Risks of Anti Wrinkle Injections, Cosmetic Injectables and Muscle Relaxant Toxins
How safe are anti-wrinkle injections?
Wonder why Anti-wrinkle injections are usually well-tolerated, even though they contain a muscle relaxing toxin?
Neuromuscular Blockers including Botulinum-based substances are widely used in cosmetic injections and facial injections. It’s considered one of the world’s leading anti-wrinkle injectables. It is also considered relatively safe for healthy patients so long as it the anti-wrinkle substance is injected properly, in a sterile setting, and is approved for use by trained professionals in Australia, under particular guidelines. These injection substances are approved for use in cosmetic procedures, allowing them to be injected for specific medical or cosmetic reasons, such as reduction of upper limb muscle spasticity, prevention of excessive sweating or reduction of deep facial lines and wrinkles, even though technically it is a biological substance that falls into the class of being a toxin.
Injected solutions using the neurotoxin based substances are known for having effectiveness for:
- Reducing wrinkles and fine lines
- Helping to “iron out” heavy skin creases
- Lessening the intensity or depth of expression lines (think about the ‘concentration‘ lines or deep ‘elevens’ between the brows)
- Helping the facial and neck profile appear more youthful
- Reducing Marionette lines (Naso labial folds) around the mouth and lip area
- Potentially improving an overly gummy smile
- Correcting a lopsided smile or other concerns in relation to noticeable facial asymmetry
Aside from its cosmetic injecting and facial rejuvenation purposes, the substance is known for its ability to successfully treat a variety of different disorders and conditions.
Lip fillers or lip augmentation injections fall into the category of facial rejuvenation injections, as they can plump lips and reduce some fine lines around the lip area. However, it is the muscle relaxing injections using the neurotoxins that are most frequently used to reduce deep lines or wrinkles in some areas of the face (or a combination of wrinkle relaxing injections and dermal fillers to restore lost facial volume).
Anti-wrinkle injections use the same substance that many medical professionals use to treat recurring headaches, spasms, hyperhidrosis and several other conditions.
It really is something of a “wonder drug” in its application across numerous conditions, even though as noted above, it is listed as a toxin in terms of its chemical classification.
What is the actual ingredient in Anti-Wrinkle Injections? The science of Cosmetic Injections.
Here is the science part of your beauty regime to reduce the signs of facial ageing. B-toxins are used for anti-wrinkle injections, and these are essentially generated from neurotoxins. Neurotoxins are commonly found on plants, inside soil, water and, maybe a little surprisingly, also in the intestinal tract of animals. In other words, the substance you get injected into your skin to reduce wrinkles is similar in nature to substances that are found to exist in many different places in the environment. It is used for medical purposes in a way not overly dissimilar to other medicines, although not all medicines fall into the same category as being a neurotoxin and it’s popularity doesn’t mean you should take injection treatments likely (read our other BLOGS for tips about injections and dermal fillers).
Reasons why anti-wrinkle injections for facial lines are considered to be fairly safe
Anti-Wrinkle Injections have been around for decades and the substances have been vigorously tested
- After many years of testing in controlled environments, in 2002, the American Food & Drug Administration approved the use of B-toxin injections for cosmetic use or cosmetic purposes; since then, it is increasingly popular for effective anti-wrinkle and line-reduction injection treatments, especially for the baby boomer generation (but not limited to people over 50, as it appears to appeal to many individuals in their 30s and 40s, in the format of ‘wrinkle prevention injections’.
- Initially used to treat forehead frown lines, these cosmetic “anti-wrinkle” injections can be applied to virtually any surface of the body for its smoothing effects.
- You’ll want to ensure your Injecting Clinician is highly skilled and thoroughly trained; and using only brand-name products (ask to see the bottle)!
Are anti-wrinkle injections okay to have? The answer: Only if it is prescribed and you tolerate it well.
It is a prescription-only drug (medication) and its use is licensed, although you want to be careful to get a qualified injector who uses BRAND name products rather than cheap injection imports that might not be authentic.
Geoff Lynns, president of the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), confirms that here in Australia, injected neuro-toxins are typically well-tolerated when used when prescribed and used by doctors or trained Injectors. If it is not being administered by a trained and licensed practitioner – beware. At the very least, there should be a licensed practitioner overseeing the non-medical injectors and supervising them.
