What is toxin?

It is a neurotoxin made by a purified protein called a gram-positive bacilli Clostridium Botulinum.

Botulinum toxin has been used in the NHS for over 35 years and is a very safe medication when used correctly and in the tiny doses we are dealing with. Botox should always be prescribed for you by a medical professional.

Botulinum toxin is injected into the muscles to reduce its activity and therefore stops the skin creasing. It works by preventing the nerve signal from reaching the muscle by prohibiting the chemical acetylcholine (naturally made in our cells) from being released, this chemical is the bridge in which the signal needs to cross to reach the muscle. Without the bridge the signal cannot reach the muscle therefore no muscle activity creating smoother-looking skin.

Will I need a consultation?

Yes, you will need to come for a pre-treatment consultation to take a full history etc and to order your toxin. You will need to make a second appointment for your treatment. This gives you enough time to make an informed decision about whether this is the right treatment for you.

How soon will I see the results?

After your injections and dependent on the product used, you can start to see a difference from 3 to 5 days and will continue to improve up to day 14 when the drug is at its peak, this is when you may request a review, you may or may not require additional treatment..

How long does it last?

This varies from person to person, but results can be usually seen for around 3 months. Results don’t just disappear overnight but gradually you will notice movement returning. This can be expedited by consistent muscle activity – i.e. trying to move the relaxed muscles or by your own metabolism, generally people who do regular physical activity have increased metabolism and may find results disappear quicker. Improved results can be seen by having multiple cycles of toxin injections because the muscle is not as strong as it was before your last treatment.

Follow up appointments

Follow-up appointments are not always needed, however, if this is your first time having these injections, we would like to see you back in the clinic in 2 weeks, just so we can assess how well the product has taken and to assess how you feel about your new look. 

Risks Vs Benefits

There is a very rare chance that you can be allergic to the toxin itself.

Some side effects generally are down to the injection procedure itself rather than the product, such as redness and swelling at each of the injection sites which generally disappear after a few hours. Bruising can occur if a little vessel is hit with the needle, some steps can be done to help reduce bruising if you are prone to bruising due to medications or medical conditions. This can be as easy as avoiding some home remedies the week prior to the treatment. Avoiding medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and herbal remedies and oils such as ginsing, cod liver oil, flaxseed/oil, vit A and E as these can increase the risk of bruising.

In rare cases infection at the injection sites can occur but reduced greatly by following the after-care advice such as basic personal hygiene.

Headaches and flu-like symptoms have been reported by some following the few days after injection, paracetamol can help with this.

Eyelid ptosis (droopy eyelid) is very rare and generally down to misplaced toxin injection. There are some eye drops that can be prescribed to help with this should it occur.

Heavy brows – Some people request that only their forehead is treated as they don’t feel the lines between their eyebrows need treating, although this may be the case we strongly advise not to treat these lines on their own because you can become very brow heavy. The frontalis muscle that creates the horizontal lines on the forehead is responsible for keeping your eyebrows raised, if we stop its main job then you will have low brows on both sides.

Aftercare advice

For the 4 hours after toxin treatment, it is advised:

• Not to touch the injection sites

• Don’t apply makeup

• Stay upright

For the next 24 hours it is advised :

• No excessive exercise

• No steamy hot showers, jacuzzi’s, steam rooms.

• No tightly fitting caps or helmets

For the next 2 weeks:

• No other facial treatments such as chemical peels

• Dermal fillers

• Microneedling

Does it hurt?

The injections are given with a very tiny thin needle, you may feel the initial pinch as the needle pierces the skin and tiny bit of pressure as the dose is injected but it shouldn’t hurt. Most people manage this sensation without numbing agents. However, if this is something that really bothers you, we are happy to provide a small amount of local numbing cream to the areas being treated.

How long does it take to do a toxin treatment?

In general, the injections take no longer than 10 minutes but for a first-time client we suggest 45 minutes for your pre-treatment consultation.

Where can I have toxin injections?

During the consultation, we will assess if you are a candidate for these injections but as a rule, we can inject:

• The frown lines between your eyebrows

• The horizontal lines on your forehead

• The crow’s feet around your eyes and just below

• Lip lines to create a smoother or upturned lip

• Gummy smile – when you show more than 2mm of gum on smiling

• Marionette lines – disappointment lines to help lift your corners

• Chin to relax its position and smoothen it out

• Bruxism – teeth grinding or clenching

• Vertical neck bands

• Hyperhidrosis – excess sweating under the arms, soles of feet, or palms of hands

Will I look worse when it wears off?

No, you won’t look any worse than you did before your treatment. As the nerve cell starts to re-release acetylcholine, the muscle activity will slowly begin to reactivate, providing you with a slow gradual change to your skin, eventually, you will be back at what you were before the treatment, but no worse.

Who can’t have toxin injections?

• A pregnant or breastfeeding woman cannot have treatment.

• Patients with neurological diseases such as Myasthenia Gravis, Eaton Lambert Syndrome or Parkinson’s.

• People with hypersensitivity to human albumin, and sodium chloride.

• Patients on a course of antibiotics.