Years of squinting, smiling, frowning, and raising one’s eyebrows Leads to deep lines in the skin between the eyebrows and on the bridge of the nose, across the forehead, and at the corners of the eyes. Frown lines produce an angry or sad look that detracts from a pleasant facial appearance. Injections of a neuromodulator such improve these lines without surgery, scars or downtime.
Neuromodulators are botulinum toxin type A, a highly purified protein used to temporarily relax hyperactive muscles of facial expression. Small amounts are injected into facial muscles, causing a local relaxation. The lines and wrinkles gradually smooth out and new creases are prevented from forming. Neuromodulators combined with other treatments such as Ultherapy® for skin tightening, microneedling, and laser, offer non-surgical facial rejuvenation. Dr. Wong will perform a comprehensive assessment of your aesthetic concerns during your initial consultation and develop a plan to address your concerns.
It’s likely no one will notice that you have had the treatment right afterward because the improvements appear gradually. Dr. Wong prefers Dysport because it takes effect in as little as one to two days. Generally it takes 1-2 weeks to see the full effect. Improvements generally last three to four months. Having treatment on a regular basis every 3-4 months will prevent lines from becoming deeper and may help prolong the effect.
Occasionally, the administration of a neuromodulator can affect an unintended muscle group, resulting in the temporary droop of an eyebrow or a smile, which returns to normal once the neuromodulator has been metabolized by the body.
In some instances, the facial muscles of expression may contract more strongly on one side of the face versus the opposite side, but this may not be apparent during treatment. However, after a few days, you may notice that muscles on one side of the face are more active, resulting in facial asymmetry. If this happens, additional neuromodulator can be injected to refine and even muscle activity on the hyperactive side.
Other potential side effects include bruising and swelling at the injection site, and a mild temporary headache. Overall, neuromodulators are safe, well tolerated, and are used to treat a variety of medical conditions.