Wrinkles on the face are caused by continuous activity of the complex array of muscles in the face. These are the muscles which allow us to make facial expressions.
Forehead lines, ‘crows-feet’ around the eyes, and frown lines between the eyes are typical examples which are readily treated with injections to stop the extra muscle activity which causes the wrinkles. Botox is the most recognisable brand but there are a number of products on the market which all have very similar performance.
When injected to treat crows feet and frown lines, botox has a secondary effect in allowing the eyebrows to rise a bit; this has a freshening effect on the appearance of the eyes.
Botox can also be used to treat wrinkles around the mouth and in the neck.
A tiny amount of botox is injected at several sites to give the desired effect. There is no down-time after the treatment which takes only a few minutes. The botox takes a less than a week to start working and its effect wears off slowly over 6-9 months. Injections can be repeated as necessary.
It is an extremely popular and safe treatment. Occasionally there is some bruising and it is possible for eyelid muscles to be temporarily weakened by the injection. Allergy to botox is rare.