Wrinkles are an almost inevitable change that occurs in the skin as a part of ageing. They may appear as folds, lines, creases, etc especially as the skin is drier and loses its structural integrity. Mostly, they appear on areas of the body that undergo the most sun exposure, such as the face, neck, back of the hands, and the top of the forearms.
Wrinkles may appear either as fine, surface lines or deeper furrows and start showing signs of ageing. If wrinkles are concerning to you and are causing a dip in your self-esteem, this procedure may reassure you. In today’s time and age treatments are available to combat wrinkles and give your skin a fresh appearance.
How do Wrinkles form?
As we age, the cells of our skin regenerate and multiply much slower than they used to, thus causing a thinning of the dermal layer of the skin. This causes changes in the skin’s capacity to stretch and disrupts its integrity and as a result, changes its look.
With age, the capacity of the skin to retain moisture diminishes along with decreased ability to produce oil and replenish itself. Some other individual factors contribute to the formation of wrinkles including:
Lifestyle – Our fast-paced lifestyle including diet, exercise and habits such as smoking slow down your skin’s ability to produce collagen, which constitutes an integral component of your skin’s structural integrity.
Your skin type – Depending on the tone of your skin and the shade of your iris, you may be more susceptible to developing wrinkles. For instance, lighter-skinned individuals tend to develop wrinkles faster
Heredity – Familial and genetic factors play an important role in a person’s vulnerability and the time of life when their skins wrinkle
Sun exposure – Increased exposure to the sun causes the skin to develop fine lines faster
Repetitive grinning, squinting etc are some of the expressions that may chip in to wrinkle formation.
What is the anti-wrinkle treatment?
Wrinkles form when particular facial muscles contract like those between the eyebrows that are responsible for frown lines and those that emanate from the corner of the eyes (crow’s feet).
The effects of anti-wrinkle treatment last for about 12 to 16 weeks. After the effect wears off, the muscles are reactivated and wrinkles may form. At this stage, maintenance sessions of the treatment may be required. When you choose to repeat the treatment, your wrinkles may disappear and a finer looking skin is visible
The anti-wrinkle treatment uses an injectable muscle relaxant that evens out the skin’s appearance. It is a minimally invasive and safe, effective treatment for smoothing out the fine lines and wrinkles that may appear in different areas of the body.
Anti-wrinkle treatment was originally approved as a procedure and toxic by the FDA in 1989 for ophthalmic treatment and 2002, when the FDA approved it for cosmetic use.
How to prepare for an anti-wrinkle treatment Session?
Schedule a session with a certified plastic surgeon before the procedure.
Your doctor will take a complete medical history, and ask you about any allergies that you may have
Any medical conditions that you are under treatment for should be discussed with your doctor
You may also need to stop certain medications before the procedure according to your doctor’s advice
What are the areas of the body that can be treated?
The areas where anti-wrinkle treatment can be used for cosmetic purposes are:
Between the eyebrows to treat frown lines that appear
The area surrounding the eyes to treat crow’s feet lines
How does anti-wrinkle treatment work?
Anti-wrinkle treatment works by blocking the signals required for muscle contractions.
The injections even out the skin around the eyes and the area between the eyebrows.
It slows down the formation of new lines by stopping muscular contraction
The procedure doesn’t require incisions or general anaesthesia.
You may choose to get a topical anaesthetic or ice to comfort the area.
A thin needle will be used to administer the shots.
About 4 to 5 sites are injected in the area that needs treatment
The entire procedure takes approximately 10 minutes.
The procedure is not a painful one and most of our patients experience a brief period of discomfort during the injection, which does not persist once the procedure is complete.
For each individual, the time taken may differ; it is usually about 3-5 days to 2 weeks to see the full effect of the treatment. You may choose to maintain the results for a longer duration by scheduling maintenance sessions every 12-15 weeks.
Many young people are beginning to consider anti-wrinkle treatment but an evaluation by a plastic surgeon is the best way to determine if you can get the shot.
Yes, it has been approved by the FDA but if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have certain neurological conditions, you may not be eligible for treatment.
Mild bruising, swelling, redness, or tenderness may be present at the site of injection, but is self-limiting and goes away within a few days to a week.