Anti-wrinkle injections good for more than just wrinkles….

Muscle-relaxing or anti-wrinkle injections have long been used to treat wrinkles, but latest research from Canada by two Plastic surgeons have shown they also improve skin structure and quality. With age, skin tends to lose it’s pliability (the ability to stretch) and elasticity (the ability to recoil), but muscle-relaxing injections may be a way to get your “bounce” back!

The authors studied 43 women treated for mild wrinkles of the forehead and around the eyes¹. Results showed that muscle-relaxing injections into facial skin increased the skins’ pliability and elastic recoil (mimicking more youthful skin), with the effects lasting for up to 4 months. However, the mechanism for such changes is not clear.

Writing in the journal JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery, the authors state that “The changes occurring in patients’ skin appear to be the opposite of those associated with the ageing process and UV radiation exposure and inflammation. This study also suggests that the duration of effect of these changes mimics the duration of effect of the medication. Future studies are required to determine and quantify the changes that are occurring.”

1. Bonaparte JP, Ellis D. Alterations in the Elasticity, Pliability, and Viscoelastic Properties of Facial Skin After Injection of Onabotulinum Toxin A. JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery, 2015; Jul 1:17(4):256-63

Needle free wrinkle reduction!

The anti-wrinkle ingredient Argireline® has taken the cosmetic world by storm. Argireline® is a synthetic peptide that works like anti-wrinkle injections but without the needles, the risks or the high cost. When applied to the skin, Argireline® inhibits the action of chemicals called neurotransmitters that cause muscles to contract, thus “relaxing” the areas and reducing the appearance of wrinkles and lines.

Skin topography analysis performed on healthy women volunteers has shown a reduction in wrinkle depth of up to 30% after 30 days of treatment¹. Analysis was performed by obtaining silicon imprints at days 0, 15 and 30 from around the eyes of 10 healthy women volunteers using an Argireline®-containing cream twice daily. The depth of the wrinkles significantly decreased after 30 days of treatment. Analysis of the way it worked showed that Argireline® significantly blocked neurotransmitter release with a potency similar to that of injectable anti-wrinkle injections, although as expected, it wasn’t as effective.
Instantly Ageless™, which contains Argireline® is now available at Inner Sydney Dermatology and can be used to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, pore size, dark circles and “eye bags”. Although the effects are not permanent, they are fast acting, and there is some evidence for longer-term benefits.

1. Blanes-Mira C, Clemente J et al. A synthetic hexapeptide (Argireline) with antiwrinkle activity. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2002 Oct;24(5):303-10.

What’s the difference between anti-wrinkle injections and dermal fillers?

Although anti-wrinkle injections and dermal fillers are complimentary, they are not the same thing, so let’s try and settle the confusion.

As we move our faces (for example, with laughing, frowning or squinting) lines develop and deepen over time. Muscle-relaxing injections target the muscles causing these wrinkles by temporarily relaxing them. They are most commonly used to treat “active” wrinkles on the upper face such as frown lines, forehead lines and crows feet. Although they can also be used in small amounts to soften lines around the mouth, care must be taken so that they don’t interfere with our ability to smile, eat, talk and kiss! Muscle relaxing injections usually last for 3-6 months depending on the area being treated and the individual patient.

Dermal fillers on the other hand represent a wide variety of products that are used to literally “fill” wrinkles and folds, restore lost volume and lift depressed scars. Some wrinkles and skin creases are caused by loss of volume in the skin as we age or due to inflammatory processes such as acne. Fillers are injected below the skin surface to lift and smooth the creases or depressions present at rest. They are especially useful for softening smile lines, “smoker’s lines” around the mouth, Marionette lines (between the corners of the mouth and the jaw) as well as restoring lip definition. Fillers can also be injected into the skin to restore volume and shape in areas such as the cheeks, lips, mid and lower face. The duration of their effects vary according to the product used and the site of injection.

Your Dermatologist is the best person to help you decide which of these treatments is most appropriate for you. In some patients, however, a combination of the two will give the best results.