Anti-Wrinkle Injections

Botulinum Toxin (B-toxin) is a purified form of the botulinum toxin that is obtained from bacteria. Though deadly in larger amounts, the tiny, regulated amount of B-toxin given to correct wrinkles has been used safely for decades. B-toxin works by blocking nerve signals in the muscles where it is injected. When those nerve signals are interrupted, the affected muscle is temporarily paralyzed or frozen. Without movement of these selected muscles in the face, certain wrinkles may be softened, reduced, or even removed. At FACE we use a version of botulinum toxin called Azzalure. Click here for full details from the manufacturer.

What can anti-wrinkle injections correct?

B-toxin only works on wrinkles that are caused by muscle movement. These are known as dynamic wrinkles, and are often called “expression lines.”

The most common dynamic wrinkles that are treated are lines on the upper face, such as the “11” between the brows, horizontal lines on the forehead, and crow’s feet around the eyes. These lines are caused by smiling, frowning, squinting, and other facial expressions. There are, however, many other applications.

Anti-wrinkle injections will not work on fine lines and wrinkles caused by sagging or loss of plumpness in the face. Known as static wrinkles, they include lines in the cheeks, neck, and jowl areas and may require dermal filler to treat.

Anti-wrinkle injections are not permanent. Repeated treatments are necessary for continued wrinkle-reducing effects. Over time you may require less product to achieve the same result or you may need the treatment less often. Most people find that the muscle-relaxing effects initially last for 3 to 4 months although duration can vary depending on the activity/strength of the muscles involved.

Forehead Wrinkles

Forehead wrinkles appear as horizontal lines on the forehead which are more prominent when you raise your eyebrows. This movement sometimes creates a tired and stressed appearance. Treatment involves small injections on the forehead to prevent lines developing and deepening as well as softening existing lines specially when combined with the frown area.

Frown Lines

Frown lines (glabellar lines) can be seen as vertical ‘11’ lines between and above your eyebrow that result from frowning, excessive expressions and being over exposed to the sun. Similar to forehead lines, as we age these frown lines become more prominent often creating an angry or stressed appearance.

These lines are caused by contraction of the glabellar muscles (procerus, corrugator and depressor supercilli). Treatment involves small injections into the muscles involved in a '‘V’ pattern in order to restrict movement causing the lines and wrinkles as well as preventing them from getting deeper.

‘Crows Feet’

Crow’s feet or Lateral Canthal lines are found in the outer corner of the eyes formed by contraction of the orbicularis oculi muscle around the eyes. They appear more prominent when smiling or laughing. They occur as the skin becomes less elastic with age, combined with excessive sun exposure.

Small injections at either side of the eyes can treat crow’s feet wrinkles by targeting the relevant muscle.

‘Bunny’ Lines

These lines are created by contraction of the ‘upside down horseshoe muscle’ called the nasalis. The lines created can be static (seen at rest) or active (seen on movements such as laughing or talking).

These lines can be relaxed by injecting anti-wrinkle product into each side of the nose.

Gummy Smile

A ‘gummy smile’ is when some people smile, their upper lip elevates too far above their upper teeth exposing extra gum tissue. Small dosages of anti-wrinkle product can be injected into the top half of the muscle causing the upper lip to relax and sit further over the gums. The effectiveness of treatment depends on the strength of the muscles involved as well as the amount of gum showing prior to treatment.

Dimpled Chin (Pebble-stone/ Orange Peel)

The mentalis muscle in the chine can be hyperactive or too large resulting in short lines that mar the skin of the chin, creating a ‘dimpled/pebblestone’ appearance. The chin can be treated to give a less bulky and dimpled appearance.

Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating)

Hyperhidrosis is a common problem affecting the armpits, hands and feet, and can be a major cause of distress and anxiety. It is normal to sweat if you get hot or do exercise, but some people sweat excessively even when the body does not need to cool down. Excessive sweating can happen for no obvious reason, because of another condition you may have, or as a side effect of medication you are taking.

Anti-Wrinkle injections can help relieve sweating in all these areas through blocking nerve control of sweating. Effects can last between 6-10 months depending on the area.

AFTERCARE for Anti-wrinkle Treatment click here

Dermal Filler

Face and lip fillers (dermal fillers) are substances injected into your face. They fill lines and wrinkles and add volume to areas such as your lips or cheeks. Most dermal fillers used in the UK contain a natural substance called hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a water-binding molecule that will deeply hydrate your skin and plump up areas of lost volume and fine lines and wrinkles. If you have fillers in certain areas, the rest of your face will continue to age as normal.

