Anti-Wrinkle Injections Geelong

KEY POINTS ABOUT ANTI WRINKLE INJECTIONS

Wrinkle injections are very effective in relaxing muscles and removing wrinkles and lines, particularly on the face. One of our most popular procedures at Geelong Veins, Skin and Laser. Here’s what you should know about wrinkle injections;

1. Anti wrinkle injections are safe, not painful, take only a few minutes and last many months.
2. Wrinkle injections are consistently rated as the cosmetic procedure with the highest patient satisfaction ranking.
3. Wrinkle injections are a Schedule 4 medication and as such must legally be prescribed by a medical practitioner.
4. Wrinkle injections are most commonly used to treat lines and wrinkles between the eyes, side of the eyes and forehead but can also be used on other areas of the face.
5. Wrinkle injections can achieve a rejuvenated natural look that appears less worried, unhappy, tired or stressed.

COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT WRINKLE INJECTIONS

How popular is the procedure?

Wrinkle injections are the most commonly performed cosmetic procedure worldwide. Many millions of treatments are performed each year and it consistently ranks as the number one procedure in patient satisfaction surveys of cosmetic procedures.

Who performs the treatment?

At the Geelong Veins, Skin and Laser, all of our wrinkle injections are performed by medical practitioners or cosmetic nurses who are fully registered and experienced in the procedure. Wrinkle injections are a Schedule 4 medication and it is a legal requirement that they are prescribed by a medical practitioner.

What areas are commonly treated?

The commonest wrinkle areas that we treat are lines around the eyes (crows feet), lines between the eyes (frown lines) and lines across the forehead (worry lines). Wrinkle injections can be also used to elevate or shape the position of the brow and can also be used to treat other areas on the face such as improving lines in the lower face around the mouth and chin.

Why do people like the treatments?

Wrinkle injections are such a popular treatment because they are a very safe and effective non-surgical method of facial rejuvenation. The treatment  is quick, safe, with no downtime and lasts for many months. Patients typically find that wrinkle injections give them an improved and rejuvenated appearance. The aim of the treatment is to create a natural look that appears less worried, tired and stressed.

What does the treatment involve?

The treatment involves using a few extremely fine needles to inject a very small amount of the product. It is not painful and anaesthetic is unnecessary. For patients with very sensitive skin, cold packs can be used prior to treatment to reduce discomfort.

The procedure only takes a few minutes. The results will usually begin to be noticed after 2-3 days with the maximum effect occurring within 2 weeks after the treatment.

Is the treatment safe?

For over 30 years, the product has been safely used in medical treatments, including in children with cerebral palsy and for spasms of the eyelid or neck muscles.

The doses of the product used for cosmetic purposes are very low (nanograms) and among the millions of patients treated with this product every year, there has still been no reports of long term side effects to the cosmetic doses.

Are there any side effects of wrinkle injections?

Wrinkle injections have very few side effects and if they happen to occur they are usually minor and related to the area that was injected.

Immediately after the injection the treated area can sometimes look like a mosquito bite at the injection site. This settles very quickly, typically within 10 minutes, making the treatment an ideal lunchtime procedure.

As the injection is into the skin, if a patient has lots of surface blood vessels or a bleeding tendency a small bruise may occasionally occur. If a bruise does occur it is typically a small spot bruise that if necessary can easily be concealed with makeup.

A small percentage of people can sometimes experience a heavy brow or eyelid about a week after treatment. The chance of this occurring is significantly less when the treatment is performed by experienced practitioners in a medical clinic environment. If brow or lid heaviness occurs ( what medically we term ptosis) it is usually mild, is always temporary and will disappear completely and naturally. If patients wish to resolve it quicker, eye drops can be prescribed to reduce this effect.

In general, the product we use for wrinkle injections has an extremely good safety profile and no long term side effects have been reported.

How long will the wrinkle injections last?

The duration of benefit depends on the dose (ie the number of units of product that are used), the area being treated and how fast or slow an individual’s metabolism works. Usually after the first few sessions great results are seen for around 3-4 months before the product starts to wear off. There is evidence  regular treatments at 4 monthly intervals provides better and longer lasting results probably due to the treated muscles being retrained. If at any time you stop your treatments, your muscles do not become worse, they return back to normal muscles and to how they were previously.

