Sometimes is seems there is no limit to the new uses doctors will find for Botox (and its Johnny-come-lately-cousin, Dysport).

On ABC's medical talk show yesterday, Dr. Drew (the show's resident plastic surgeon) demonstrated a technique that can minimize an overly "gummy" smile. With this method, Botox is injected into the muscle responsible for lifting the lip into a smile. The nerve impulses that tell the lip to lift are weakened, and voila--less gum showing!

The side-by-side before and after photos showed what I personally felt was little difference. Yet of course, the patient treated on the show was very happy with her results. (Otherwise I'm guessing they might have opted to skip the segment altogether.)

If you have a too-gummy smile and feel you would be happy with a slight-moderate improvement that lasts 3-6 months, then this procedure may be worth looking into. However, it is important to understand that Botox injections are not without risk, especially when used in the area around the mouth.

If you choose to go for it, be very careful to choose a doctor who has extensive experience using Botox for this specific procedure. If you make the wrong choice, and the doctor over-injects or injects in the wrong place (which could be within just a couple millimeters of the right place), and you could be left unable to smile at all until the Botox wears off in about 3-6 months.

See plastic surgery before and after photos.

Life isn't fair. Especially if you're a woman. We are expected to be the "fairer" sex -- to get our bodies right back into shape after pregnancy, a la celeb super-moms like Heidi Klum and Jessica Alba. We compare our faces to the plump, smooth, impossibly even-toned visages of perpetually youthful stars like Demi Moore and Nicole Kidman. We bemoan the perception that men become more "distinguished" with age, while we simply get older.

To add insult to injury, a recent study has just proven that, yes, women are more likely than men to have more (and deeper) wrinkles at least in one area of the face -- around the mouth. These wrinkles (known in medical terms as perioral wrinkles) are believed to be more severe in women for several reasons:

• Compared to men, women's perioral (around the mouth) skin contains fewer sweat and sebaceous (oil) glands. The presence of these glands is believed to provide some protection and lubrication to the outer layers of the skin, as well as natural plumping of the deeper layers of skin.
• Compared to men, women's perioral skin contains fewer blood vessels. More blood vessels mean more oxygen and other nutrients are delivered to the skin. More oxygen and nutrients = more resilient, youthful skin.
• Compared to men, the muscular fibers surrounding a woman's mouth have a closer, tighter attachment to the dermis. It is believed that this may cause a downward pull on the skin's surface, thereby creating more pronounced wrinkles.

Treating wrinkles in this area of the face is challenging, because the use of Botox in this area is generally not recommended. Currently, the only ways of treating this area are the use of injectable dermal fillers, chemical peels, and laser resurfacing. Although not unheard of, it is interesting to note that attempting to correct perioral wrinkles through surgical means (like a face lift) can result in an odd-appearing, "pulled" look around the mouth.

The results of this study are important to cosmetic medicine because we are constantly striving to come up with better ways to prevent and treat perioral wrinkling. To this end, we must develop a better understanding of why women wrinkle more in this area. Ergo, this study's findings, while depressing for women everywhere, are nonetheless useful.

It seems there is a new "breakthrough" in cosmetic medicine every day. Introducing Zerona---one of the latest, most-hyped entrants into the non-invasive cosmetic procedure market. If you haven't heard of it yet, you haven't been paying attention while Zerona was making the rounds on such popular  TV shows as Extra and Rachel Ray, among others.

Zerona is a laser device that looks like something straight out of a science fiction movie, with multiple laser-emitting "tentacles" projecting this way and that from a dark and ominous-looking base. The treatment is applied externally to fatty areas of the body (no incisions required). The claim is that Zerona's low-light lasers emit targeted energy which penetrate through the skin and cause the fat cells to release their fatty contents into the space between the cells, where they are then swept away by the body's own waste elimination mechanisms.

Physicians using the device claim that their patients are losing, on average, a total of 3-6 inches (measured at multiple sites) in a 2 week-long series of 40-minute treatments. This is the equivalent of losing 1-2 liters of fat. Treatments are given every other day during the 2-week period, and the average cost for a series is $2,000-$3,000. 

The results are undoubtedly more subtle than with surgical liposuction. Moreover, in many cases the cost isn't significantly less. However, for a person who is wary of going under the knife (not to mention anesthesia) to achieve her body contouring goals, Zerona could be quite appealing. Zerona is also touted as imparting a subtle skin-smoothing effect on treated areas.

Like any other emerging technology, one must weigh the pros and cons. The upside: no scalpel, no anesthesia, no pain, no downtime.

On the other hand, the biggest downside of any brand new procedure is that it is essentially unproven. There are no long-term studies to indicate how long the results from this procedure may last or what other long-term effects it may produce. In addition, there is no guarantee of the extent of your results with Zerona (although some doctors are offering a partial credit up to $1,000 toward surgical liposuction for patients who don't lose at least 3 inches with their Zerona treatments).

What do Tampa, the Bronx, and Argentina have in common? All boast recent tragic headlines about deaths related to large-volume injection of permanent filler substances used to enhance the buttocks.

The injections in question involved the use of large amounts of synthetic substances such as polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), silicone, and polyacrylimide to augment areas of the body like the buttocks and breasts. The Physicians Coalition for Injectable Safety warns that this practice can cause disfigurement, serious permanent injuries, and even death, as has been shown in real cases both in the U.S. and overseas.

In the U.S., the PMMA-based filler Artefill is the only permanent filler which is approved for use as a cosmetic injectable. However, it is not approved for injection into the buttocks or breasts. As of this writing, the only methods of buttocks augmentation which are accepted by the medical community (and supported by studies on safety and effectiveness) are the injection of the patient's own (autologous) fat and the use of FDA-approved implants.

While there are legitimate off-label uses for a variety of dermal fillers, any ethical cosmetic surgeon or dermatologist will tell you that large-volume injection of permanent synthetic fillers is a dangerous practice. The risks range from things like infection and granulomas to necrosis, kidney failure, and pulmonary embolism.

In short, for the sake of your looks, your health, and possibly even your life, it is exceedingly important to seek out a well-qualified physician who understands what types of injection procedures are unproven at best, potentially fatal at worst.

See plastic surgery before and after photos.