BOTULINIUM TOXIN ​ANTI-WRINKLE INJECTIONS

Botulinium Toxin type A is a naturally produced neurotoxin secreted by the bacteria Clostridium Botulinum. This chemical can be delivered to specific muscles at specific doses, to reduce that muscle's activity. When the chemical enters the muscle, it binds receptors on the nerves responsible for causing movement and reduces the amount of neurotransmitters being released. In doing so, the skin covering that muscle doesn't get creased as much as it used to when the muscle was more active. This allows wrinkles and lines to relax and smooth out. The botulinium toxin effects slowly wear off as your body makes more neurotransmitters and the toxin is removed by your body. This is why results wear off after 3-6 months. The faster your metabolism, the more active your lifestyle and the more sun exposure you have, the quicker your results will wear off. 

There are so many muscles responsible for your facial expressions! The more expressive we are, the more likely that the skin covering these muscles crumples and creases. The aim of botulinium toxin injections is to relax these muscles to both prevent and reduce ​wrinkles. The areas people are usually most concerned about are on the forehead and in between and around the eyes. Toxin can also be used to help weaken muscles which pull your features downwards. In doing so it can give a lifted appearance. This is commonly used on eyebrows, corners of the mouth and the chin to relax over active muscles and give a subtle, youthful appearance. Another commonly over active muscle sits either side of the bridge of the nose and can cause wrinkles known as  'bunny lines'. These may be quite charming and characterful but in some cases may be excessive.

​Travel further down the nose and you'll find another pair of muscles which may cause a gummy smile by over lifting the upper lip. Just below this a purse string like muscle which surrounds the mouth and may result in a puckered appearance to the skin if overactive. These may be known as 'smoker lines' however is not exclusive to smokers at all. Administering toxin here can relax the muscles and cause smoothing. Additionally, if you suffer from a thin upper lip due to this muscle pulling your lip inwards, giving a small amount of toxin here may relax and allow your lip to evert subtly. This is known as the 'lip flip'. Some of the biggest muscles in your face can also benefit from some toxin. Your masseter jaw muscles may become enlarged due to clenching, and can dramatically reduce in size with toxin treatments. Finally, your platysma muscle in your neck may start to pull your under jaw skin down, giving the appearance of slack skin. By giving toxin over the whole muscle in a technique known as the Nefertiti Necklift, you can reduce this downwards pull and give a more toned, tighter appearance. 

Botulinium Toxin is a prescription only medication and as such, should only be prescribed and administered by a medical professional. The following are potential side effects following administration of toxin:

• Post-treatment: discomfort, swelling, redness and bruising
• Post-treatment bacterial and/or fungal infections requiring further treatment
• Allergic reactions
• Minor temporary droop of eyelid(s) in approximately 2% of the injections given (this usually lasts 2-3 weeks)
• Occasional numbness of the forehead lasting up to 2-3 weeks
• Transient headache
• Flu-like symptoms

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