Wrinkle Relaxation

• General
• Treatment Areas
• Safety Concerns

Does the body make antibodies to the wrinkle relaxing injections protein?

When significant amounts of antibodies are formed, the therapeutic effects of Wrinkle relaxing injections are greatly reduced. A very small number of people have antibodies that inactivate the Wrinkle relaxing injections (probably from foods eaten previously). They will not get an effect from the Wrinkle relaxing injections injection.

Have there been any reported cases of allergic reactions to wrinkle relaxing injections?

No reported cases of a true allergic reaction in well over 40,000 treatments. People who are known to be allergic to Botulinum toxin or albumin should avoid wrinkle relaxing injections.

What happens if a female patient becomes pregnant shortly before or after treatment?

A number of neurological and ophthalmologic patients have delivered normal children after receiving their injections. For safety reasons no pregnant or nursing females will be treated.

How painful are the injections?

The smallest needles are used and the medicine itself does not sting as much as the usual local anaesthetic. Most patients feel it less than a dental injection. Pain can be minimised by the use of a local anaesthetic cream or ice cooling the skin just prior to injections. It is advised not to use aspirin as this can increase bruising risk.

What can be done for the drooping eyelid if this occurs?

Transient drooping of one eyelid or both is the most significant complication and occurs in well below 1% of all injections. This is a result of the local spread of the toxin in the injection site and can be minimised by accurate dosage, proper placement, as well as keeping the patient in an upright position for three to four hours after the injection. If drooping eyelids occur, it is usually minimal and is usually resolved by two weeks. Special eye drops may temporarily reduce eyelid droop.

As a patient, after receiving my injections how can I help Wrinkle relaxing injections be more effective and avoid side effects?

• Do not massage the area of the injection.
• Do not lie down for a nap - keep upright for about six hours.
• Use the muscle - Intentionally making the muscle contract helps localise the protein to the selected muscle for ablation.

Will the effect of an injection at one site spread to other muscles?

Wrinkle relaxing injections spreads along does not spread distantly by way of the blood stream.

Can wrinkle relaxing injections be used to weaken rather than totally paralyse a muscle?

Yes, in fact this is done so that the face will not be left expressionless. It can be also used to balance a weak muscle on the opposite side. By injection of the medicine into the subcutaneous tissue not the muscle and by using smaller dosage, a weakening of the muscle Is more likely to occur.

For the deepest frown furrows what is the recommended best method to get this deep line to disappear?

In one study paralysis after the initial injection lasted four to seven months. Re-injection every three to four months is recommended rather than waiting for the muscle to recover. This keeps the muscle paralysed which takes approximately twelve months for the skin to completely smooth out, though this does not always occur.

It is usually necessary for 4-12 months before a return of muscle movement occurs and additional treatments are necessary. Deep furrows can be expected to be improved by muscle inactivation. For further benefit the use of a filler such as Collagen or Restylane can correct the depth of the furrow. This is usually performed at 3-4 weeks after the wrinkle relaxing treatment.