Anti-wrinkle injections, also known as anti-ageing injections and more commonly called BOTOX®, are a very simple and effective way that you can safely improve the fine lines and deeper wrinkles in your face. Thanks to the remarkable results that they can provide for wrinkles that are the result of hyperactive facial muscles or simply from the skin losing its natural elasticity over time, Botulinum Toxin (BOTOX®) is commonly used in a number of aesthetic clinics to treat things such as frown lines, crows feet and smile lines. But what exactly are anti-wrinkle injections and how do they work?
Anti-wrinkle injections are actually muscle relaxing injections that are tailored specifically to your face to offer you a less invasive treatment alternative to smooth away any lines and wrinkles giving your skin a softer and healthier appearance. It works by having a cosmetic surgeon inject the botulinum toxin into the affected area to temporarily paralyse the muscles in the area, which relaxes the skin and causes the wrinkles to disappear but at the same time limits the movement of the muscles for a prolonged period of time.
Clostridium botulinum, the bacteria which Botox is derived from, if found a variety of natural settings such as lakes and forests as well as in the intestinal tracts of mammals and fish. These naturally occurring versions of the bacteria are in the form of spores and are generally considered to be completely harmless, however when the spores transform into vegetative cells, the bacteria actually begin to form the botulinum toxin which is what is used to perform the anti-wrinkle injections. The only problem with this is that in quantities that are too high, the botulinum toxin can become a deadly neurotoxin which is responsible for botulism.
Thanks to the advancements in the world of aesthetic treatments, the correct dose has been around for a long time now to simply be used to temporarily paralyse the small areas of the face where wrinkles are appearing and reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Just like other things before it such as Prozac and Viagra, it has become an established brand in its own right and this is delivered on by the way in which it works.
Following your treatment, the effect will usually last around three to four months and is repeatable as many times as is necessary, though over time a lot of BOTOX® patients require treatments at a less frequent rate as their muscles ‘retrain’ and thanks to the lack of use become weaker.
Some of the most common areas that are treated with BOTOX are;
- Forehead furrows
- Frown lines (otherwise known as Glabella) between the eyebrows
- Crows feet
- Smile lines
- Lipstick or smokers lines
- Bunny lines
The results won’t show immediately and can take up to two weeks for the full effect to become completely visible, however once they are your skin will look younger, healthier and more radiant than ever before. Once your anti-wrinkle injections wear off, simply book yourself back in for a repeat or top up treatment to keep your skin soft and wrinkle free!