Result shared by Dr. Bita Farrell on her Instagram went viral online
Dr. Bita Farrell decided to volunteer to be her own “lab rat” to prove the effectiveness of the botulinum toxin she prescribes.
This neurotoxic compound is used for various medical purposes but is most known for its aesthetic effects — many celebrities claim it’s the secret to wrinkle-free skin.
Instead of accepting the natural progression of age and embracing their expression lines, many people opt for Botox injections, which work by temporarily immobilizing certain facial muscles.
The treatment prevents muscles from receiving signals from the nerves, blocking their contractions and resulting in smoother skin.
It’s important to note, however, that the effect is not permanent and lasts only a few months, requiring regular injections for those who wish to maintain a youthful appearance.
While all the explanation is helpful, what truly grabs attention is seeing the result live — and that’s what motivated Dr. Farrell.
She decided to apply Botox to only one side of her face — “for the sake of science and education” — to visually show the difference. Graduating from UCLA, where she also taught as a clinical professor, with over 20 years of injection experience, she had the necessary expertise to perform the procedure on herself.
Two weeks before recording the demonstration video, Dr. Farrell applied Botox to the muscles on the right lower side of her face.
She explained that she targeted the DAO muscle, which pulls the corners of the mouth down, and the platysma, which helps with mouth movements and facial expressions.
“Now, two weeks later, I’m showing my results while trying to contract the muscles on the lower part of my face,” said the California-based content creator on social media.
With an audience of 101 thousand followers on Instagram, the doctor showed how the right side of her face was visibly stiffer, while the left side remained dynamic.
“You can see that the platysma muscle on this side [left] is really contracting and pulling my jaw down, just like my DAO, pulling the corner of my mouth down,” she detailed.
Commenting on the difference on the treated side, she added: “I’m really trying to pull this side!” She also pointed out: “Look, this cheek is a little higher, this nasolabial fold looks smoother, and the same goes for the marionette shadow on this side.”
In her caption, Dr. Farrell explained technically: “The muscles of the face contract or relax. When the muscles that pull the lower face down (platysma and DAO) are injected and relaxed with a neuromodulator like Botox, the muscle that pulls the middle of the face up (zygomatic or cheek muscle) takes over and pulls the face up!”
She highlighted that the procedure helps soften marionette lines, double chins, sad expression lines, and nasolabial folds, as well as improves jawline definition and adds volume to the cheeks.
“The results last on average 3 to 4 months, and any FDA-approved neuromodulator can be used,” she informed, ending with humor: “Now, I’d better inject the other side to balance things out!”
View this photo on Instagram
Source and images: LadBible / Instagram @drbitaaesthetics. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
