Anti-wrinkle injections Melbourne are the premier non-surgical solution for the visible effects of age and gravity. Australia’s spend on non-surgical cosmetic treatments, per capita, is one of the highest globally.
The anti-ageing effect, affordability and no downtime are just some of the benefits that make cosmetic injections so appealing. However, there are facts about this popular procedure that may surprise you.
8 Surprising Facts
1. Anti-wrinkle injections are not just for wrinkles!
There are reportedly over 30 conditions where treatment with muscle relaxing injections can be of benefit, such as hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), bruxism (teeth grinding), muscle disorders and migraines.
2. Muscle relaxants and fillers are not the same thing
Many people think that all anti-wrinkle injections are the same thing, however fillers and muscle relaxants are very different! Muscle relaxing injections are used to block the nerve functions to cease muscle contraction, which leads to smoother skin. Dermal fillers are used to fill-in lines and creases, and give volume to lips and cheeks, and plump areas where volume has been lost over time.
3. Increasingly popular for men
More than ever before, men are turning to anti-wrinkle injections to fend off the signs of ageing. Particularly in the forehead and around the eye area, men are finding that anti-wrinkle injections help achieve a more youthful appearance, without the signs of having a procedure done.
4. It’s not painful
The thought of getting a needle in your face can be quite confronting, but it’s nothing to worry about! The needles used for cosmetic injections are very fine and a numbing product can be used to calm discomfort. Many patients explain the feeling as similar to a mosquito bite or a mild pinch. In every case, at Appearance Clinic Australia, our doctor places patient comfort and satisfaction as the fundamental priority.
5. THERE IS MORE THAN ONE BRAND OF WRINKLE-RELAXING INJECTIONS
Just as “Thermos” has become synonymous with vacuum flasks, “Googling” with online searches and “Xerox” with copy machines, a brand name is often used to refer to anti-wrinkle injections colloquially. Not only is that brand name not the proper name for the treatment, it’s also not the only brand available. There are several brands that fall into the category of injectable wrinkle relaxers in Australia. Each one contains the same primary active ingredient, but they are formulated differently and made by different manufacturers. The results they offer are also subtly different, so it’s important to find an experienced practitioner who is well-versed in the options available.
6. THE ROOTS OF ANTI-WRINKLE INJECTIONS GO BACK TO THE EARLY 19TH CENTURY
The active ingredient in anti-wrinkle injections was initially discovered due to an outbreak of food poisoning. In the early 1800s, the German physician Justinus Kerner published research on a wave of foodborne botulism that occurred in a village after residents consumed blood sausages, a local delicacy. Dr Kerner asserted that a toxin that developed within the sausages brought on “Wurstgift” (German for “sausage poison”) and that the toxin, if used correctly, could have therapeutic applications. His work paved the way for the study of the toxin and the eventual development of anti-wrinkle injections in the years to come.
7. WE DIDN’T DISCOVER THE TOXIN’S COSMETIC BENEFITS UNTIL THE 1990S
Before they were the world’s most popular wrinkle treatment, anti-wrinkle injections weren’t for wrinkles at all. Their first use was the treatment of strabismus, or crossed eyes. In the 1970s, scientists discovered that the toxin could relax the muscles responsible for making the eyes point in different directions. It received FDA approval for therapeutic use in the United States in 1989. Research on the substance continued into the 1990s, and soon its ability to reduce wrinkles was noticed. The product was rebranded and, in 2002, received its first FDA approval for cosmetic use.
8. Muscle Slimming
This is a treatment that takes time for results to show, but it does work. When a muscle is out of use for a long period of time, it shrinks. With a slightly higher volume of anti-wrinkle injections, a muscle can be relaxed enough to grow smaller. This is one method used for patients who want a slimmer, less rounded face.
Fun fact: the masseter muscle (the one that works your jaw) is the strongest muscle in your body. When anti-wrinkle injections are administered properly into this muscle, you can still speak and chew as per normal, but part of the muscle is relaxed enough that it starts to shrink. Over time, the masseter muscles become visibly smaller and you get a less rounded, more v-lined shape to your face.
9. Non-Surgical Eyebrow Lift
Not-so-fun fact: as your collagen breaks down with age, it can sometimes cause your eyebrows to sit a bit lower on your face. This is because the skin starts to sag. We often notice hooding over the eye more than the eyebrow, but if you compare photos, you might see a lower brow or less of an arch.
We sometimes also just want a little more arch to our brows, regardless of age. With a little anti-wrinkle injection in the depressor muscles above the brow, and another little injection in the muscles that pull the brows down, you can accentuate the arch in your eyebrows and give them a little bit of lift.
This method can also be used to adjust asymmetrical eyebrows.
10. Gummy Smile
Occasionally, a smile will give a lot of gums. Basically, certain muscles in the upper lip pull back more than they need to, so your smile shows the gums above your teeth. We love a big smile, but for those who dislike the way they look with their gums showing, we can inject just a little bit of anti-wrinkle product into the muscles above the lip. This causes the muscle to relax so that the lip doesn’t pull up as much for a more natural looking smile with pearly white teeth and hidden gums.
11. You can stop new wrinkle development and wrinkle deepening
Anti-wrinkle injections are actually a muscle relaxant, and do not ‘remove’ wrinkles magically, but prevent the cause of your wrinkles – facial movements. Anti-wrinkle injections also soften lines that already exist by relaxing the tiny facial muscles underneath the skin that draw your skin together to form a wrinkle. Anti-wrinkle injections can stop your skin from wrinkling excessively when you laugh, frown, or talk. An example would be frown lines injections between your eyebrows, or frown lines injections in your forehead.
12. Your facial expressions will not be snatched from you
You can get rid of crow’s feet, frown lines, smoker’s lines, a pebbly chin, nose bridges (‘bunny lines’), but you won’t remove your lovely smile or your ability to express empathy or compassion. And don’t worry – people will still know when you’re mad!
13. It’s fast – you can be in and out in 20 minutes
Anti-wrinkle injections are fast and effective immediately, so you can pop in on your own time and be out within the half-hour.
14. Only experienced doctors do anti-wrinkle injections at our clinic
Many clinics use nurses, but at ENRICH, we only use registered, experienced cosmetic doctors to inject the right dose for the right contour. Our doctors take pride in their work.
5. The results are temporary, so you can experiment and age gracefully
We don’t always want to change our look forever – maybe you just want to try cosmetic injections out for size and see how anti-wrinkle treatments and face recontouring suits you. Your face also changes as you age, and what suited you in your 20s may not be the right thing for you in your 50s. We change with you.
