Cosmetic injectables / Injections for wrinkles for Women

Muscle Relaxants

Muscle relaxants, anti-wrinkle injections, anti-wrinkle treatments, cosmetic injectables are all terms used to describe the most popular non-surgical cosmetic treatment for the treatment of fine lines and wrinkles, world-wide. The term cosmetic injectables includes dermal fillers as well as wrinkle treatments. We will explain the difference further along.

Since the early nineties the use of botulinum toxin to treat unwanted facial lines it has increased exponentially each year. Having cosmetic injectable treatments, once for the rich and famous only, are now enjoyed by everyone – young and old. The fact that you have regular anti-wrinkle injections is no longer a secret you have to keep (except perhaps from your husband!)

Why can’t I find B-Tox on your website?

Government regulations prohibit the medical profession from using trade or brand names – and B-tox is a brand name! If you see that name on a doctor’s or clinics website, they are breaking the law.

Is there a cheaper version of anti-wrinkle injection?

• There are 2 main brands of botulinum toxin injections for wrinkles.
• As Australian regulations prevents us from using their names, we will call them B-Tox and D-Port. Both are the same basic toxin, but they are manufactured differently.
• We offer both options and explain the difference at consultation. You can then decide which way you would like to go.
• Women who have never tried ant-wrinkle treatments often opt for the cheaper version and if it works for them happy days.

NB Some clinics may tell you they are using B-Tox, when they are in fact using the cheaper version! We give YOU the choice.

Why would anyone choose B-Tox if it is more expensive?

• Some women find that B-Tox lasts longer than D-port but then we do have people that say D-port in fact lasts longer. You would generally only really know if you had tried them both.
• Some people have only heard of B-tox as it has been around the longest, they know the brand name and that’s the one they want. This decision is fine with us. You will always have the option of trying the other brand if you choose to.
• As mentioned, we would recommend starting with the cheaper version, and if you are happy with that stick with it, but once again the choice is totally yours.
• At consolation with our cosmetic nurse injectors, they will discuss with you what you are hoping to achieve, as well as your budget and they will give you appropriate costs for both products.

What’s the difference between paying “per area” or “per unit” for anti-wrinkle treatments?

Beware of anyone offering anti-wrinkle injections at a cost “per area”.

It generally means they may not experienced and have done a very basic, couple of days training in cosmetic injectable treatments.

In this basic training you are taught a “cookie cutter” approach to anti-wrinkle treatments – i.e. if you place the product in these same spots for everyone, you will get it right for most people and you shouldn’t cause any harm!!

An experienced injector will:

• Talk to you about what you want to achieve. Some women want absolutely no movement, whilst most prefer a natural look but don’t want their lines to become any worse.
• Look at how you animate and the muscles that you are using to create these lines.
• Take into consideration how large the muscles are that need to be treated – we are all very different.
• Discuss your budget and what annoys you the most.
• If this is your first treatment, we generally believe that less is better than more. It is easy to add more but overdosing may result in a look that you are unhappy with and the only answer then is waiting for the result to wear off.
• After taking all of this into consideration they will use the minimum amount of product to give you the result you want. Which means the very best result for you, at less cost.

How much will injections for wrinkles cost me?

Every woman is quite different in their genetic make-up, size and preferences. There are as many answers to this question as there are differences in women!

• It is impossible to even guess an accurate cost this until we have talked to you about what you want to achieve and seen you animate – which means watch you talk and see which muscles you are using that are causing the problem you dislike.
• Again, the cookie cutter approach or “per area” is a total guestimate and generally very wrong.
• However for a very minor frown the cost for B-tox may be a little as $90 or $63 for D-port.
• For instance, using that approach– a frown – may be to give 15units of B-Tox in the same pattern to everyone. Some women are tiny and have very delicate muscles. They may require only 6 units. Whilst women with a dynamic or very strong frown may require 30 units. This results in a significance difference in cost.
• We offer a complimentary consultation with our cosmetic nurse injectors. Both are the most experienced on the Sunshine Coast – Jan has been doing cosmetic injectable treatments for us since January 2000, and Moira since January 2004!
• They will spend time with you to ensure you get the best treatment at the least cost to you. Once they see you, they will be able to tell you exactly what your costs will be with either brand of the anti-wrinkle and you can then decide whether to proceed with treatment.

