WRINKLES AND FINE LINES

What is Botulinum Toxin?

Botulinum toxin is a product that has been used in the health industry since the 1980s to treat muscle problems. From the 1990s onwards, the substance has been frequently used in cosmetic and aesthetic contexts in order to reduce visible lines and wrinkles. Due to the very low concentration used it is, in fact, a very safe cosmetic treatment.

How does it Work?

The substance, which is produced in laboratories, blocks nerve impulses to the tiny facial muscles, which normally cause lines and wrinkles when they contract. This prevents the muscles from contracting and the skin is smoothed so that lines and wrinkles disappear. Untreated muscles are not affected, nor are normal facial expressions.

How is it Used?

Wrinkles best suited to this treatment are those caused by muscle use, i.e. dynamic or expression wrinkles. Wrinkles between the eyebrows, horizontal wrinkles of the forehead and wrinkles around the eyes can all be treated with Botulinum toxin injections. It normally only takes a few minutes to administer the injections and, as the needles used are very fine, it is not usually painful. It's very important that the person doing the injecting is an expert in facial anatomy, as the benefits of the treatment depend on their skill to treat the correct muscles.

How Long Do the Effects Last?

Though it will differ from patient to patient, the effects of the initial injections should last four months and the intervals between treatments usually increase with continued use.

If you have never had this type of treatment before, and you would like to discuss your options with a Consultant Plastic Surgeon, please call 01 491 5738 or email info@aestheticinstitute.ie for more information on booking a non-invasive treatment consultation or an anti-wrinkle injection treatment.

If Botulinum toxin is not suitable for me, what other treatments are available?

Wrinkles that exist even when the face is relaxed, as well as the mouth and chin, are best treated with Restylane or another dermal filler. For further information, see Fillers.

Lines caused by aging or sun damage won't respond to Botulinum toxin treatment, and may be better treated by chemical peels or laser resurfacing. 

If wrinkles are too advanced for Botulinum toxin injections to work without preventing all movement, then you may be better treated by surgery such as a facelift or Browlift.

The vast array of facial filler options available today can be confusing and the guidance of a Consultant Plastic Surgeon is invaluable when deciding on the treatment best suited to your particular case. Facial fillers may be temporary or permanent, may be natural or synthetic, may be made from collagen or hyaluronic acid or other materials, may be available in different particle sizes, may be stand-alone treatments or combined with anti-wrinkle injections like Botox or performed as a compliment to surgery. Plus there are many formats and brands available.

How do facial fillers work?

Fillers act as padding under the skin to fill out lines and hollows. Typically, fillers are used to reduce wrinkle depth rather than to eradicate them completely. They are injected using fine needles to strategic point on the face to plump and smooth the skin and the results are immediate.

Where are facial fillers typically used?

• Lips
• Smoker’s lines (upper lip)
• Nose-to-lip lines
• Secondary smile lines on the cheek
• Corners fo the mouth where they droop down
• Frown lines and forehead
• Crow’s feet
• Depressed scars
• Hollow cheeks
• Lost volume in cheeks

Fillers are also sometimes used to improve the appearance and contour of the nose or the chin, for example. Beyond the face, similar products may also be used to treat the back of the hands to restore volume.

Does it hurt?

It can be uncomfortable to have fillers injected though it is not generally very painful. Some fillers contain an anaesthetic ingredient, and in some cases the Consultant Plastic Surgeon may use a topical anaesthetic to numb the area. There can be some swelling or redness for a day or two after treatment.

How long will it last?

This will depend on a number of factors, not least the type of filler used. Hyaluronic acid fillers can last up to a year or more but it varies from person to person and from one area of the face to another. It can also be affected by genetics, age, skin type, lifestyle, muscle activity and the injection technique used. It's important to follow the advice of your Consultant Plastic Surgeon in order to maximize the effects of your treatment.

You may also like to read more about our unique SoftLift technique, which uses a combination of fillers and other non-invasive treatments to achieve non-surgical anti-aging effects.

For a surgical alternative, please read more about fat grafting.

For information on the use of fillers elsewhere in the body, please read more about body contouring.

If you would like to discuss filler treatments with the Consultant Plastic Surgeon, please call 01 491 5738 to make an appointment for a non-invasive treatment consultation.

Developed by Akademikliniken, the Aesthetic Institute’s SoftLift and is a brand new aesthetic treatment method using hyaluronic acid. It rebuilds tissue in order to replace volume and induce a lift. Hyaluronic acid exists naturally in the body and is injected into different levels in order to rebuild the tissue.

Aesthetic Institute’s SoftLift recreates volume and elasticity in the whole or parts of the face, the throat and the neckline. It can also pad out an ageing hand or remove pigmentation. It can be used for minor corrections, for example of the nose.

Aesthetic Institute Softlift is a proven method that may be preferable to traditional plastic surgery since its advantages are many. The results are instantaneous and the effects more natural, with volume and lustre. Treatment time is short, around 45 minutes, and the recovery time minimal. Treatments are suitable for anybody whose ageing process has begun and offer a lasting result without scars. There is no pain after the treatment and the risk of side effects is very low.

Aesthetic Institute SoftLift can only be used by specially trained plastic surgeons and is implemented on a three-dimensional level. The treatment has been developed with the support of new types of fillers and needles, in combination with the most complete laser equipment in the industry and Akademikliniken’s own skin care products.

If you would like to discuss SoftLift treatment with the Consultant Plastic Surgeon, please call 01 491 5738 to make an appointment for a non-invasive treatment consultation.