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The Basics of Botox and Filler Injection Techniques

A female patient receives a Botox injection from a medical professional

Nov 16 2022

Reading Time: 4 Minutes

Author: Andrea Pezzano

When it comes to nonsurgical procedures, Botox takes the number one spot in popularity. Dermal fillers come in second. These treatments are sought-after for their accessibility and instant results.

Training in this field helps medical professionals earn additional income while exploring this fascinating and rewarding career path. One of the cornerstones of toxin and filler injection practice is employing proper injection techniques.

In this article, we cover dermal filler and Botox injection techniques that all aspiring injectors need to know.

Why Injection Techniques Matter: The Risks of Subpar Practice

Although safe, Botox is still a neurotoxin. This is why clients need to put their trust in practitioners with proper training.

Proper Botox injection techniques must be used not just to produce stunning results, but to reduce complications such as bruising, droopy eyelids, uneven eyebrows, and impairments in vision.

Although dermal fillers are not toxins and are usually either naturally occurring in the body or biocompatible, proper injection techniques are still vital. This ensures that the client gets desirable results—while also preventing complications such as asymmetry, lumps, skin necrosis, and scarring.

Botox Injection Techniques

Intradermal vs. Intramuscular Injection

Botox can be injected intradermally or intramuscularly. Intradermal Botox injections are used for targeting oil glands, sweat glands, and arrector pili muscles on the skin. Meanwhile, an intramuscular Botox injection is for treating wrinkles and muscle stiffness.

Dermal filler injection for specific areas of the face

Frown Line Technique

To treat frown lines, the glabella must be targeted. The glabella is a complex set of muscles that create the frown line known as the procerus and corrugator muscles. This muscle complex creates the vertical lines between your eyebrows which can look different on each person due to habitual facial expressions and genetics. The glabellar injection technique typically, although not always, follows a v-shaped pattern of injections..

Crow’s Feet Technique

Crow’s feet refers to the wrinkles on the outer edge of the eye that resemble a crow’s foot. The Botox injection technique on the crow’s feet follows a curve, intending to relax the orbicularis oculi muscle and is very superficial as the muscle inserts into the skin in this location.

Forehead Technique

The forehead technique is used to relax the frontalis muscle. Injecting points 1.5 to 2 cm above the orbital rim is the traditional technique to treat forehead wrinkles. This prevents brow ptosis. Usually the frontalis is not treated unless the glabella is alos targeted. The glabella is the only muscle in the forehead that lifts—it is responsible for eyebrow activity and expression. An overinjected forehead can give either a “ blank stare” or cause the entire brow to feel “heavy.” A conservative approach is typically recommended in this region.

Lip Filler Injection Techniques

Vermillion Border Definition

Lip fillers were frequently injected right into the corder in the past but this is not typically the case in current injection techniques as it can lead to filler spread. The border can be enhanced through careful product selection and placement in the vermillion (red section) of the lip.

Vermillion Volume Boost

Lip filler can also be used to volumize the vermillion or the red part of the lips itself. This is done by injecting fillers into the vermillion of the lips using both linear threading and bolus techniques depending on the desired look. Careful consideration to the lip anatomy is required to maintain a natural shape and look to the lips.

Rejuvenating Filler Injection Techniques

Linear Threading

When doing the linear threading injection technique, the injector administers the product in a thin line as they retract the needles. It is used in a variety of areas—including the lips, nasolabial folds, jawline and fine, superficial wrinkles.

Fanning Technique

Using the fanning technique, the injector administers filler in a fan-like pattern coming from one injection site. This is one of the injection techniques that work best on the lower face, when trying to create overall collagen stimulation with certain fillers and in the neck. It is often used with a cannula to administer the dermal filler product.

Serial Puncture

When using a serial puncture injection technique, the injector administers small boluses of dermal filler on various puncture sites along a facial line or wrinkle.

Cross-Hatching Technique

The cross-hatching filler injection technique creates the pattern of a net. A series ofretrograde injections are done in one dimension and then another series are done at 90 degrees to the first set of lines—creating a grid like pattern. This technique is great for covering large areas of skin when trying to create more surface tension in the skin.

Sandwich Technique

The sandwich technique, also known as the dual-plane technique, involves the injection of a compatible filler on the deeper dermis and the upper portion of the dermis. This creates a “sandwich” of dermal filler. Care must be taken to place the filler in the correct planes for its approved indication.

A medical practitioner injects Botox into a patient to treat crow’s feet

Learn Precise Filler & Botox Injection Techniques with APT

If you’re a medical professional interested in upskilling by learning about lip filler and botox injection techniques, we’re here to help.

APT Injection Training is an internationally-recognized training and certification facility that provides physicians and other registered medical professionals with advanced dermal filler, lip filler, and Botox injection training. Our comprehensive modular courses will allow you to customize your specialization in the non-surgical cosmetic industry.