Botulinum toxin has been used by aestheticians in the UK for around 20 years, and is a protein that is injected into the muscle to temporarily relax it. This relaxation causes the skin on top to also relax and come away from the tight creases and wrinkles that have developed over time.
The toxin blocks the signal from the nerve to the muscle, meaning the nerve can not tell the muscle to move. When used in areas of the face which control certain expressions, the result is that the lines caused by frowning or squinting are controlled and not allowed to form.
Improvements usually start within a couple of days, although it can take longer, so we recommend coming back in for a review to check on the progress of the procedure.
Line reducing treatments last around 12-16 weeks with the peak effects happening at 6-9 weeks. After this peak time your facial expressions gradually return to normal.
For more information about and contraindication and post procedure advice, see our Pre and Post Care page.