Are cosmetic injectables and anti-wrinkle treatments painful?

In most people’s hands the answer is “yes”. At Vie, the answer varies from “not at all”, to “mildly” and there are a few reasons for this difference:

• Our injectors are nurses who are inherently gentler than doctors – truly!
• We schedule 30 minutes for your treatment which allows plenty of time to be gentle – there is never any rush.
• We use a bacteriostatic saline to mix the anti-wrinkle which comes in a powdered form.
• This is more expense to us than regular saline but means less pain for you!
• Experience and caring of our injectors! Both of our cosmetic injectors have been doing this for more than 16 years and really care about you. This really makes a difference!
• The needles that are used to inject anti-wrinkle treatments are extremely fine and cause only a minor sting and the small amount of fluid injected is not felt at all.
• However, everyone’s pain tolerance is very different, and some people can be somewhat needle phobic. In this instance you can use a topical anaesthetic cream 20minutes or so before the treatment and this way you will feel very little if anything at all. You can sit in our rooms and look at our beautiful view while it works.

 

What facial lines can be treated with Anti-wrinkle Injections?

We will always tailor the treatment to the individual but on the whole, we aim for a “natural” look that is achieved by precise dosing to prevent the generally unwanted “frozen” appearance.

The most common area of the face that are treated are:

• Frown lines that run between the eyebrows.
• Lines that run horizontally across the forehead
• Lines that appear at the sides of the eyes when you smile, commonly known as “crow’s feet”.

We can also use anti-wrinkle treatments to:

• Help elevate the eyebrows as they start to become hooded with age
• Address vertical bands on the neck
• Refine your jawline.
• Prevent dimpling of the chin
• Turn up the corners of your mouth if you naturally have an unhappy mouth
• Treat a gummy smile by lengthening the top lip
• Reduce underarm sweating
• To slim a square jaw and give the face a more oval shape
• Treat “bunny lines” that can occur on the side of the nose when smiling
• Soften lines on the upper lip caused by expression or smoking

What is the difference between anti-wrinkle treatments and dermal fillers?

• Muscle relaxants or anti-wrinkle injections are used to treat lines that are caused by repetitive muscle movement.
• Prolonged use of anti-wrinkle injections will prevent lines from getting worse and deepening.
• Dermal fillers are used to lift out (or fill) lines and wrinkles, or to give volume to areas of the face such as cheeks or lips.
• A dermal filler will make lines look less obvious, but they will not stop the line from getting deeper with time and age.
• Areas where the lines are very deep may require a muscle relaxant first, and once this has taken effect and the line is relaxed and not so deep, a dermal filler may be used to fill out the line. This is in extreme cases though.

Do I need Anti-wrinkle injections or Dermal Fillers?

• Deeper lines which are present all the time (static lines), such as the line that runs from the nose down the side of the mouth (nasolabial lines) are best treated with dermal fillers.
• Expression (or dynamic) lines occur when we smile, laugh or frown and the delicate muscles underlying the skin contract, producing “laugh lines” or “crow’s feet”, frown lines and horizontal forehead lines. Dynamic lines often contribute to a cross, unfriendly expression.
• It is these dynamic wrinkles that may be erased or dramatically reduced with the use of muscle relaxants or injections for wrinkles.

How long have anti-wrinkle treatments been used?

• Anti-wrinkle injections have been used safely and effectively in the medical industry since 1982 now.
• Initially they were used by Ophthalmologists to treat eye problems of a muscular nature.
• Cosmetically it has been safely used since the late 1990’s.
• Today an enormous percentage of the populationof all ages, both male and female are treating faciallines with muscle relaxants.
• This is one arena that really sets us apart from the rest. Our nurses take special care to ensure that your experience is as pain free as possible. We ensure they have plenty of time to make you comfortable, they are gentle and caring. Once you have experienced treatments with our nurses, you will never go anywhere else!

How do anti-wrinkle treatments work?

The muscle relaxants work by blocking the release of a chemical (acetylcholine) at the neuro-muscular junction (where a nervous impulse cross from the nerve to the muscle for it to contract).

This effectively prevents the muscle from working, so it remains relaxed.

Do anti-wrinkle treatments prevent lines from becoming any worse?

