Facial wrinkles are part of the ageing process and are exacerbated by a number of factors, including exposure to the sun and weather, exposure to toxins from cigarette smoking and unhealthy dietary habits. If you're thinking of smoothing out those frown lines between your eyebrows, softening the crow's feet around your eyes, or smoothing the lines on your forehead, then you've probably considered anti-wrinkle injections. Anti-wrinkle injections are an increasingly popular nonsurgical treatment for facial wrinkles. The tiny injections work to temporarily relax the facial muscles, which pull on the skin to make the wrinkles and lines. However, not all facial wrinkles benefit from anti-wrinkle injections.

The substance injected into the muscles is a purified form of a protein, which, when injected in small doses into specific muscles blocks the chemical signals that cause muscles to contract. When the muscles can't tighten, the skin flattens and appears smoother and less wrinkled.

Are you a candidate for anti-wrinkle injections?

Anti-wrinkle injections are for people who want to minimize the appearance of wrinkles. They are used to treat:

• Frown lines between the eyebrows (Glabellar lines) and on the bridge of the nose.
• Smile lines on the side of the nose (Bunny Lines)
• Smile lines fanning out from the sides of the eyes (Crows Feet)
• Forehead creases
• Lifting the Eyebrows
• Asymmetrical Eyebrows (One higher than the other)
• Thick bands on the neck (Platysmal banding)

Lines that are difficult to treat include:
Lines or wrinkles around the mouth. Because we use our lips and mouth to eat and speak, care needs to be taken when treating these areas.

Lines or wrinkles caused by sun damage or exposure. Your skin type, skin thickness and degree of wrinkling all play a role in determining whether these injections will be effective for you.

The Drug used for anti-wrinkle injections is also used to treat several health conditions, including headaches, Temporalis muscle spasm, backaches, eye muscle problems and excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis).

Patient Journey
Before any treatment, you will meet with your Doctor for a consultation to determine the right procedure for you. Your Doctor will take a medical history and will ask specific questions. It is important to notify your Doctor if you are pregnant, if you are trying to become pregnant, if you are breastfeeding and also if you are taking any medications. Your Doctor will also discuss with you your motivations and expectations. You will receive a full explanation of what anti-wrinkle injections can and can't do for you and what results you can expect.

Your photograph will be taken from different angles. These photographs are valuable for "before and after" assessments and long-term reviews.

The Procedure
The areas to be treated will be cleaned in preparation for treatment. The anti-wrinkle injections are performed in the clinic with an ultra fine needle that dispenses the drug in very small amounts. By carefully choosing the muscles to treat, only the wrinkle-producing muscles are weakened so that your natural facial expressions are preserved.

The number of injections needed varies from person to person and will depend on individual characteristics such as the nature of the facial features and areas of concern, and the size and thickness of the muscles being treated (men have thicker, larger muscles than women and sometimes require more product and sometimes one or two more injections to that particular area). The Treatment session normally takes approx 15 minutes. You may experience a small sting or mild pain with the injections, but most people find the discomfort quite tolerable. No anaesthetic is required.

Many patients receive their treatment in their lunch hour and return to work. This is a true "lunch-time procedure". The effects of the anti-wrinkle treatment will start to become obvious between 24-72 hours after the treatment and last an average of 3 months.

Side Effects
Very rarely have there been reports of serious side effects associated with anti-wrinkle injections. The most common side effects include:

• Localized discomfort at the injection site (lasting a few seconds)
• Droopy eyelid - lasting up to six weeks
• Bruising
• Swelling
• Redness
• Flu like symptoms
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Drug Interactions
• Co-administration of anti-wrinkle injections whilst taking certain antibiotics or other agents that act on the nerves or muscles is not recommended.

Costs:
Cost will depend on the number of units of product needed to create the desired result. A quote will always be given at your initial consultation.

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