Wrinkle relaxing injections

Most people find that the muscle relaxation begins to wear off at around 3 months. However, when the muscle movement begins to return, there is often a lag period of another month or so before the lines and wrinkles begin to re-appear. It is when the lines and wrinkles begin to re-appear that you should think about having further anti-wrinkle injections.

In the first year of your treatment plan, you will most likely find that you need to have the treatment done approximately 3 times (i.e. not longer than 4 months per treatment). In the long term, however, most patients find they only need to do it twice per year to maintain the results.

It is very common for us to combine treatment with muscle relaxing injections and other types of non-surgical treatment, such as hyaluronic acid dermal fillers. Occasionally, we will also add in some laser treatments too. Often the key to achieving the best outcome is to employ a combination treatment approach, rather than relying on one individual type of treatment too heavily.

Anti-wrinkle injections as part of a treatment for the upper face are usually an almost pain-free procedure. The needles used are very small and, with good technique, it is normally possible to avoid causing bruising.

One of the most common side effects of anti-wrinkle filler injections is headaches. These can affect up to 1 in 10 people. For most people, it settles down within a day or two, however, it can take up to a couple of weeks for some people. We have seen one or two patients who have found the headaches lasted the whole three-month duration of the treatment. For most people, however, the headaches are very mild and self-limiting, so it is unusual to require any type of painkiller for them.

Complications from anti-wrinkle treatment can occur from the botulinum toxin spreading to nearby muscles that were not intended to be targeted by the treatment. In the upper face, this can cause temporary drooping of the eyelid or eyebrow. Because this usually happens as a result of a small amount of the botulinum toxin from the anti-wrinkle injections spreading to the wrong area, rather than a direct injection into the wrong area, it tends to wear off quite quickly — usually within a few of weeks. In the lower face and neck, it is possible for the toxin to diffuse into muscles which help to move the mouth, resulting in a lopsided smile. Rarely, this treatment in the neck can affect speech and ability to swallow.