Botox can bring smile for kids with facial paralysis

Botulinum toxin A, more commonly known as Botox, can safely be used to bring back smiles on paralysis-struck children's faces, a new study says.

Injecting Botox appears to be a safe procedure to improve smiles by restoring lip symmetry in children with facial paralysis, a condition they can be born with or acquire because of trauma or tumour, according to the study.

"We have shown that botulinum toxin A significantly improves symmetry of the lower lip, is safe and has a potential for restoration of permanent symmetry," said study co-author Siba Haykal of the University of Toronto, Canada.

Botulinum toxin A is an effective treatment in adults to achieve facial symmetry after facial paralysis. Severe cases of facial paralysis can require surgical reconstruction, whereas milder cases can be treated with muscle transfer and other techniques.

The researchers reviewed medical records and identified 18 children with facial paralysis treated with botulinum toxin A injections from 2004 through 2012.

The authors used facial analysis software to measure lower lip symmetry in patients' smiling photographs before and after the treatment.

The authors did not observe complications in patients who received botulinum toxin A and facial symmetry improved. The findings were published online in JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery.