Anti-wrinkle injections selectively paralyse certain muscles responsible for expression or unwanted cosmetic effects. The muscle nerve supply regrows over the course of a few months and the muscle strength returns to normal unless you have a further treatment.

Tiny needles are used for the treatment. It is only mildly uncomfortable.

Anti-wrinkle injections have been performed in aesthetics for decades (since the 1980s) and millions of treatments have been performed in that time and so we have a lot of data - serious side effects are thankfully vanishingly rare.

That said, they are are prescription-only medicines in the UK and should only be administered by a prescriber (such as a doctor or nurse prescriber) and even then by someone trained to deal with any side effects that might potentially occur. There are also some restrictions on advertising the name of the medicines.

Anti-wrinkle treatments are administered via injections so the most common side effect is bruising - this is more likely if you have had aspirin or ibuprofen in the 2 weeks before treatment, or are on anticoagulants, but it can happen to anyone.

Eyebrow heaviness is unfortunately a side effect that increases with time as the forehead muscles that normally lift the eyebrows are weaker anyway. Any injections into an already weakened forehead will exacerbate this problem. This will be discussed during your consultation if relevant.

Occasionally the upper eyelid can become heavy after treatment for a few weeks. This is not common and again will be discussed during your consultation.

Around 10-15% of people having anti-wrinkle injections for the first time have a mild immune reaction, a little like after having any travel or flu injections - mild sniffles, a headache sometimes - for 24hrs or so afterwards. The majority do not have these side effects.

There is no downtime after anti-wrinkle injections.

Please avoid any heavy pressure, massage, or facials for 2 weeks afterwards.

It is advisable to avoid intense exercise for a few days afterwards.

Results begin to appear anywhere between 3 days and a week after treatment, but you will not have the full effect until 2 weeks afterwards - please be patient as it can take up to this long for it to fully 'kick in', and some areas respond quicker than others.

If at the 2 week stage you think you need a little more, please book in for a free top-up treatment.