It is reasonable for someone to consider cosmetic injectables for treatment and prevention of future wrinkles.

• If you, for example have the habit of frowning and are starting to notice the subsequent lines, muscle relaxants will help minimize the appearance of these current lines as well as weaken the muscles to prevent the worsening of lines and wrinkles.
• With regular treatments people often find that deeper lines become softer and much less noticeable.

How young can I start having anti-wrinkle treatments?

Some women have a family history of a very strong or dynamic frown and can see these lines becoming permanent at an early age.
In this case it would not be unreasonable to start preventative Anti-wrinkle injections from around 25 – 30 years of age.

How do I know if I’m suitable for wrinkle treatments?

Almost everyone is suitable for Anti-Wrinkle treatments are very safe and are even used on children with cerebral palsy.
There are only a few instances that would mean you are not suitable for a treatment

• you are pregnant or breast feeding
• have any major allergies
• certain neurological diseases

Is there any down time after treatment with a cosmetic injectable?

• There is literally no downtime with these treatments.
• You may have a little redness at the injection site and in some cases a small bruise. These both tend to be very mild.
• The main one being not to apply any heavy pressure to the injected area on that day.
• You are able to wear make-up straight away, some people come in their lunch break and are able to return without anyone noticing a difference.

Other problems treated with botulinum toxin are

These treatments can offer a safe and sometimes effective treatment option to help people with:

Migraine and chronic headaches

• It is thought that both B-tox and D-port block the chemicals called neurotransmitters that carry pain signals from your brain. It blocks the message from going from the nerve to the muscle via that pathway.
• Some patients get very good relief in combating migraines and even tension headaches. It is not a permanent solution.

Note: B-tox and D-port can only be claimed through Medicare specifically for chronic migraine, it does not cover periodic migraine or any type of headache.

Underarm sweating or Hyperhidrosis

• Small quantities of the product are injected just under the surface of the skin and in turn the sweat glands are inactivated.
• The results can last anywhere from 4months and even up to a year.
• Some clinics have listed practitioners with access to Medicare rebates for injection therapy of under arm sweating.

Tennis elbow

• It is thought that the toxin can paralyse or deaden the sensory nerves therefore relieve the pain of tennis elbow.
• There can be side effects and the procedure needs to be done by an experienced practitioner who deals specifically with this area.

Bruxism, or clenched jaw.

• Toxin that is injected directly into the masseter muscle can greatly relieve a clenched jaw and teeth grinding. It relaxes the muscle enables and thus decreases it in strength and size therefore generally helping the problem. As an addition to that it cn also give your face a more oval shape if you tend to have a very square jawline, which is generally the result of a very strong masseter muscle.

Cerebral palsy

• Toxin is used to reduce spasticity and stiffness which is a common problem for children with cerebral palsy.
• It works by blocking the chemical signal between the nerve and the muscle that make the muscles contract and tighten. These tight muscles make movement difficult.
• Therefore, the relaxation of these tight and spastic muscles reduces the pain can make movement much easier.

Keloid scarring

• Keloids are a red and raised scar, they can grow to be bigger than what caused the original scar. It could be a scar from surgery, an injury, a burn, body piercing or even a simple scratch. These scars can be disfiguring, painful, tender, or itchy.
• They are commonly treated with the injection of a corticosteroid like Kenacort. With the addition of a toxin to the injection in can enhance the effect of the corticosteroid. It is believed that the toxin reduces the tension of the scar therefore allowing the steroid to work more effectively.
• Dr McGovern recommends using tox with steroid injections for hypertrophic or keloid scars.

These are to name but a few of its medical uses, with more being added every year.

For a detailed explanation of muscle relaxants, your expectations and any concerns you may have please take advantage of the free consultation offered with our very professional and highly qualified nurse aestheticians.

Our nurses are full time injectors – they have more experience than any other on the Coast, and they are available every day – Monday to Friday.

This is one arena that really sets us apart from the rest. Our nurses take special care to ensure that your experience is as pain free as possible. We ensure they have plenty of time to make you comfortable, they are gentle and caring. Once you have experienced treatments with our nurses, you will never go anywhere else!

Satisfaction rates are very high after muscle relaxant treatments. You will be surprised at the very pleasing results that can be gained from this simple non-surgical procedure that can be done in a lunch break and has no downtime