Learn How to Treat Bunny Lines with Toxin
Learning how to treat bunny lines is a hot topic among our trainees right now! Whilst not officially part of our Level 7 syllabus, it is covered in our eLearning.
In order to bring you some useful insights on this, we interviewed clinical trainer Dr Lindsay Jones. Read on for her expert advice on treating bunny lines...
HOW TO TREAT BUNNY LINES
Dr Lindsay provides the following advice for new aesthetic practitioners...
What are bunny lines and what causes them?
“Bunny lines are the lines that form on either side of the bridge of the nose due to the contraction of the nasalis muscle. There is also some contribution from the levator labii superioris alaeque nasi muscle,” advises Dr Lindsay.
“Bunny lines can be part of a patient’s unique facial expression,” she notes. Adding, “They can also become more prominent after repetitive botulinum toxin treatment to the procerus muscle.”
“The procerus sits superiorly to the nasalis muscle and its contraction causes frown lines. When this muscle is paralysed with toxin the nasalis muscle looks more active in comparison. Thus it compensates whenever a patient attempts to frown and its contraction can become stronger.”
Are bunny lines usually treated as a standalone issue or do they tend to present alongside other issues? Should the patient also be assessed for another injectable treatment or skin treatments when these are present?
“Occasionally patients will specifically come to you complaining about bunny lines. However, it may be that you notice them as part of your examination when consulting them for other concerns,” says Dr Lindsay.
“As practitioners, we don’t want to give our patients new concerns so this needs to be handled delicately,” she notes. “It’s equally important that, if we notice these lines are getting stronger in our regular patients, we address and manage them as part of our duty of care.”
“We should always discuss other treatment options for lines and wrinkles with our patients. These include prevention with SPF, medical grade skin care such as retinoids, and collagen-stimulating treatments – chemical peels, microneedling and skin boosters, for example. This holistic approach helps us to deliver the best possible results for our patients.”
Please explain how to mark up for this treatment
“After skin cleansing, ask your patient to scrunch up their nose ‘like a bunny’,” instructs Dr Lindsay. “This is to identify the bunny lines, remembering that wrinkles form perpendicular to the muscle action.”
“You want to mark your injection point where the strongest lines form, which is usually about 1-1.5cm inferior-medially to the medial canthus of the eye,” she advises.
How do you treat bunny lines?
“Do not be tempted to inject lines that extend laterally away from the bridge of the nose as you may accidentally treat the levator labii superioris alaeque nasi muscle. Doing so can cause an asymmetrical smile,” she cautions.
“Keep your treatments high and medial, and always at least 1cm away from the medial canthus.”
“Once marked up, you can then inject 2 units of botox to each side of the nasal bridge. Personally I prefer to stand on the opposite side to the one I am treating and ask the patient to turn towards me, also using the cheek as a stabilising point,” Dr Lindsay counsels.
“The injections are superficial into the dermis just as you would do for the frontalis or lateral orbicularis oculi muscles. Once injected it’s important not to massage or rub the area as this can cause diffusion to other muscles leading to unwanted complications. If a small amount of bleeding occurs then gentle pressure should be applied.”
How long do the results last?
“It takes around two weeks for the full effects to be seen. Then, on average, the results from bunny line treatment last for approximately 3 months,” confirms Dr Lindsay.
Learning to treat bunny lines with toxin
Bunny lines are covered in the eLearning for our flagship Level 7 Diploma in Botox and Dermal Fillers course. This valuable reference resource is an engaging interactive learning tool designed to maximise your comprehension.
You can also ask your mentors for tips and technique advice during your one-to-one mentoring sessions.
Our new Advanced Botox Course will cover how to treat bunny lines in more detail.
If you’re a doctor, dentist, nurse or clinical pharmacist who'd love to learn the art of safe and effective botox treatments, book a call with our courses advisor, Christine Slater for more information.
All information correct at the time of publication
