PETRO
ExpressionIssue 01
Concern 01 / In the mirror
What you see 01
My makeup is piling up in the wrinkles.
I am young but already seeing lines.
I do not want to look weird.
Start with what bothers you.
Is it the line when you raise your brows? The crease you see when your face is still? Or the worry that treating it will change your expression?
Those are different concerns. Bring yours.
Go straight to the plan & costWhat holds you back 02
“Some prefer frozen- on some people that works- on very expressive people it doesn’t because they no longer look like themselves.”
Melanie Petro, MD · “Tiny tox,” June 2022
How much movement you want to keep belongs in the plan from the beginning.
Brow or eyelid drooping can happen. The forehead muscle lifts the brows, so your starting brow position matters.
The assessment includes how your forehead and the muscles around your eyes work together, before deciding where, how much, or whether to treat.
See why movement mattersMelanie Petro, MD 03
I treat my forehead lines to make them “frosted” not frozen so that I look relaxed but can still move.
From my “Tiny tox” writing, June 2022.
I learn so much about faces by watching how they move. How the muscles pull to make certain lines, which side of the face is a bit stronger- these are intimate details of a face that truly are the KEY to delivering the very best results & the most natural.
Details are everything. We may look in the mirror with a still face, but that is really the only time our faces are still.
Sometimes its a little smirk that changes everything. I love a little smirk line, preserving it keeps you looking natural & like yourself.
From my original “Passion Project” notes.
The hands holding it.
Just because you can hold a syringe 💉 and push it doesn’t mean you should.
It’s not a hammer- every face is not the same. Not even close. There is nothing “simple” about injecting and it has nothing to do with the product- it’s the hands holding it.
Melanie Petro, MD · From my original writing
Raise your eyebrows. See how your forehead folds? That is the muscle underneath pulling on your skin. It starts with a tiny message from a nerve. The messenger is called acetylcholine—or ACh. Its job is simple: tell the muscle to move.
Neuromodulators temporarily soften selected muscle activity, which can soften the lines that appear when you move. The amount of movement left is part of the conversation.
See the illustrated explanationThe practical part
Forehead lines 04
Your face. Your movement.
Your treatment plan.
Botox® · Dysport® · Xeomin® · Jeuveau®
A moving face comes first: your lines, brow position and the expressions you want to keep. The medicine and dose are chosen for that plan.
Approved treatment areas differ by product; some uses are off-label. Product units are not interchangeable.
The Recovery Reality
You can feel the injections. Temporary bumps, tenderness or bruising can happen. Many people return to their day, but visible marks are possible. Mention upcoming plans so we can talk through timing and aftercare.
The Timeline
The change develops over days, rather than while you are in the chair. Results may last about three to four months, depending on the medicine, area, dose and your response. Your follow-up is planned around your treatment.
Read the BOTOX Cosmetic prescribing information and Medication Guide. The risks and instructions for the product in your plan are discussed before treatment.
From the treatment diary 05
Melanie Petro, MD
“Never underestimate the power of tiny tox.”
My words, “Tiny tox,” June 2022.
Watch my own treatment in this April 2019 diary film.
02 / A different point of view
“It’s about making me feel better, about making me like who I see in the mirror.”Read Jaime’s story
The things people ask.
Read / Watch
From the Expression series
I’ll help you connect what you see with the choices that make sense for you.
I want between-visit skin care to fit your skin, too. Bring your routine; we’ll look at it together.
