The anti-wrinkle treatment mainly consists of the injection of botulinum toxin in the facial muscles. The botulinum toxin is commonly referred to as “Botox” by patients, and it is a purified substance derived from bacteria. When injected in the muscle, it block the nerve signals that makes the muscle contract. Once the muscle is unable to contract, it relaxes and reduces temporarily unwanted wrinkles.
The most commonly treated areas are forehead wrinkles, frown lines, and crow’s feet around the eyes. Other areas can also be treated such as lip lines, thick bands in the neck, thick jaw muscles (usually due to bruxism or excessive chewing) and gummy smiles.
The effects of the toxin last approximately 3-6 months.
The best wrinkles to be treated by toxin botulin are the dynamic wrinkles, which are those clothes that appear when moving. When wrinkles are static (they appear even when there is no expression on the face), the toxin is not able to completely eliminate them, but it can reduce them. However, there are other associated treatments that can help in cases of static wrinkles.