At Coco Ruby, our injectables treatments are administered by trained medical personnel and highly qualified Senior Nurses who have over 15 to 20 years of cosmetic injecting experience. They ensure they use only top brand injectables and don’t offer discounted injectables by cutting corners (as some of these may be products that aren’t authentic). Read our blog about fake injectables.
Our experienced and highly trained Injectors , work with or alongside our top Plastic Surgeons and our Aesthetic Physician, to help patients look as good as they can as they get older, in terms of minimising lines and wrinkles (lines or creases which patients report leave them looking older than they actually ARE or older than they want to APPEAR). Do not receive your cosmetic facial injections from unsupervised or unlicensed individuals – it’s potentially risky!
Anti-Wrinkle & Dermal Filler Injections can be virtually painless
Because it is barely invasive when administered, consisting of a couple of simple injections just below the surface of the skin, it is also well-tolerated because it can be injected in a clinic without the risks of general anaesthetic, which, whilst generally well-tolerated by healthy patients, does carry more risks than typical in clinic treatments.
- It is virtually painless and have a very low risk in the hands of a highly trained, experienced and skilled injector.
- It feels a little like a little ant bite and the sensation lasts only a few short seconds.
- Some of the solutions have ‘built-in’ topical (localised) numbing agents which help make the injections more comfortable
- There are a few trick and tips that top anti-wrinkle injecting Professionals can give you to minimise the sensation of getting injections (these work for both dermal filler and anti-wrinkle solutions)
Cosmetic Injections and Anti-Wrinkle Injections – They’re super quick!
Some anti-wrinkle injections can be the perfect lunchtime treatment, meaning you can reduce wrinkles with a treatment that takes less than a few minutes to be administered (once you’ve had a full assessment to be sure you’re a suitable candidate). Typically, each session lasts for between 3 to 5 short minutes.
The Beauty of Cosmetic Injections includes they are Temporary
One of the precautionary aspects of injectables is to use quality, well-recognised brand-name products – ones that are temporary in nature.
So this is a great way to try the effects and see if you like the results or not. The body simply eliminates the injected substance over time, as its effects will diminish if you do not upkeep treatments every 3 to 6 months (on average, you might need cosmetic injections about 3 times a year, but it can vary from 1 to 6 depending on what you’re wanting, what you’re having done, how much you’re getting and what brand name cosmetic injectables products are used).
The same can be said of temporary dermal fillers or facial fillers and limp plumping injections. Using high quality, natural feeling products and a natural-looking injecting strategy, you’ll be apt to LOVE the enhancements you can make with dermal fillers – including higher cheeks, a stronger chin or jawline, and reduced wrinkles by filling out lost facial volume. BUT if for any reason you don’t like the results, you may have two potential options. One is to simply wait until they wear off, and the other is to ask for a reversal treatment (this is why our Team avoids permanent fillers – also, permanent fillers don’t move or age or adjust with other facial ageing, so with passing time, permanent fillers can leave a face looking rather strange). Temporary filler injections are best, in the view of our Senior Injecting Clinicians and Dermal Clinicians.
The side effects are typically mild for many patients
The side effects associated with cosmetic injections tend to be mild and highly adverse reactions are typically rare, another reason why this miraculous substance is considered generally well-tolerated for suitable patients when injected by a highly skilled professional with the proper training.
Although no procedure or injectable is “no risk,” receiving cosmetic injections falls into the category of a low risk cosmetic procedure.
That doesn’t mean you should take it lightly, however, and be sure you choose a highly trained professional. And some people do have sensitivity to injections and might react more strongly than others, so ask your Injector for details including what might help reduce discomfort or potential bruising.
Side effects include temporary redness, swelling, headaches, bruising, mild numbness or a little nausea – and pass quickly for most healthy patients, if indeed they occur at all.
If you are considering receiving these cosmetic injections to reduce your facial wrinkles or lines, always:
- Carefully select your Medical Practitioner or highly trained Senior Nurse Injector
- Have a full consultation before receiving treatment
- Be honest about your health habits and your medical history (including whether or not you smoke)
- Don’t FLY within 2 weeks of getting facial fillers
- Do your research and get a few opinions on what effects are attainable to ensure that your expectations are realistic
- ONLY go with someone who you feel comfortable with and who will show you the brand name of the product they are injecting (ask to see the bottle or container).
So are anti-wrinkle injections going to be right for YOU?
Schedule an in-person consultation with one of our top Melbourne facial rejuvenation and Injecting Team member, Sandra Wallace.
