the invention described herein is directed , in certain embodiments , to methods of treating a category of lip deformity characterized by excessive bulk to the upper and / or lower lip with excessive exposure of mucous membrane . this condition is referred to as hypervolemic lip deformity or lip ectropion . hypervolemic lip deformity can be perceived by the patient in the same vein as excessive prominence of the nose , jaw , forehead , eyebrows , or neck musculature . this condition can occur sporadically but occasionally is associated with specific populations . for example , african - americans and other dark - skinned populations frequently have excessive lip bulk which can be reduced by the methods described herein . sporadically , excessive lip bulk may be associated with jaw malocclusion or craniofacial abnormalities . surgery to debulk or reduce lip volume can be painful and disfiguring . consequently , few patients are interested in undergoing this ordeal . the present inventor has demonstrated using an animal model that shrinkage of large paraspinal muscles may be obtained upon administration of pharmaceutical preparations of botulinum toxin . this was observed using gross dissection and microscopic anatomy . this feature , combined with ease of injection of a botulinum toxin , provides a facile method to treat hypervolemic lip deformity without surgery by multiple injections within the orbicularis ori muscle creating muscle fiber atrophy and hence decreased lip bulk . additionally , decreased muscle tone associated with adjacent lip retractors functions to intort the lip ( i . e . rotate the lip inward ) further giving the impression of smaller lips . such retractors include mentalis , zygomaticu , risorius , nasal labialis , quadratus labii inferioris , and incisivus labii inferioris . in one embodiment of the methods of the present invention , a patient is identified with hypervolemic lips who is desirous of lip size reduction at rest and during dynamic facial movements . contraindications to the use of botulinum toxin ( wherein use of botulinum toxin would be ruled out ) include , for example , facial myopathy , myasthenia gravis and concurrent use of aminoglycoside antibiotics . in one embodiment , botulinum toxin in freeze - dried or liquid formulation is drawn into a syringe at a fixed dosage per 0 . 1 cc . other dose dilutions are possible . injections are made in multiple locations through the lip mucous membrane in at east 4 locations per lip . lip retractors are not directly injected but may be injected if lip size is not adequately reduced by injecting the lip structure directly . topical anesthetics such as 4 % lidocaine cream or cetacaine spray may be used to reduce the discomfort of the procedure . the effect does not occur immediately , but slowly over about 3 to about 5 weeks . repeated injections are necessary over about 3 to about 4 month intervals . asymmetry of mouth position during rest or dynamic movements may be addressed by “ touch - up ” injections after about 3 to about 5 weeks . the botulinum toxin , when injected in multiple locations provides a method of muscle shrinkage which reverses over a 3 - 4 month period . decreased resting muscle tone and contractility represent the muscular effect of botulinum toxin due to the partially denervated state . shrinkage of muscle fiber after point injection is seen in fiber after 4 weeks in table 1 . the invention described herein is also directed to methods for reducing facial muscle bulk and altering facial contour as well as methods of reducing facial volume . a . pharmaceutical compositions comprising botulinum toxin and a sequestration agent pharmaceutical compositions comprising botulinum neurotoxin and a sequestration agent are described in co - pending u . s . application ser . no . 10 / 740 , 755 filed dec . 22 , 2003 which is hereby incorporated by reference into the present application in its entirety . use of such pharmaceutical compositions comprising botulinum toxin and a sequestration agent is contemplated in the methods of the present invention , but is not required . as set forth in the co - pending &# 39 ; 755 application , in one embodiment , the sequestration agent is present in an amount between 550 and 550 , 000 μg sequestration agent per 100 ld 50 units botulinum toxin . in another embodiment , the sequestration agent is present in an amount between 550 and 5 , 500 μg sequestration agent per 100 ld 50 units botulinum toxin . in a further embodiment , the sequestration agent is present in an amount between 5 , 500 and 13 , 000 μg sequestration agent per 100 ld 50 units botulinum toxin . in a preferred embodiment , the sequestration agent is present in an amount between 13 , 000 and 50 , 500 μg sequestration agent per 