Anti-Wrinkle Injection Treatment
What Are Anti-Wrinkle Injections?
Anti-wrinkle injections are a non-surgical cosmetic solution designed to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Anti-wrinkle injections create a younger, fresher appearance by relaxing specific muscles that cause wrinkles. They work by blocking neurotransmitters, preventing nerve signals from reaching the muscle, and stopping it from contracting and forming wrinkles.
As your skin ages, repeated facial expressions like frowning and squinting lead to the formation of folds and creases. Over time, the skin loses its natural elasticity, causing these lines to become permanent, even when the facial muscles are at rest.
Different Types of Wrinkles
- Forehead and Frown Lines are common types of wrinkles that form on the forehead and between the eyebrows. Frown lines, also called worry lines, are vertical wrinkles that appear between the eyebrows when frowning or concentrating. Forehead lines, on the other hand, are horizontal lines that develop across the forehead when raising the eyebrows.
- Crow’s feet are fan-shaped wrinkles that form at the outer corners of the eyes, often associated with aging. Commonly referred to as laugh lines or lateral canthal lines, these wrinkles resemble the shape of a crow’s foot or claw, spreading outward from the eye area.
- Smokers’ lines, also referred to as lipstick lines, lip lines, or smoker’s lip lines, are fine vertical wrinkles that form around the mouth. While commonly associated with smoking, these persistent lines can develop as a natural sign of aging, even in individuals who have never smoked.
- Bunny lines are diagonal or horizontal wrinkles that appear on the sides of the nose when it is scrunched or wrinkled. These lines are named after a rabbit’s nose, which crinkles when it moves, mirroring the movement that causes these distinctive wrinkles.
- Gummy Smile, or excessive gingival display, occurs when too much gum tissue is visible above the top teeth while smiling. It can be caused by factors such as small teeth, overgrowth of the upper jaw, a hyperactive upper lip, enlarged gums, a short upper lip, or genetic factors, as well as poor jaw alignment or abnormal tooth eruption.
- Prominent jawline, a wide, strong is often caused by well-developed masseter muscles, which are the muscles used for chewing. This can give the lower face a broader or more square appearance. Some people naturally have strong jaw muscles, while others develop them over time due to habits like teeth grinding (bruxism) or excessive chewing.
- Chin Dimpling is a textured, dimpled appearance on the chin caused by the overactive contraction of the mentalis muscle, which moves the chin and lower lip, leading to visible dimples or wrinkles on the skin.
- Neck Bands are lines that appear on the neck, either vertical or horizontal, and are common, especially with age. These lines can contribute to loose, sagging skin, disrupting the smooth contour of the neck and affecting its youthful appearance.
- Hyperhidrosis is a medical condition characterised by excessive sweating, including in the underarms, occurring even when the body doesn’t need to cool down. This condition causes the body to release more sweat than necessary, leading to discomfort and inconvenience.
Benefits of Anti-Wrinkle Injections
Procedure
The Anti-Wrinkle procedure begins with a consultation where the practitioner, an experienced injector, evaluates your skin and discusses your desired results. Together, you’ll create a tailored treatment plan. Before the procedure, the practitioner will mark the areas of your face that will benefit most from the injections, ensuring a natural look while preserving facial expressions.
Anti-wrinkle injection Pre-care
Here are a few steps you can take to prepare for anti-wrinkle injections:
- Avoid Blood Thinners: Stop taking aspirin, ibuprofen, fish oil, and other blood thinners for 7–10 days before your appointment to reduce the risk of bruising.
- Avoid Alcohol: Refrain from drinking alcohol for at least 24 hours before your appointment, as it can thin your blood and increase bruising risks.
- Avoid Sun Exposure: Stay away from the sun, tanning beds, and sunless tanning products for the week prior to your appointment.
- Avoid Exfoliating Products: Do not use retinoids, glycolic acids, or other exfoliating products for the week leading up to your appointment.
- Avoid Hair Removal: Refrain from waxing, bleaching, tweezing, or using hair removal creams on the treatment area for at least 3 days before the appointment.
- Avoid Makeup: Remove all makeup before the appointment and avoid wearing any makeup for the remainder of the day following the treatment.
- Eat and Drink: Eat a light meal or snack before your appointment and stay hydrated.
- Inform Your Practitioner: Share details about any medications, supplements, and medical history with your practitioner, especially if you have a history of cold sores.
- Consider Arnica: Consider taking oral or topical Arnica to reduce bruising severity.
Anti-wrinkle injection Aftercare
Before Anti-Wrinkle injections, try to avoid alcohol for 24 hours to help prevent bruising. It is common to experience some swelling, tenderness and possibly some bruising around the treated area. These are quite common side effects and are usually temporary (max 2-3 days)
- Preferably avoid touching the treated area, if this unavoidable, when cleansing, treat the area gently.
- No strenuous exercise for 4 hours after treatment
- Remain upright for 4 hours – do not lie down or rest head forward for long periods of time, i.e. no gardening, hoovering, etc.
- Avoid alcohol 4 hours after treatment
- Avoid rubbing or massaging eyebrows for 24 hours
- Avoid saunas/hot tubs/sunbeds for 24 hours
- Avoid beauty salon peel or microneedling facials treatment for 2 weeks
- Wear a sunscreen daily – helps to reduce/prevent sun damage
- Anti wrinkle injections will normal “kick in” at 7-10 days, day 14 at the latest
- A free review appointment is offered 14-21 days after your initial treatment, which can be cancelled if you are happy with your results after 14 days
- We are not able to reinject before the 14 days
- Recommended treatment plan is every 12-16 weeks
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Anti-wrinkle injections are generally safe when performed by a qualified, experienced practitioner. However, like any medical procedure, they carry potential risks, such as bruising, swelling, redness, or temporary drooping of the eyelid, eyebrow, or smile.
Anti-wrinkle injections take 10–30 minutes, with most of the time spent on assessment and discussing desired results, while the injections themselves take only a few minutes.
The effects of typically begin to appear within 3–7 days, though individual experiences may vary. For some patients, it may take up to 2 weeks to see the full results.
Side effects from anti-wrinkle injections are usually mild and temporary, such as bruising, swelling, redness, soreness, or, rarely, a mild headache. In rare cases, muscle weakness may cause temporary drooping of the brow or eyelid, and very rarely, symptoms like difficulty breathing or swallowing may occur. These reactions are uncommon, but clients should discuss any concerns with their practitioner. It is strongly advisable not to take this treatment during a compromised immune system episodes such as flu, cough or on going health treatment as this will trigger reactions, which is the normal response of the body from any injectables.
It can last 3-4 months. It is advisable to get a regular treatment every 4 months to maintain the effects of anti-wrinkle treatment.
The procedure is generally not painful, with most patients experiencing only brief discomfort during the injection that quickly subsides once it is finished.