Anti-wrinkle injections

• Avoid rubbing the treatment area for 24 hours (be very gentle using face wash/ creams)
• Do not wear make up for 4 hours
• Keep upright for 4 hours
• Avoid exercise for 24 hours
• Avoid extremes of heat for 2 weeks (sauna, steam room, sunbed)
• Avoid facials or other professional facial treatments for 2 weeks
• Eyebrow microblading should be done before botox, or after botox has worn off to ensure that your microblading is done in the natural brow position (as botox has the potential to sublty affect the brow position)

You can return to work right away as long as you follow the post operative advice!

There may be some small red bumps from the injection sites which usually disappear within an hour or 2. Side effects are uncommon, mostly related to the injection site including mild pain, minor bleeding, redness, irritation and sometimes headache. These will be discussed with you at consultation.

Please ensure you have disclosed all medical history including medical conditions, medication, allergies and any previous cosmetic or non cosmetic treatment on the face. Please come with no make-up on.

Please call to rearrange if you have an infection/ cold sore/ eczema on the treatment area.

Please make sure you have familiarized yourself with the post-op advice BEFORE your appointment so you are prepared.

It usually takes 5 days for the treatment to start working, with full effects seen at the 2 week mark. Botox has its maximum activity for 6 weeks, before gradually starting to wear off typically taking 3-4 months. Some patients find that after a few treatments they are able to wait a bit longer between each appointment, as they subconsciously stop the facial movements that cause the lines. However, everyone is individual and for a small number of patients they may get a little less than 3 months.

Every patient we see for the first time will be given the opportunity to schedule a review between 2-4 weeks to assess the response to treatment and ensure optimum results. If we feel that there are improvements to be made i.e an adjustment to the dose is needed, this will be given at no extra cost.

Because the needles are very small and the amount of solution being injected is minimal, the treatment is not generally painful and most people report, when they have botox for the first time, that they are pleasantly surprised with how easy they found the treatment.

The appointment time will be between 20-30 minutes, through the treatment itself is very quick and takes no more than 5 minutes

After your consultation to assess your suitability and ensure botox is the right treatment for you, your facial muscles will be marked for the injection points.

A very small needle is then used to deliver a small amount of liquid (botox in sterile saline solution) into the targeted muscles. The number of injections you will need depends on the areas you are having treated.

Botox works best in those lines/ wrinkles which are milder and exacerbated by facial muscles movement (dynamic lines). Lines which are present on your face with no movement may respond to repeated sessions but sometimes need additional treatments (dermal fillers or skin treatments). These will be discussed during consultation.

You may be unsuitable if:

• You have an infection at the injection site
• You are pregnant or breastfeeding
• You are under 25 or over 65; although outside these ranges can be safely treated off license for the right indication
• You have unrealistic expectations
• You have had a reaction to anti wrinkle treatment in the past.

Botox has an excellent safety profile. It has been licensed in medicine for over 30 years to treat various medical conditions in adults and children such as dystonia, migraines and hyperhidrosis (excess sweating). It has been used in aesthetic medicine for over 19 years (approved in 2002) and is the most common non-surgical procedure. The effects of the treatment gradually wear off, with no lasting effect.

There are no known long term side effects of having repeated botox treatments for cosmetic purposes.

Only doctors and dentists can legally hold in stock prescription-only-medications (POMs) such as ‘botox’. This means that they are the only people legally allowed to see a patient for consultation and treatment on the same day.
Nurse prescribers and pharmacy prescribers can legally prescribe botox to a patient after consultation, and treat on a separate day.

All the prescribers named above (doctors, dentists, nurse prescribers and pharmacy prescribers) can prescribe for other injectors to treat a patient (eg ‘non-prescribers’) but the patient must have seen the original prescriber face-to-face beforehand, as this is who is responsible for the overall treatment plan and treatment.

Providing you see a medical professional, botox is a very safe treatment. Unlike most other developed countries, the medical aesthetic industry has a distinct lack of regulation to protect the public. It is not illegal for anyone to administer ‘botox’ and there are some potentially very harmful and illegal fake products that can be sourced from non reputable ‘pharmacies’ on the internet, injected by anyone.

Botox is a naturally occurring protein derived from the bacteria Clostridium Botulinum. The proteins derived from the bacteria undergo a purification process, similar to how some antibiotics are made, which then makes them safe for their intended purpose.

When injecting small amounts of the protein, or ‘botox’ into targeted muscles, the ability of the muscle to contract is temporarily reduced, allowing facial muscles to remain in a relaxed state. This then allows the overlying skin to smooth and soften. Repeated treatments may be needed to allow lines which are mildly etched in, to improve.

‘Botox’ ‘Azzalure’ and ‘Bocouture’ are the only licensed cosmetic products on the market in the UK. Dental House Exeter uses Azzalure for its superb results and proven track record.