Wrinkle Smoothing Injections
Treatments from £180
BOTOX is the trade name for Botulinum Toxin and is a registered product of Allergan UK. It is considered by many cosmetic practitioners to be the most successful procedure available for reducing facial lines and wrinkles in the forehead, frown lines and crows feet areas. It is a relatively non invasive and painless treatment using a very fine needle which very rarely has side effects. According to Allergan no anaphylactic reaction has ever been observed following BOTOX treatment although there is a 1-2000 chance of a slight but temporary eyebrow dropp (ptosis).
BOTOX injections for facial lines were pioneered in 1988 by Doctors Jean and Alister Carruthers, a Vancouver opthamologist and her husband a deratologist. The opthamologist noted that wrinkles disappeared in her patients who were being treated with BOTOX for blepharospasm (eyelid spasm). This led to further research which confirmed the effectiveness and safety of BOTOX injections for improving wrinkles caused by overactive use of muscles of the face.
BOTOX is a medicine produced from Botulinum Toxin bacteria and is protein which inactivates muscles by blocking neurotransmission in the localised area into which it is injected. Neurologists have explored possible indication for BOTOX therapy for their patients and it is now widely used for spasmodic neck and laryngeal muscles, writers crap, tics, cerebral palsy, post stroke states, nerve palsies and certain tremors. Congenital muscle disorders or acquired nerve injuries have been improved by balancing muscles with BOTOX treatment.
It is crucial that a full medical history is discussed prior to treatment by a qualified practitioner as there are some absolute contraindications such as pregnancy and lactation and Neuromuscular Transmission disorders such as Myasthenia Gravis and Eaton Lambert syndrome.
Whilst BOTOX is very potent in high concentration, it is used in very small quantities with high margins of safety. After an area is injected its first effects are not seen for 48 hours and the complete effect may not be evident for 2 weeks. The treatment will last for a 4-6 month period. The aim of treatment, as well as diminishing facial lines, is to break the habit of frowning and to re-educate the muscles so that they 'forget' how to frown. Whilst the muscle is temporarily immobilised the forehead is 'at peace'. effectively in hibernation. The frown line is therefore not being reinforced or created.
Many would agree that frowning is an unpleasant habit signifying negative emotions which tends to spoil the serenity or beauty of the face. After treatment the face is in no way mask like as many other facial muscles can still be used normally.
Available between the ages of 18-65 years it is of course impossible to exactly predict the final results of the BOTOX treatment. In older patients the wrinkle, although diminished, may remain visible as a 'fracture line' on the skin. No wrinkle will disappear overnight but we can attest to the fact that the skin develops amazing healing capabilities when immobilised for a few months and the physician or nurse can assure the patient that the results will improve with continued treatment.
Anne Noroña Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner can be contacted here
Product Review
Botox is a form of Botulinium Toxin Type A. After the first human trials in the 70's, it quickly became an accepted treatment for the medical correction of focal disorders. The start of the 1990's saw the first published report on the cosmetic use of Botox and over a decade after its inception, it has become one of the worlds favorite, non-surgical treatments in the war against aging.
Anne Norona, an experienced Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner, took the opportunity to train in this field and offers these treatments in Truro, Penzance and St Ives. Because of the growing interest in safe, non-surgical beauty procedures, Truro Local Living invited Anne into the office to share with us and our readers, the many positive effects of this product.
Botox is used to reduce troublesome frown lines and crows feet which it does by blocking the transmission of acetylcholine from the nerves to the muscle, effectively halting the muscles ability to contract or tense. Whilst it can take up to two weeks for the effects to become truly apparent, most people report an instant difference to their appearance. Anna talked us thorough the procedure, covering all our questions with patience and good humour! She explained exactly how Botox works, the possible downsides, (there are few) and exactly what we could expect post procedure. I instantly saw a difference in my forehead and apart from a slight and short lived feeling of numbness; I am extremely pleased with the results. Apart from the physiological impact of being unable to frown, I am aware that my appreance is now fresher & brighter than before. My colleague reported no discomfort during or after the procedure, loved the results and where previously would only have flirted with the idea, will now definitely consider using Botox again. The effects are thought to last between 4-6 months, the best news being that even after the acetylcholine production returns to normal and the muscles are able to contract freely again , the wrinkles may be less prominent after Botox because they are somewhat more 'trained' to be in a relaxed state.
If you are interested in receiving this revolutionary beauty treatment, contact Anne Norona for the low down on how, what, when and where. I thoroughly believe this product can make a difference to your appearance and I really couldn't be happier with the results.