What to think about before you have face and lip fillers

If you're thinking about having dermal fillers, be clear about why you want them. Having dermal fillers is usually safe if it's done by an experienced and suitably qualified practitioner. If you are unsure, book a consultation with us before you have the procedure. We feel the most important part of our role is knowing when to say no. We endeavour to only enhance but not change the way your look. If we feel that you have reached the limit of what we can achieve, or if more treatment may be detrimental to the health of your skin or your natural appearance we will refuse further treatment for a time.
Fillers are not permanent, how long they last depends on things like the type of filler, where it's injected and the amount of activity of the area being treated. They usually last between 6 and 18 months.
When considering any form of facial cosmetic treatment you need to consider the on-going cost of maintenance treatment.

What happens when you have face and lip fillers

An anaesthetic cream will be used first to numb your skin. Injections are given around the area of your face being treated, which is then massaged. It might feel uncomfortable but should not be painful. We tend to use cannula where possible to place filler because it reduces the number of injections required and reduces the overall trauma. Some treatment areas however, do require the use of needle. The treatment usually takes between 20 and 30 minutes, depending on the area being treated.

Afterwards, the affected area may be a bit red, sore and swollen. Any swelling or bruising should settle down in a few days. We will advise you about what to do to help reduce the risk of side effects. This includes not wearing make-up immediately after the procedure and avoiding alcohol, coffee, excessive heat and exercise, and the sun. 

Risks

The risks of dermal fillers depend on whether the procedure was done correctly and the type of filler used. Speak to your practitioner about the risks.

Serious problems are rare but can include:

• infection

• a lumpy appearance under the skin, which might need to be treated with surgery or medicine

• the filler moving away from the intended treatment area, which may need to be removed using surgery

• scarring

• blocked blood vessels in the face, which can cause tissue death and permanent blindness

Lip Filler

These days, an injectable dermal filler is the most commonly used method of lip augmentation which can give you fuller, plumper lips. Here at FACE we pride ourselves on enhancing the natural look and highlighting the existing contours of each individual lip. Immediate results are visible with lip filler with effects being enhanced over a few weeks as more water is absorbed by the hyaluronic acid. Some patients require multiple treatments spread over several months. Lip filler placed too quickly can the leave the lips looking poorly defined as well changing the surface appearance of the skin itself. There are many methods of placing lip filler and after the consultation we will agree together which is best for you.

Re-treatment once every 12-18months.

Marionette Lines

Marionette lines run from the corners of the mouth vertically downwards towards the chin. Lost skin volume causes lines to turn into deeper creases and these can be softened/ corrected through injection of dermal filler in and around the lines themselves. Correcting this lost volume takes away the ‘sad look’ caused by marionette lines and the goal treatment is to soften their appearance, rejuvenating that part of your face.

Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty

Using dermal filler, we can reshape and contour the nose to achieve results that were previously only ever possible with plastic surgery. Non-surgical nose reshaping is mainly suitable for those who need refinement of their nose shape – we cannot of course make a large nose smaller with this treatment. Treatment can improve dips in the middle of the nose, ‘bumps’ in the bridge of the nose and can define and sharpen the tip of the nose. A ‘pixie’ tip life uses b-toxin to further lift just the tip of the nose to give a ‘pixie’ or slight ski slop effect.

Re-treatment once every 12-18months.

Cheek & Jaw Filler

Cheek and Jaw enhancement add definition, contour and proportion to the face.

Cheek enhancements may be desirable either to improve the definition of the cheek bones or to lift the mid face as part of facial rejuvenation. Cheek filler can also reduce the appearance of nose to mouth lines, mouth to chin lines and help to reduce the appearance of jowls.

Jaw Filler seeks to contour the jaw line creating a sharper, more oval and therefore youthful appearance. In combination with cheek filler it can help with the appearance of jowls. Further jaw-line definition can be achieved in combination with a ‘Nefertiti’ neck lift using B-toxin injections.

Profhilo

Treatment with Profhilo improves skin tone, texture, hydration and overall radiance. What sets it apart from normal dermal filler is that is flows more freely through the subcutaneous tissues of your skin helping to increase firmness and elasticity and promote healthier and softer-looking skin, rather than sculpting or increasing definition. Profhilo is most commonly used for facial areas, but can also be used to rejuvenate the neck, decolletage, arms, knees and hands. Profhilo is administered using the BAP (Bio-aesthetic point) technique which involves injecting into 5 areas on each side of the face to more effectively fight the signs of aging.

AFTERCARE for Dermal Filler click here