100 ld 50 units botulinum toxin . in a more preferred embodiment , the sequestration agent is present in an amount between 50 , 500 and 505 , 000 μg sequestration agent per 100 ld 50 units botulinum toxin . in the most preferred embodiment , the sequestration agent is formulated as encapsulated microspheres in an amount between 50 , 500 and 90 , 500 μg sequestration agent per 100 ld 50 units botulinum toxin . in another embodiment , the methods may be practiced with a composition comprising botulinum toxin and a sequestration agent , wherein the sequestration agent is present in an amount between 550 and 900 , 500 μg sequestration agent per 100 ld 50 units botulinum toxin , wherein the albumin may be formulated as a solid albumin particle . the botulinum toxin of the present compositions may be selected from a variety of strains of clostridium botulinum . in a preferred embodiment , the compositions of the present invention comprises a botulinum toxin selected from the group consisting of botulinum toxin types a , b , c , d , e , f and g . in a preferred embodiment , the botulinum toxin is botulinum toxin type a . in a more preferred embodiment , the botulinum toxin is botulinum toxin type a from the hall strain of clostridium botulinum . in another embodiment , the compositions of the present invention comprise a botulinum toxin that consists essentially of fractionated - light - chain botulinum toxin . in yet another embodiment , the botulinum toxin consists essentially of a mixture of hybrid and chain - translocated forms of botulinum toxin . in a further embodiment , the botulinum toxin consists essentially of chimeric forms of botulinum toxin . although the present invention may utilize any botulinum toxin , botulinum toxin fragment that retains neurotoxic activity , botulinum toxin chimeras and hybrids , chemically - modified botulinum toxin , and specific activities well known to those of ordinary skill in the art , in one embodiment the botulinum toxin is purified to a specific activity greater than or equal to about 20 ld 50 units per nanogram botulinum toxin . in certain embodiments , the compositions of botulinum toxin and a sequestration agent are such that the ratio of ld 50 units of botulinum toxin to μg sequestration agent is less than or equal to about 0 . 2 for botulinum toxin type a and is less than or equal to about 10 for botulinum toxin type b . the compositions used in the methods of the present invention , in addition to comprising a botulinum toxin and optionally a sequestration agent , may further comprise a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and / or zinc and / or a zinc salt . in one embodiment , the botulinum toxin is noncovalently bound to the a sequestration agent . in another embodiment , the botulinum toxin is covalently bound to the sequestration agent . the methods of the present invention may be practiced using compositions of a botulinum toxin and optionally , a sequestration agent , wherein the sequestration agent is selected from the group consisting of : proteins , lipids and carbohydrates . in a preferred embodiment , the sequestration agent is albumin , collagen , epinephrine or hyaluronate . in a more preferred embodiment , the sequestration agent is hyaluronate . in the most preferred embodiment , the sequestration agent is albumin . the methods of the present invention may also be practiced using compositions comprising a botulinum toxin and , optionally a sequestration agent , wherein the sequestration agent is an albumin , preferably human serum albumin . furthermore , in one embodiment , the albumin of the present compositions is recombinantly produced . in one embodiment , the albumin is present in an amount between 550 and 5 , 500 μg albumin per 100 ld 50 units botulinum toxin . in a further embodiment , albumin is present in an amount between 5 , 500 and 13 , 000 μg albumin per 100 ld 50 units botulinum toxin . in a preferred embodiment , albumin is present in an amount between 13 , 000 and 50 , 500 μg albumin per 100 ld 50 units botulinum toxin . in a more preferred embodiment , albumin is present in an amount between 50 , 500 and 505 , 000 μg albumin per 100 ld 50 units botulinum toxin . in a most preferred embodiment , albumin is formulated as encapsulated microspheres in an amount between 50 , 500 and 90 , 500 μg albumin per 100 ld 50 units botulinum toxin . in one embodiment of the present invention , the methods of the present invention may be practiced using compositions comprising a botulinum toxin and , optionally , at least one sequestration agent . in a preferred embodiment , the methods of the present invention may be practiced using compositions comprising a botulinum toxin and albumin and further comprising one or more additional