There are two types of wrinkles – static wrinkles and dynamic wrinkles
Static wrinkles are the fine lines, creases and folds that one see on the skin at rest and they are due to loss of skin collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid that give support and volume to the skin. This loss of skin structure is compounded by age, environment and gravitational effects. Static wrinkles are commonly seen with age and sun damage.
Dynamic wrinkles are created by muscle movements and initially you see them when you animate or work those muscles as when you talk, laugh, smile, frown or cry. Later with time, the skin loses volume and elasticity and the dynamic wrinkles, through repetition, become etched in the skin to form static wrinkles. They remain even when there are no muscle movements.
Treatment for static wrinkles
There are many treatment options to improve static lines and wrinkles. They include
- Prescription creams
- Chemical peels
- Light treatments: Sciton BBL, LED
- Ablative and nonablative Laser resurfacing: Fraxel, Picoway Resolve, YouLaserMT
- Thermo-mechanical remodelling: Tixel Pro 2.0
- Dermal fillers
- Non-surgical skin tightening and lifting: Ultherapy, Thermage FLX, fractional RF
- Skin hydration: skin boosters
Treatment for dynamic wrinkles
Dynamic wrinkles can be improved by relaxing those muscles that create the wrinkles. This is done by injecting precise amounts of wrinkle injections containing botulinum neurotoxin(neuromodulator) into these muscles. Our clinic offers 3 brands of neuromodulators, all of which are HSA, CE and USA-FDA approved
- Onabotulinum toxin (Botox) by Allergan
- Abobotulinum toxin (Dysport) by Ipsen
- Incobotulinum toxin (Xeomin) by Merz
Wrinkle injections with botulinum neurotoxin
Botulinum neurotoxin is essentially a sterile, natural, purified protein that when injected into muscles in small doses can relax these muscles. This neurotoxin blocks the release of acetylcholine, a chemical in the junction between the ends of the nerves and the muscles, and when acetylcholine is blocked, the injected muscles relaxed. It is thus not acting as a poison/ toxin as the name suggested. It is very safe as the amount of protein injected for cosmetic use is very very small and does not cause systemic side-effects.
Treatment using wrinkle injections with botulinum neurotoxin for medical and cosmetic problems
- Wrinkle injection is used to treat dynamic wrinkles on the face and neck muscles, to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and give the skin a relaxed look: forehead lines, crow’s feet, frown lines, marionette lines, bar codes on upper lips, chin crease
- Wrinkle injection is used to treat temporal-mandibular joint(TMJ) disorders and associated jaw tension and pain. It relieves the soreness and discomfort and jaw tension
- Wrinkle injection is used to treat excessive sweating in the axilla, palms and soles
- Wrinkle injection is used to treat migraine
- Wrinkle injection is used after surgery to reduce scar formation and also as part of the treatment for scars and keloids
- Wrinkle injection is used for facial shaping: slim lower face and reduce prominent masseter muscle, eye brow shaping
- Wrinkle injection is used to lift the skin (neuromodulator lift)
- Wrinkle injection is used to minimise pores and reduce oiliness
- Wrinkle injection is used for body slimming: to create a long and slim neck and shoulder line, to slim arm and calf muscles
- Wrinkle injections can be used as a pre-rejuvenation treatment in young persons to prevent or delay the onset of dynamic lines
- Wrinkles injection to treat salivary glands
- Wrinkle injection for neck contouring
- Wrinkle injection to relax neck wrinkles and platysma bands
Wrinkle injection treatment is not suitable in a small group of persons with
- Neurologic disease: myasthenia gravis
- Peripheral motor neuropathy
- Some skeletal muscle conditions
- Taking certain antibiotics: gentamycin, streptomycin
