Bunny Lines

Bunny lines refer to the small, slightly diagonal wrinkles on both sides of the nose, right below the bridge, that appear when you wrinkle your nose. Like many types of facial wrinkles, bunny lines are caused by repeating certain facial expressions. They often appear more pronounced when you smile or laugh, so they may not be very visible when your face muscles are at rest.

As you get older, like most wrinkles, even nose wrinkles will deepen over time. Some people find them charming, but others may feel that bunny lines age their face and are self-conscious about it. If you fall into the latter category, there are things you can do to minimize the appearance of nose wrinkles if they are bothering you.

What Causes Bunny Lines

These small lines typically occur when a person scrunches up their nose, similar to when a bunny lifts its nose. Some people are more prone to getting bunny lines based on the way that they make their facial expressions.

But there is another factor that causes these lines to develop. If you have had too much botulinum toxin A injected on your forehead between your eyebrows, the other muscles in your face will have to work extra hard to compensate. Which is why you might end up developing bunny lines.

How to Treat Bunny Lines with Botulinum Toxin Type A

Botulinum toxin is a protein produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum which blocks the electrical impulses that make the facial muscles contract. Used as a cosmetic ingredient, it can be injected into your muscles to temporarily block signals from your nervous system that tell certain muscles to move.

Since many fine lines on your face, including bunny lines, are caused by your muscles making the same contraction over and over, blocking this signal can minimize the appearance of these wrinkles. Botulinum toxin injections can also slow the formation of new lines by preventing contraction of facial muscles.

How Does the Procedure Work

Treating bunny lines with botulinum toxin is a minimally invasive procedure, simple and straightforward. It does not involve incisions or general anaesthesia and has minimal downtime.

Before your treatment you will have a consultation with Dr Nina to discuss your concerned areas, ideal results, side effects and to disclose any medications or medical history.

48 hours before the treatment you should avoid drinking any alcohol. On the day of the procedure, a thin, sterilized needle is used to inject the neurotoxin into the skin around both sides of your nose.

This procedure will typically require multiple injections, but it should not take long (typically less than an hour). If you are concerned about pain or discomfort, a topical anaesthetic or ice can numb the treatment area.

The injections are placed high up on the nose, to the sides of the bridge of the nose and into the area of maximum wrinkling. The depth of the injection is placed very superficial, into the skin overlying the nose muscle. The toxin will then diffuse down gradually into the muscle.

Aftercare and Results

Right after the procedure, you may notice a stinging or numbness in the area of your injections. These side effects should wear off within a day or so.

Botox is a treatment that requires minimal recovery and downtime. The procedure itself is a quick one, and you may even be able to return to work immediately afterward. You should avoid working out for at least a few hours after the injections. But after 24 hours, you should be able to resume all your normal activities.

While you may feel some lack of response from your muscles right away, botulinum takes several days to take full effect. Within 3 to 4 days, you will start to see results, but it may take up to 14 days to see the best results.

Results last up to 6 months, after which you may decide to go for maintenance appointments twice a year or more.

Side Effects and Contraindications

Botulinum toxin injections are considered safe for most people, but there are possible side effects risks. Common side effects include: swelling, bruising, bleeding, mild burning or discomfort.

Other, more serious side effects can indicate complications from the treatment but are extremely rare.

Women that are pregnant or breastfeeding should not have botulinum injections. Also, patients that have a previous allergic reaction to it should avoid this type of treatment.

Treatments of bunny lines with botulinum toxin are available at Dr. Nina Facial Sculpting clinics and subject to previous consultation.