What are anti-wrinkle injections?

Wrinkles form through repeated muscle contraction and loss of skin elasticity associated with ageing and photo damage. Anti-wrinkle injections work by relaxing the muscles. Wrinkles and fine lines become less noticeable and may even disappear.

Anti-wrinkle injections contain Botulinum Toxin (Btx), which was first used to reduce muscle spasm and contractures in Cerebral Palsy, and to ease the involuntary eye contractions of Blepharospasm. It now has many other medical uses. It is widely used in the treatment of irritable bladder, for example. The doses required for these routine procedures are higher than required to reduce wrinkles and thus Botulinum Toxin has been found to be a very safe product.

How do they help?

Anti-wrinkle injections are a subtle way to look fresher, brighter and less stressed. Injections into the upper face – forehead, smile lines around the eyes and between the eyebrows – help reduce frowning and lift the eyes for a more open look. They can also help relieve migraine. While most people start to see some effect within a few days, the full effect usually takes approximately two weeks and lasts from three to four months initially. Eventually twice yearly treatments may be all that is required.

What about side effects?

Side effects are minimal as treatment doses are so small. Most people just have some small red dots from the injections and these should disappear quickly.

Careful placement of the injections should minimise bruising. If there is bruising, application of ice and arnica cream can help it settle. There have been isolated cases of headaches (mostly after the first treatment) which usually resolve within 24 hours. Droopy eye is avoided by correct pre-treatment assessment of the client and accurate injection technique, however if this occurs it is short lived and can be treated using special eye drops. As it does not affect nerves responsible for sensation, Btx does not cause numbness of the area injected.

Before and after Btx treatment care

Before treatment:

Avoid medication that can increase your risk of bruising, such as:

• Aspirin
• St John’s Wort
• Omega 3 oils
• High dose vitamin E
  

After Treatment:

• Do not massage the treated areas on the day of treatment (avoid facial for 3 days)
• Do not apply make up for up to 4 hours after treatment
• Do not lie down for 4 hours after the treatment
• Do not apply heat to the treated area on the day of treatment
• Do not take any long-haul flights for 24 hours
• Avoid activities that cause facial flushing on the day of treatment, such as drinking alcohol, hot tub or sauna use, exercising and tanning.
• If bruising occurs, gently apply a wrapped ice pack to the area for ten mins every few hours as needed. Bruising typically resolves with one week. A cover stick and make-up can be applied immediately after treatment (apply gently). Topical or oral arnica may help the bruise resolve faster.
• Btx treatment takes two weeks to fully develop and lasts 3-4 months. Repeated treatments will then last 4-5 months. Some regular clients only require two treatments per year.

Btx may not be for you should you have any of the following conditions

• Pregnancy and breastfeeding
• Known hypersensitivity to Botulinum Toxin
• History of Myasthenia Gravis or Eaton Lambert Syndrome
• Active infection of the treatment area (e.g. Herpes simples, pustular acne, cellulitis)
• Hypertrophic or keloid scarring
• Bleeding abnormality (e.g. Thrombocytopenia, anticoagulant use)
• Concurrent treatment with aminoglycosides or spectinomycin
• Impaired healing (due to immunosuppression)
• Skin atrophy (chronic oral steroid use, genetic conditions e.g. Ehlers- Danlos syndrome)
• Active dermatoses in the treatment area (eczema, psoriasis)
• Gross motor weakness in the treatment area (e.g. due to polio, Bell’s Palsy)
• Neuromuscular disorders including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, Lambert-Eaton syndrome, and myopathies