Most of us are displeased with the way our skin changes in appearance as we age. Fortunately, there are several safe, effective anti-aging injectables that turn back the hands of time. Today, our aesthetic experts at Advanced Clinics in Oklahoma City, OK are discussing one of the most popular anti-aging injectables, Dysport. Here’s what you need to know.
What Is Dysport Good for?
Your skin, along with the rest of your body, changes a lot as you age. While these changes are completely natural, they’re not necessarily welcome. For instance, you may find that you feel self-conscious about the appearance of your upper face due to deep forehead folds and sagging eyebrows.
Dynamic wrinkles are a common part of the aging process and can develop virtually anywhere. They are caused by overactive muscles and Dysport is great for the treatment of them.
What Causes Skin Wrinkling?
There is no single cause for wrinkling skin. Instead, it is the combination of many factors that results in folding, creasing skin. Repeated facial movements is one reason that the skin creases over time. When you emote, your muscles crease, and the skin on top of your muscles follows suit.
For the first two to three decades of your life, there is enough collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid to keep your skin looking young. However, over time, your body starts to produce these chemical compounds at an ever-decreasing rate. Eventually, your skin is using more of these compounds than it is producing, and your skin can no longer smooth itself out after you emote.
What Is Dysport?
Dysport is an injectable muscle relaxant designed to erase glabellar lines (frown lines) and other dynamic wrinkles by relaxing the underlying muscles. It works thanks to its active ingredient botulinum toxin type A, derived from a special bacterium known as Clostridium botulinum. Note, despite the word “toxin” in the ingredient name, there is nothing to worry about.
If you are considered a good candidate for this treatment, you do not have to worry about any dangerous side effects. Rest assured, this treatment is so safe that the FDA approved it after reviewing the results of several independent clinical trials.
What Exactly Does This Treatment Do?
To understand exactly what it is this treatment does, you need to understand how your muscles work. In order for your muscles to contract, neurotransmitters need to be sent from your brain to your motor receptors. When muscle contractions occur, the muscle wrinkles. This causes the overlying skin to wrinkle and crease.
When you receive this injectable muscle relaxant, the injected neurotoxic protein binds to some of the motor receptors in the treatment area. This prevents the neurotransmitters from docking in the receptors and communicating the command to contract. The end result is the muscles no longer contract excessively. Over time, the muscles relax enough that they smooth out, smoothing out the overlying skin.
What Can I Expect Throughout the Treatment Process?
If you think you could benefit from relaxing tense facial muscles, you’re probably wondering what the treatment process is like. Fortunately, the entire process is simple and convenient from start to finish.
What To Expect Before Your Injection Session
Before your injection session is scheduled, you need to come in for an initial consultation. There are several reasons why this is very important. For instance, it is essential that we get a thorough understanding of your goals so we can ensure this treatment will be effective for you.
Also, it is very important that we get an in-depth look at your medical history. This will allow us to determine whether you are a good candidate and this treatment will be safe for you. Finally, your initial consultation gives us the opportunity to provide you with preparation instructions.
Who Doesn’t Qualify for This Treatment
While this treatment is safe for most healthy adults, it is not appropriate for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. It is also not appropriate for individuals who have been sick within two weeks of the scheduled treatment date, individuals who suffer from certain chronic conditions, and individuals with skin irritation at the planned injection sites.
Also, this treatment is not appropriate for individuals with certain allergies or a history of keloid scarring.
What To Expect During the Preparation Process
The preparation process for muscle relaxant injections is both important and simple. You won’t have to make drastic changes to your lifestyle, but adhering to all preparation instructions ensures that your injection session goes smoothly.
It is important that you don’t take any pharmaceuticals that will thin your blood for three days prior to your treatment. This includes NSAIDs, MAOIs, fish oil supplements, vitamin E supplements, vitamin K supplements, and garlic supplements. For two days prior to your scheduled injection session, you need to refrain from consuming tobacco products or alcohol.
What To Expect the Day of Your Session
On the day of your appointment, you should come in with a clean, bare face. If you are wearing any jewelry or cosmetics in the treatment areas, they will be removed. Then, your skin will be cleaned thoroughly. Once your skin is clean, we will administer the injections into five strategic locations per treatment area. This is done with a very fine needle so you don’t need to worry about pain, discomfort, or a topical numbing cream.
You’ll only feel a slight pinch as the medication is administered. If you don’t want to feel anything at all, please advise us of this during your initial consultation. We are more than happy to apply a topical anesthetic to accommodate your personal preference. However, it is worth mentioning that it may take around 15 minutes for the topical numbing cream to take effect.
What To Expect After Your Injection Session Is Complete
Once your injection session is complete, you must adhere to a few post-treatment care instructions. However, you will be able to return to work once we’ve reviewed your post-treatment care instructions with you. One of the most important steps to take is not applying too much pressure to the treatment areas.
This mitigates the risk that the medication will spread outside of the treated areas. It is also important that you stay upright for four hours. Also, you should avoid excessive sweating, activities that can elevate your blood pressure, like consuming too much caffeine, and consuming alcohol and tobacco products.
Frequently Asked Questions Answered
Will the Results of My Treatment Look Natural?
Yes, the results of your treatment will look completely natural. People are often afraid that their face will look frozen after injectable muscle relaxant treatments. However, you don’t have to worry about your face looking or being frozen. The neurotoxic protein in the formula only binds to some of the motor receptors in the treatment areas, meaning some communication from the brain can get through.
You will still be able to emote. Also, it is worth mentioning that this protein only binds to the motor receptors; it does not bind to the sensory receptors, so your face will feel just like it did before treatment.
How Long Can I Expect My Results To Last?
Individual results vary, but you can typically expect your ideal results to last for three to four months. However, it is worth mentioning that the more often you receive treatments, the longer you can expect your results will last. For instance, if you come in for two or three touch-up sessions, you may find that your ideal results last for half of a year.
This is because the longer your muscles are relaxed, the weaker they become. While this may sound like a bad thing, it is actually very good for muscles that were so extremely tense that they wrinkled their overlying skin.
How Quickly Will My Final Results Become Apparent?
One thing that makes this treatment special is its efficacy. You should only need one injection session to achieve your ideal results, even if you’re treating severe dynamic wrinkles and folds. This injectable starts working immediately and settles completely within around 48 hours. It will take around 10 days for your final results to be visible.
Schedule Your Initial Evaluation Now
Dysport is good for the treatment of overactive muscles. Often, it is used to treat forehead folds, sagging eyebrows, crow’s feet, nasolabial folds, and smoker’s lines. Contact us today at Advanced Clinics in Oklahoma City, OK to schedule your initial consultation and find out if this treatment is right for you.