to be.

As Dr. Howard Katz explains in this one-minute Botox tip, patients who have cuts or incisions on the face that run at a 90-degree or similar angle to the muscle fiber can benefit from Botox to relax the underlying muscle as the area heals. Treating for at least a few months after injury with Botox can limit scar size significantly if first done right after suturing.

While Botox is widely known for its ability to relax away wrinkles and prevent them from forming in the first place, not every injector knows about the ability of Botox to prevent or reduce scarring. Knowing how to use Botox after injury is particularly useful for emergency room doctors, pediatricians and general practitioners.

To learn more about this use and many other medical and cosmetic uses of Botox, take Botox and dermal filler training from Dentox online, on demand or in person. It’s the right decision for helping your patients and helping your practice’s bottom line too.