It seems almost like magic – how wrinkles can seem to just disappear with a couple of injections.
But this is a field solidly backed by scientific research; such anti-wrinkle treatments also have the stamp of approval by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA).
We take an in-depth look at how anti-wrinkle injections work and the science behind them:
What are anti-wrinkle injections?
These are made from botulinum toxin, a type of neurotoxic protein that is commonly used in medicine to treat cerebral palsy. It is generally used in small, controlled doses to treat mild cosmetic concerns such as facial wrinkles.
How are wrinkles formed?
Facial wrinkles occur as a result of a combination of a few factors:
- Reduced collagen formation
- Thinning skin
- Environmental factors (e.g. overexposure to the sun’s UV rays)
- Lifestyle factors (e.g. smoking)
All these combine to result in a weakened support structure for our skin, causing it to sag and causing wrinkles to appear.
How do these injections work?
Such anti-wrinkle injections are injected directly into your facial muscles, causing it to relax temporarily, in turn preventing the formation of facial wrinkles.
What essentially happens is that the botulinum toxin prevents signals from the nerve cells from reaching the muscles. In order for our facial muscles to contract, our nerves release a chemical known as acetylcholine, which attaches to receptors on the muscle cells, causing them to shorten.
This reduction in muscle contractions allows facial muscles to relax, in turn reducing facial wrinkles.
What happens during these injections?
The anti-wrinkle injection is generally administered to the upper face area, where most wrinkles tend to surface. Possible injection areas include the chin, forehead, crow’s feet, or glabella lines (i.e. the short vertical lines in between your eyebrows).
The anti-wrinkle injection will be administered in a few tiny injections to your desired treatment area. For added comfort during the procedure, Dr. Kok will use an ice pack to numb the treatment area. Most patients find the procedure very tolerable, saying that the injections feel like minor ant bites.
For patients who are still concerned about potential discomfort, a local anaesthetic can be applied to further numb the treatment area.
For more information on our anti-wrinkle treatments, call us at +65 6738 4700, email us at enquire@lsaestheticclinic.com, or visit us at Wisma Atria, Orchard Road.
We provide honest advice, quality care, and affordable prices.