Botox®

Botox® for frown line reduction

Throughout our lives we express emotion using our facial muscles and we leave the traces of our happy and sad expressions as lines on our complexion. In time we can see frown lines remain and wrinkles develop, but now this natural development may be arrested and treated without surgery.

BOTOX® and DYSPORT® are the brand names used for a product which contains Botulinum Toxin which was discovered almost by accident around 20 years ago. It had been used in the treatment of a number of medical conditions, but doctors found that when tiny amounts were injected into facial muscles as a method of dealing with involuntary muscles spasms or tics, it had the added advantage of smoothing fine lines and creases on the patient’s face. They also found that when applied round the eyes the appearance of crow’s feet and laughter lines were reduced which has an obvious cosmetic advantage of giving a more youthful appearance. 

The effect does wear off and so cannot be considered permanent and reapplications will be needed to give a lasting effect. However the treatment is almost painless and gives an instantly improved appearance to lines on the forehead and ugly crow’s feet.

Its use is also effective with regard to minimizing tension headaches and the misery of migraine and is also used in the treatment of hyperhydrosis – excessive sweating.

There are also instances where it is used alongside actual surgery, for example in face lift procedures and laser skin resurfacing. The surgery is actually enhanced by its use and will give longer lasting results.

Prices from £200.  Combination Treatment Packages also available with free products for homecare use.  Please refer to our Combination Treatment section of the website for more information.

Frequently asked questions

How does Botulinum Toxin work?

Botulinium Toxin acts directly on the nerves in the muscles in your face. The nerve impulses are blocked and the resulting effect is that the muscle then relaxes and becomes smooth. You have hundreds of tiny facial muscles which act together to create all your individual expressions and only the treated muscles will relax, all those that are untreated will continue to act as normal. The combined effect therefore is a younger looking you.

Are Botulinum Toxin treatments safe?

Used safely by thousands of patients for over twenty years, Botulinum Toxin has been tested and approved for use both medically and as a cosmetic aid. Originally used to treat neurological and ophthalmological conditions it is now being considered as the most reliable treatment against the signs of premature aging.

What is the treatment like?

Botulinum Toxin Cosmetic treatment is so quick and simple it should not impact on your normal work/life routine. The procedure is entirely safe and no sedation is required so there is no need to refrain from driving after any such “regeneration” treatment. The Botulinum Toxin is dispensed using a micro-needle injection, so fine that there is absolute minimum discomfort and only a very small amount is injected very precisely into several locations on the face.

Are there any side effects?

Depending on which muscles are being injected there may be a slight change of facial expression or eyelid droop and in some cases the toxin may also affect a muscle in close proximity to that treated, but your doctor will discuss this fully with you prior to individual treatments. However, any such effects will be temporary as Botulinum Toxin treatment is not permanent. Similarly there may appear slight bruising at the injection point but this will quickly disappear.

What results can I expect?

Such cosmetic regeneration relaxes the muscles and gives a smoother complexion. It will banish frown lines and creases that have marked your face through the years and bring back a more youthful appearance to your complexion. Because of its relaxing nature such treatment will not tighten sagging muscles nor can it bring a youthful appearance to skin that has been damaged by the sun and generally weathered by age.

What are the limitations of Botulinum Toxin?

Botulinum Toxin injections are immediately effective, but these results are only temporary. After three to six months the effect may have faded and you might need to repeat the injections two or three times a year. There have been studies that appear to show that the effects are longer-lasting with frequent use but different people obviously have different experiences of this. It may also be less effect for those patients who have reached the age of 65.

Is Botulinum Toxin used to treat other symptoms?

In the period of its use which goes back twenty years, it has also helped patients with blepharospasm which is assosciated with dystonia.

Is Botox safe long term?

There has been a recent study on Botox® which has thoroughly analysed the results taken from 2000 patients over 12 years and has given Botox® a favourable safety and tolerability profile in its conclusions. This is backed by its recorded use in the UK for more than 10 years and for more than 15 years worldwide. Dr Patrick Bowler, our Medical Director, has written a retrospective study on Botox® which was published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, Volume 4, Number 2 dated June 2005.

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