Injectables

Botox (Allergan), Dysport (Galderma), and Xeomin (Merz) are all injectable neuromodulators, meaning they can temporarily alter the nerve impulses of targeted muscles, therefore reducing or eliminating contraction-induced wrinkles.

Each brand has a slightly different formulation of the same substance, bacterium Clostridium Botulinum, or Botulinum Toxin A, but they all work the same way: they block the nerve impulses of the injected muscles to temporarily paralyze muscle movements that cause wrinkles. The most common targets are horizontal lines across the forehead and perpendicular frown lines between the brows (also called “The Elevens”), but many also rely on Botox, Dysport, and Xeomin for crow’s feet, nasal squint lines, lines around the neck, eyebrow lifting, and even profuse underarm sweating and migraines.

When administered properly, the effects are confined to the injection zone and do not affect the surrounding areas or travel around the body, as commonly feared.

By reducing the intensity and frequency of contraction-induced wrinkles, these treatments also prevent the formation of deeper lines in the long run, making them an increasingly popular anti-aging strategy.

Botox, Dysport, and Xeomin are safe for all skin types and skin colors.

**However, people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have any neurological diseases should not use these injectables unless approved by a qualified cosmetic doctor.**

The medicine is injected with a small needle, there is some discomfort associated with the actual injections. This usually subsides minutes after the treatment, although some people report tenderness in the treated areas for several days after the injections. After being injected with a neuromodulator, there may be an odd sensation in the first few weeks because you are unable to move the forehead muscle as freely as before the treatment. This sensation can be worsened if too much medication is injected into the forehead. However, this does resolve and, upon follow up treatments, most patients barely notice it.

Usually 15-20 minutes.

You may experience slight redness or swelling at the injection sites, but only momentarily, so you can go about your normal activities immediately after receiving treatment.  You may also have slight bruising at the injection site, but nothing that a little concealer can’t hide.

You should notice smoother, more wrinkle-free skin within 2 to 3 days post injection, but the full effects won’t appear for about 2 weeks. It may take as long as a month for results to peak on areas with stronger muscles, particularly in men.

At full throttle, your skin will feel smoothed and lifted, with a more youthful and awakened appearance.  These results tend to last 4 to 6 months, at which point the muscle movement gradually returns and the wrinkles and lines start to reappear, but often less severe than before because the muscle is being trained to relax more.

For optimal results, schedule touch-ups every 4 to 6 months, according to how your skin responds to the treatment. The good news: intervals between treatments may widen over time because your muscles will become more relaxed and require less maintenance.

It is recommended to stay upright for at least 2 to 4 hours post injection to maintain the cosmetic doctor’s placement of the inject-able. Most cosmetic doctors will tell you to refrain from activities like yoga that involve potentially being upside down. Instead, sit up straight and have a glass of champagne to celebrate.

Do not rub or massage the area.

Make a lot of gestures and move the area for the first few hours.

First timer? Take baby steps with these inject-ables to see how you react. You can always add more, but you can’t undo a frozen expression. You actually have to wait until it dissipates naturally, which may take several months.