Special-Area BotoxGangnam, Seoul
Special-Area Botox is a treatment in which a very small amount of botulinum toxin is placed into small, thin muscles such as those at the mouth corners or the nostrils. For the mouth corners, it targets the muscle that pulls the corners down; for the nostrils, the muscle that widens the nostrils sideways when you smile. QD Clinic asks you to talk and smile several times while choosing the injection points. At QD Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, South Korea, consultation helps determine which options suit your concerns.
Treatable areas
- Mouth corners
- Nostrils
Who it’s for
- Your mouth corners look turned down even at rest and people say you look sulky
- It bothers you that your nostrils flare widely when you smile
- You want to reduce only the movement, without surgery
If the downturned corners are due to sagging skin or loss of volume, Botox alone may not be enough. Reducing the actual size of the nostrils is a matter for surgery.
How it works
The smaller the muscle, the more the placement — rather than the amount — determines the result. When the muscle that pulls the mouth corners down weakens, its balance with the muscles that lift the corners shifts, and the mouth can look less downturned. When the muscle that widens the nostrils weakens, the nostrils flare less when you laugh broadly or breathe in. Both muscles are small and close to the surrounding muscles, so a very small amount is placed precisely to keep the product from spreading sideways.
THE MECHANISM, STEP BY STEP
01Mouth corners — the pulling muscle
A muscle running down from below the outer mouth corner toward the jaw drags the corners down. We locate the edge of this muscle by hand and inject only within it.
02Mouth corners — the muscle to avoid
Just inside it is the muscle that lowers the lower lip; if the product reaches it, the shape of the lower lip can change when you speak or smile. That is why we keep the injection point toward the outside.
03Nostrils — the widening muscle
A small muscle attached to the side of the nostril widens it sideways. We see how much the nostrils flare when you smile and place a small amount over that muscle.
04Start low for both
In both areas, even a slight excess can show in your expression, so we start with a small amount and adjust at the next session after looking at the movement at 2 weeks.
Treatment areas
- Discuss at consultation
- Around the mouth corners, muscles used for speaking, eating and smiling are packed closely together, so we keep the injection area narrow to reach only the muscle that pulls downward.
- Medical assessment
- If wide nostrils are due to their natural shape rather than movement, Botox won’t change them, so we compare your nose at rest and when smiling.
- Before treatment
- The mouth corners and nostrils sometimes move differently on each side to begin with, so before starting we check the left–right difference together with photos.
What the procedure is like
- 1Expression check and choosing the area
- 2Finding the muscle edge and marking the points
- 3A very small amount injected with a fine needle
- 4Pressure, then aftercare guidance before you leave
There are only a few injection points, so it is over quickly. The examination time will be explained when you visit.
Recovery & aftercare
- You can go about your day as usual on the same day.
- For a few hours after the injection, don’t rub or press the injection points.
- If talking or smiling feels unnatural within 2 weeks, let us know.
What to expect over time
A general guide to how the days and months after treatment usually unfold. Results vary by individual.
Same day Tiny needle marks
Redness or a small bruise may appear at the injection points.
A few days later Movement starts to soften
You begin to feel the mouth corners being pulled less, or the nostrils flaring less.
About 2 weeks Checking your expression
Around this time we check that nothing feels unnatural when you talk or smile.
3–4 months Gradual return
Muscle movement returns. (Results vary from person to person.)
Sessions & results
Because this treatment reduces movement, the effect is temporary; once muscle movement returns, you decide whether to have it again. It is safer to set the next amount after seeing how your expression changed after the first treatment. (Results vary from person to person.)
How it compares
For concerns around the mouth and nostrils, the right treatment depends on whether the cause is movement, volume or shape.
| Comparison | Special-Area Botox | Lip Filler | Nose Contouring Injection + Nostril Botox |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it addresses | The strength of the muscle that lowers the mouth corners or widens the nostrils | Volume of the lips and around the mouth | Contour around the nose and nostril movement |
| Suited concerns | Drooping or flaring that appears with movement | Hollow or thin lips and mouth area | When you also want to refine the contour around the nose |
| What doesn’t change | Bone, cartilage and natural shape | Muscle movement | The bone and cartilage structure of the nose |
Downturned mouth corners can be caused by both muscle and volume, so the two can be looked at together.
Safety & considerations
Possible reactions
- Redness or a small bruise at the injection points
- Mouth corners: a temporary change in lower lip movement when smiling or talking
- Nostrils: a tight feeling around the nose
- Rarely, a left–right difference
Please tell us first if
- Pronunciation or expression matters for your work (broadcasting, singing, playing a wind instrument, etc.)
- You recently had filler or a procedure on your lips or nose
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a condition affecting the junction between nerves and muscles
- You are taking muscle relaxants or certain antibiotics
The muscles at the mouth corners and nostrils are small, so even slight spread of the product can show in your expression. That is why we start with a small amount; effect and duration vary from person to person.
Your care at QD Clinic
Choosing the area
After hearing about your expressions and concerns, we decide whether to treat the mouth corners or the nostrils.
Looking at movement
We compare talking, smiling and resting to see left–right differences and the range of movement.
Start small and check
A small amount is placed at the chosen points, and after about 2 weeks we look at the change in your expression.
Frequently asked questions
It works by reducing the force that drags the corners down, so the mouth looks less downturned. It is not a treatment that pulls the corners upward, so it’s more accurate to expect a reduction in how downturned they look when your face is relaxed. The effect appears over a few days, and at about 2 weeks we check together that talking and smiling don’t feel awkward.
The size of the nostrils at rest stays the same. What this treatment does is reduce the sideways flaring of the nostrils when you smile or breathe deeply. Making the nostrils themselves smaller is a matter for surgery, so we first compare your nostrils at rest and when smiling to see whether this treatment fits.
If you want both, we explain during the consultation whether they can be done on the same day and how. The two areas use different muscles, so they are marked separately and each starts with a small amount. Both are spots where even a slight excess shows in your expression, so after about 2 weeks we look at the movement and adjust the amount for the next session.
If the product from a mouth corner injection spreads to the lower lip muscle, some sounds or the shape of your smile may feel awkward for a while. This is why we keep the injection point narrow and toward the outside; if pronunciation matters for your work, please tell us in advance. This kind of change is temporary, and if talking or smiling feels awkward within 2 weeks, please let us know.
If the area beside the mouth corners is hollow and shadowed when your face is relaxed, volume plays a larger part; if the corners are dragged down when you talk or smile, the muscle plays a larger part. During the examination we compare the two and tell you which to start with. Sometimes both play a part, and in that case we plan by looking at muscle and volume together.
For international patients
Consultation in English / 中文 / 日本語 · WhatsApp · WeChat · KakaoTalk · a 4-minute walk from Sinnonhyeon / Nonhyeon Station (hours in KST).
How many days should I stay?
Surgery and course-based treatments need a check-up. We tell you before you book whether that means staying longer or coming back another time.
For International Patients