Neurotoxin to the depressor anguli oris, injected personally by Dr. Amir Mortazavi, MD.
The DAO runs from the corner of the mouth down toward the jaw. Its job is pulling the mouth corner downward — it's the muscle that makes a frown.
When it becomes overactive or dominant with age, it holds the corners of the mouth down even when your face is at rest. The result is a resting expression that reads as sad, disapproving, or stern, regardless of your actual mood.
Relaxing it lets the opposing muscles lift the corners back to neutral.
This is the treatment for "people keep asking if I'm upset."
It's one of the most commonly reported complaints in aesthetics and one of the least commonly identified, because patients describe the effect rather than the cause. They say they look tired, angry, or unfriendly — and often assume it's about the eyes or the jawline.
A quick check: relax your face completely in a mirror. If the corners of your mouth sit below the level of the center of your lips, the DAO is likely contributing.
What it does and doesn't do.
Does: softens downturn at the mouth corners · improves resting expression · reduces the "marionette" pull that deepens the lines below the corners
Doesn't: fill marionette lines already etched into the skin · add volume · lift the jawline or address jowling · change your smile
Often combined with filler. Relaxing the DAO stops the downward pull; filler addresses the volume loss beneath the corner that let it form. Chin and jawline support frequently matters here too — see chin filler and dermal fillers. Dr. Mortazavi will tell you which components your lower face actually needs.
What to expect: a few units per side, taking under a minute. Onset day 3 to 5, full effect around two weeks. Duration typically three to four months.
This is a small treatment where placement is everything. The DAO sits directly adjacent to the depressor labii inferioris, which controls lower lip movement. Product placed too medially or too superficially can affect your smile — producing asymmetry or a lower lip that doesn't move evenly. It resolves, but it lasts as long as the treatment does.
Conservative dosing and accurate placement are the whole treatment here, which is why it's performed by Dr. Mortazavi personally rather than delegated.
Neurotoxin to the depressor anguli oris, injected personally by Dr. Amir Mortazavi, MD.
The DAO runs from the corner of the mouth down toward the jaw. Its job is pulling the mouth corner downward — it's the muscle that makes a frown.
When it becomes overactive or dominant with age, it holds the corners of the mouth down even when your face is at rest. The result is a resting expression that reads as sad, disapproving, or stern, regardless of your actual mood.
Relaxing it lets the opposing muscles lift the corners back to neutral.
This is the treatment for "people keep asking if I'm upset."
It's one of the most commonly reported complaints in aesthetics and one of the least commonly identified, because patients describe the effect rather than the cause. They say they look tired, angry, or unfriendly — and often assume it's about the eyes or the jawline.
A quick check: relax your face completely in a mirror. If the corners of your mouth sit below the level of the center of your lips, the DAO is likely contributing.
What it does and doesn't do.
Does: softens downturn at the mouth corners · improves resting expression · reduces the "marionette" pull that deepens the lines below the corners
Doesn't: fill marionette lines already etched into the skin · add volume · lift the jawline or address jowling · change your smile
Often combined with filler. Relaxing the DAO stops the downward pull; filler addresses the volume loss beneath the corner that let it form. Chin and jawline support frequently matters here too — see chin filler and dermal fillers. Dr. Mortazavi will tell you which components your lower face actually needs.
What to expect: a few units per side, taking under a minute. Onset day 3 to 5, full effect around two weeks. Duration typically three to four months.
This is a small treatment where placement is everything. The DAO sits directly adjacent to the depressor labii inferioris, which controls lower lip movement. Product placed too medially or too superficially can affect your smile — producing asymmetry or a lower lip that doesn't move evenly. It resolves, but it lasts as long as the treatment does.
Conservative dosing and accurate placement are the whole treatment here, which is why it's performed by Dr. Mortazavi personally rather than delegated.
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