Understanding wrinkle reduction treatment
Lines form for different reasons. Repeated muscle movement creates dynamic lines on the forehead, between the brows and around the eyes. Over time, with collagen loss and sun damage, those lines etch into the skin and remain visible at rest.
Because the mechanisms differ, so does the treatment. Relaxing a muscle softens a dynamic line but does little for a deeply etched static one. Collagen-stimulating procedures improve skin quality but do not stop the movement creating the line.
A sensible plan often starts with skin quality — sun protection, a retinoid, and a collagen-stimulating procedure — before injectables are considered. You will be told if that applies to you rather than being sold an injection.
This may suit you if
- Forehead lines, frown lines or crow's feet
- Lines that have started to remain visible at rest
- Early skin laxity with texture change
- Patients wanting a conservative, natural-looking approach
What happens at the clinic
- 1
Assessment at rest and in motion
Your face is examined while still and while moving, because that distinguishes dynamic lines from static ones.
- 2
Skin quality first
Sun protection and a prescribed routine are established, since these underpin any procedural result.
- 3
Targeted procedure
Botulinum toxin, collagen-stimulating procedures or filler are used according to what is actually causing each line.
- 4
Review
You are reviewed at two weeks after injectables so dosing can be refined for the next session.
Aftercare
- Stay upright for about four hours after botulinum toxin and avoid rubbing the area
- Avoid strenuous exercise, sauna and facials for 24 hours after injectables
- Continue daily sun protection — ultraviolet exposure drives new lines
- Keep review appointments so dosing can be adjusted rather than guessed
Possible side effects
- Bruising or small swellings at injection points
- Temporary asymmetry or heaviness after botulinum toxin, which settles
- Headache for a day or two after treatment
- Under- or over-correction, refined at the two-week review
