What is IT?

‍Allergan anti-wrinkle injectable is a purified protein derived from bacteria - it is a used to relax muscle - this maintains some natural movement but softens and prevents ‘lines in the skin’ in the classic 3 areas: forehead, frown around eyes. The treatment is administered using ‘invisible’ needles making the treatment almost pain-free. Allergan anti-wrinkle injectable can be used to prevent wrinkles developing and can also soften any already present.

Other areas anti-wrinkle treatment can help:

• Headaches/ migraines
• Brow lift
• Chin dimpling
• Downwards turning mouth
• Neck bands
• Bunny lines
• Gummy smile
• Jawline slimming/ tooth grinding

How does it work?

‍When we are speaking, the muscles underneath the skin on our face move. With age, we lose collagen and elastin, and the skin on the surface creasing with our expressions doesn’t ‘spring back’ like it used to - this causes superficial lines and wrinkles; essentially the skin cells in the wrinkles are squashed. A muscle relaxant and is injected into the muscle.  The neurones in the muscle fibres (the connecting pathways) then become blocked and signals cannot be passed down the muscle which means the muscle fibres affected cannot contract, therefore less movement is produced and the skin cells are no longer squashed. This means the appearance of the wrinkles reduce.

What else can it be used for?

‍Allergan anti-wrinkle injectable can be used to relax a hypertonic (strong) muscle caused by genetics, a habit or an individual’s anatomy - for example it is used very commonly to treat headaches and migraine, a higher upper lip on smiling than normal (gummy smile), neck bands, strong chin muscles (causing a downturned corners of the mouth). It can also be used to reduce the activity of sweat glands such as under the armpits and sweaty palms, reduce the size of large calf muscles and prevent tooth grinding/ chipping teeth/ jaw pain.

How is it different to dermal filler?

‍As we age, we lose collagen and elastin from the skin which reduces the skin’s elasticity. A muscle relaxant in the form of a fluid - it is used to target fine lines and wrinkles in the surface of the skin. Dermal filler is a volumising gel - it is used to target deep volume loss and deeper folds and wrinkles caused by fat pad loss, not muscle movement directly.

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