Anti-Wrinkle Injections
Facial wrinkles lines are an important part of our everyday ability to communicate with the people around us. They result from repeated movement of underlying muscles and with age become fixed features rather than transient patterns. They are the lines of character and experience, however, they can often convey the wrong impression of us suggesting we are tired, sad or even angry and unapproachable.
Anti-wrinkle injections can soften or even erase some of those lines and if done well give a natural and rejuvenated appearance that reflects more accurately the person inside.
How do anti-wrinkle injections work? By inhibiting communication between nerve endings and the muscle fibres, neurotoxin or anti-wrinkle injections soften, relax or even paralyse the muscle injected. This prevents the active wrinkling of the skin and eventual formation of permanent lines.
It is important to remember that static lines or lines that are present even when the face isn’t working will remain. Repeated treatment can potentially soften and even erase these with time.
Education, planning, careful patient assessment and follow-up is the key to achieving your goals with anti-wrinkle injections. We also encourage patients to plan their visit and consider the areas they want to focus on to help direct the consultation.
The most common areas treated are the frown lines between the eyebrows, forehead wrinkle lines and the lines at the corners of the eyes or crows feet. Drooping eyebrows, gummy smiles and muscle banding in the neck are also areas known to respond well to anti-wrinkle injections.
As with any physical feature, each patient is different in strength, bulk and anatomical pattern of their facial muscles. There are 43 facial muscles in every one of us and so the source of our diversity is obvious. It also highlights the importance of understanding facial anatomy and the experience required with toxins to ensure that this vast array of muscles is manipulated in a way that gives the desired natural result.
When you present for anti-wrinkle injections, our experienced injecting nurse will sit down with you to help you understand how the injections work and how to achieve your goals in the safest and most cost-effective manner. Targeted muscles are identified and a suitable number of units of anti-wrinkle injection recommended.
Ultra-fine needles are used to inject the anti-wrinkle medication. Mild discomfort or prickling is often felt, however, the procedure is easily tolerated. Ice or numbing cream can be used to help with any discomfort. The effect of the injections occurs over a period of a few days. The full effect can take up to 2 weeks.
Mild redness or swelling is experienced by some people, however, this is generally short-lived. It is a normal response to the injections. You can continue to do all normal activities after your treatment, however, avoiding heavy exercise and excessively warm environments for 24 hours is recommended. This will prevent excess swelling and unwanted dispersement of the product.
Anti-wrinkle injections have been used for many purposes in many people for many years and are very safe. They should, however, be avoided in pregnant women, women who are breastfeeding and in people who have some rare neurological conditions like Myasthenia Gravis.
At Canvas Plastic Surgery, all of your treatments will be either done or supervised by Plastic Surgeon Mr Mathew Lee. This means that you can be confident of achieving the result you are looking for. Nonetheless, we actively encourage patients to book a time for a follow-up appointment after their treatment to assess the results, answer any questions and, if necessary, prescribe adjustments.