What are wrinkles and why do we get them?

Wrinkles are lines or creases in the skin.

Collagen and Elastin are two key proteins needed to keep our skin firm, resilient and flexible and in young skin, they help to keep the skin smooth and taut. However, as we age, we produce less of these two proteins- from the age of 20, we produce 1% less collagen in the skin per year and by the age of 40, most people have already lost up to 20% of their collagen. Therefore, as we age, the skin becomes thinner, fragile and more likely to sag.

Whenever we move our faces to form expressions such as laughing, frowning, squinting or concentrating, our facial muscles contract. Over time, these repeated muscle contractions in combination with the loss of skin resilience and elasticity can cause the face to develop dynamic wrinkles.

External factors such as sun damage (particularly UVA rays), smoking, poor nutrition and stress can also affect the severity of wrinkles.

Wrinkles commonly form around the eyes, the forehead and the mouth but can also affect the neck and jawline.

What is Botox®? 

Botox® (Botulinum Toxin) is a protein which works by blocking the chemical messengers that cause a muscle to contract, thus inactivating the targeted muscle. This reduces its pull on the skin, therefore reducing or softening the appearance of any wrinkles and creating a more youthful look.

Botox® also works prophylactically- by inactivating the muscle before it can start pulling on the skin, it prevents the formation of wrinkles.

Botox® is a prescription-only medication and should only be administered by a registered medical professional who is accountable for the prescription and able to safely deal with any side effects.

The treatment lasts between 3-4 months and only the injected muscles are affected, so they will recover completely once the treatment wears off naturally.

At The Sculpt Clinic, we aim to create a softer, natural look which allows us to achieve significant line improvement whilst maintaining normal facial expressions.

Where can it be used? 

Botox® is commonly used to treat the upper face muscles, including frown and laughter lines.

Botox® can also be used relax the muscles in the lower face and neck, in a procedure known as the Nefertiti Neck Lift. This results in an upward movement of the skin to reduce sagging jowls, creating a more defined jawline and a youthful neck contour.

Botox® is also used effectively to stop excessive sweating by blocking the sweat glands. It is therefore an extremely useful treatment for hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) and the effects tend to last much longer.