Can I resume normal activities after the treatment?

Normal activities can be resumed immediately after your treatment. Make-up can be applied over the area if necessary. We recommend no massage to the treatment area for 24 hours after the treatment and also to avoid strenuous exercise resulting in sweating for the day of treatment.

How much does the treatment cost?

The cost varies depending on the number of units of the product that is used. The number of units required for the treatment depends on what area is being treated, the strength of the muscles in that area, the degree of wrinkling there and the effect from previous treatments.

As a guide, women usually require between 20-30 units for frown lines, 5-20 units for forehead lines and 15-30 units for crows feet. Males usually have much stronger facial muscles and therefore require larger doses than females.

The price of treatment per unit reduces as the quantity of units increases. The average patient spends between $300-$500 per treatment. There is no Medicare rebate and the Government will charge additional GST of 10% on wrinkle injections.

Can wrinkle injections be combined with other treatments?

In some situations a better and longer lasting result can be obtained by combining wrinkle injections with dermal filler, so both lines at rest and lines with movement are treated together.

Often patients concerned about wrinkles have other concerns about their facial appearance such as uneven skin tone, pigmentation or texture. These conditions can also be treated, although depending on the location and type of treatment required will determine the optimal timing of how best to combine these treatments with wrinkle injections. Some treatments can be performed on the same day as wrinkle injections whilst other treatments require an interval for optimal results.

Are wrinkle injections used on anything other than wrinkles?

The product that we use here as a wrinkle relaxant also has other medical uses such as controlling patients with excessive sweating (called hyperhidrosis). Just as an example, reducing armpit sweating by up to 90% can be achieved for an average 8-10 months.

The same product can also be used for other uses such as treating migraines, reducing bulky square jaws and for treating patients with teeth grinding problems.

Areas for Anti-Wrinkle Injections

Forehead Lines

Horizontal forehead lines or wrinkles that occur with facial expression and / or at rest, are a common problem that can cause an aged look to the face. This is a concern in both males and females. Exposure to the harsh Australian sun, and a habit of using certain facial expressions that lift the eyebrows are predisposing factors.

Forehead lines can be treated with anti wrinkle injections. Great results are achieved with regular treatments spaced 3-4 months apart. It is important to individually assess each client and develop a treatment plan that balances treating these wrinkles without causing a heavy appearance to the eyebrows.

Frown Lines

Frown lines are a common concern. Frown lines are the vertical lines between the eyebrows that occur with a frowning expression, but over time can also occur at rest. People who hold a lot of tension in the frowning muscles (the procerus and corrugator muscles) are often told they are always looking “grumpy” or “angry”, even if they are not particularly feeling those emotions.

Frown lines are easily treated with anti wrinkle injections that temporarily relax the over active muscles in this region. The treatment lasts for 4-6 months and can be repeated.

Lip Lines

Wrinkles around the lips and signs of aging in the perioral area are a popular concern. Smoking is a big contributing factor, but unfortunately some non smokers are also afflicted with lines in this area.

For the best results a combination of anti wrinkle injections and dermal fillers can be used in this area.

Depending on client preference, however, either anti wrinkle injections or dermal filler alone may be used. Lips and the surrounding perioral area vary considerably from person to person, so it is best to book in for an individual assessment and personal advice on how your particular concerns can be addressed for rejuvenation around the lip area.

Crow’s Feet

The term “Crow’s feet” refers to the wrinkles that occur laterally ( to the outside) of the eyes. These lines are more frequent in someone who smiles or squints a lot, or with increased sun exposure or age.

Crow’s feet wrinkles can be softened or erased with anti wrinkle injections, depending on the level of treatment preferred. Treatment lasts up to 6 months and can be repeated. A common addition to treating the crow’s feet area is a “brow lift” treatment which targets the muscle under the eyebrow giving a subtle lift to the outside of the eye brow. This has been known colloquially in Australia as the “Kylie kick”, referring to Kylie Minogue.

Bunny Lines

“Bunny lines” or “nose wrinkles” are the lines that can occur at the top of the nose on either side. Some people tend to make facial expressions that cause these lines to become prominent, sometimes with resultant lines even at rest.

Bunny lines can be treated with antiwrinkle injections which relax the over active muscles in this area. As the muscles that cause these lines are quite fine, only a small dose is required. The results last 4-6 months.