What Age Should I Start Getting Neuromodulators?
Many patients wonder if they are too young or too old to try neuromodulators. Some begin treatment as a preventative measure at the first site of lines and wrinkles. Others wait until later in life when these expression lines become more prominent. To determine if you may benefit from cosmetic injection treatment, it’s best to first schedule a complimentary consultation with us..
Does it Hurt?
Any injection can hurt, but the needles used for cosmetic injections are very small, so pain is usually minimal. Most patients report a brief period of discomfort during the injection, which does not persist once the procedure is complete.
Are There Any Side Effects?
Every drug has side effects, and neuromodulator is no exception. Most people find that the injections cause only mild local pain and tenderness. Immediately after the injection there may be mild swelling at the injection site which usually subsides within 48 hours. Slight bruising is also possible. Side effects of these treatments are extremely rare. Occasionally, the treatment may relax nearby muscle groups causing temporary drooping of the eyebrow or eyelids. This may last for a few weeks but will resolve with time. As with any medicine an allergic reaction may occur, this is however quite rare. Conversely there may be some unintended benefits in some people such as easing of tension type headaches as the muscles in the forehead relax.
Neuromodulator has been used for over 20 years and does not appear to cause any negative long-term effects.
What are the Common Treatment Areas?
Forehead Lines: reduce the appearance of prominent forehead wrinkles. If your forehead wrinkles are not too deep, neuromodulator may be able to remove them entirely.
Glabellar lines: lines that form between the eyebrows, and they can be reduced with neuromodulator treatment. If the lines aren’t too deep, neuromodulator may be able to completely erase them.
Crow’s feet lines: These lines at the corners of the eyes are typically caused by squinting and other similar facial movements. They can be reduced with neuromodulator treatments.
Is it Safe?
Yes. It is an FDA approved treatment for reversing lines and wrinkles.
It should not be used in:
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People with infection at the proposed injection site.
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People who have previously had an allergic reaction to Botulinum toxin type A injections.
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People with muscle problems or chronic diseases affecting the muscles, such as Myasthenia Gravis, Eaton Lambert syndrome.
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Children under the age of 18 years.
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Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
It should be used cautiously in:
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People at risk of bleeding as there is an increased risk of bruising post procedure. These include people who have blood clotting disorders such as Haemophilia, those who are taking treatments with anticoagulant medicines such as Warfarin, Heparin, Aspirin and Anti-Inflammatory medicines. Certain herbal remedies such as Gingiko Bilboa, St John’s Wort and Vitamin E
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People with excessive weakness or wasting in the muscle to be injected, such as those patients with history of Strokes or Bell’s Palsy
When Will I See Results? How Long Does it Last?
Experience for each patient may differ, it usually takes 3-5 days to see the effects. You will see your results gradually over 3-7 days following injection. For some, it may take up to 2 weeks to see the final effects.
In general, neuromodulators (Xeomin®/ Botox® / Dysport® injections) are meant to last 3-4 months. Over time the body metabolizes the neuromodulator, leading to the slow return of muscle movement in the treatment area. To keep results going, you could need a follow-up treatment. After that, you should be able to expect your treatments to begin lasting longer.
However in some treated areas (such as frown wrinkles), the wrinkles may return less severe after repeated treatments as the unconscious muscle contraction habit is broken. We offer all our patients to contact us for a two week follow up appointment if needed, if patients feels any top up treatments if necessary.
Can Botox Trigger My Existing Allergy?
If you are allergic to cow’s milk protein, you should not have BOTOX treatments because the formula contains a very similar protein (bovine protein) that can trigger allergy symptoms. Talk to your practitioner about BOTOX alternatives like Xeomin, which doesn’t contain those proteins.
If you have a different kind of allergy—such as seasonal allergies, for instance—it’s fine to have any one of the neuromodulators. Always tell your injector about any allergies you have.