sequestration agents . as used herein , “ effective amount ” is an amount sufficient to produce a therapeutic response . an effective amount may be determined with dose escalation studies in open - labeled clinical trials or bin studies with blinded trials . as used herein , a “ subject in need thereof ” is any patient suffering from a deformity arising from excessive tissue bulk or muscle bulk or tissue volume or muscle volume . as used herein , a “ deformity ” is any physical blemish , imperfection or distortion caused by or associated with excessive tissue bulk or muscle bulk or tissue volume or muscle volume , as perceived by the subject having the deformity . as used herein , one ld 50 unit of botulinum toxin is the dose necessary to kill 50 % of a population of about 20 gram to about 30 gram swiss - webster mice . as used herein , “ sequestration agent ” means an agent that enhances localization and / or retention of the botulinum toxin to the site of administration . the following examples are meant to illustrate the methods of the invention and are in no way intended to limit the scope of the invention . case description of reduction of hypervolemic lip size and volume using botulinum toxin ac is a 49 year old woman with a life - long history of excessive lip size . ac stated that she found this condition disfiguring and desired lip volume reduction . ac had worked as a psychologist and felt that this feature ( excessive lip size ) distorted her ability to communicate with patients and detracted from her personal appearance . the option of using botulinum toxin as a method to shrink the muscle fiber comprising a major component of her excessive lip volume was offered and she expressed the desire to proceed with this intervention . after explaining possible side effects including mouth movement asymmetry and possible temporary drooling , she wished to proceed . about 20 units of botulinum toxin type a were injected at four locations within the upper lip and about 20 units of botulinum toxin type a were injected into multiple locations in the lower lip . after about 3 weeks , the patient noted considerable reduction in lip size and less exposure of lip mucous membrane . the effect was noted to last for about 3 - 4 months . by shrinking muscle volume in ac &# 39 ; s lips by creating neurogenic atrophy induced by botulinum toxin , lip volume and contour were altered and disfigurement mitigated . influence of injection doses on muscle fiber size using botulinum toxin type a using doses of botulinum toxin type a varying from about 1 . 25 units per injection point to about 15 units per injection point , the influence of injection doses on muscle fiber size was examined and the results are shown in table 1 . the listed doses represent use of botulinum toxin type a . for botulinum toxin type b , 100 - 500 units are anticipated per injection point . other formulations can be selected for dose using regional denervation bioassays comparing the potency of the preparation with that of botulinum toxin type a formulated as botox ™ or purtox ( see table 1 ). in table 1 , average muscle fiber cross - sectional diameter is shown in microns ( with standard deviation ) at increasing distances from the point of injection for purtox dose escalations . comparable denervation results were obtained with botox ™ ( n = 100 , per biopsy location , bioquant ii fiber counter ). a patient is identified with increased muscle bulk below the eyelids . the patient is selected for treatment with botulinum toxin based on her desire to reduce the facial muscle bulk displayed below her eyelids . multifocal injections of about 20 units of botulinum type a in a pharmaceutical composition comprising a sequestration agent are administered to the patient . after about three weeks , the patient notes a decrease in facial muscle bulk below her eyelids which is accompanied by an altered facial contour manifested by a smoother , less prominent , appearance of the skin below the eyelids .
the present invention uses pharmaceutical preparations of botulinum toxin to induce neurogenic atrophy to alter muscle volume and subsequently , facial contour . reduction in lip volume is accomplished using the disclosed methods thereby producing a favorable effect on a hypervolemic lip deformity . in other embodiments of the invention , the methods disclosed herein may be used to shrink muscle bulk and contour , especially in the face . in one embodiment , treating excessive muscle bulk below the eyelids can cause a smoothing of the lower lid and cheek contour producing a favorable improvement in appearance . such an application is in distinct contrast to rhytide as the injected region does not contain wrinkles or any other form of dynamic line , merely excessive tissue bulk .