The Cosmetic Physicians Society of Australasia recently reported that Australian spending on cosmetic medicine is increasing. An estimated $644.7 million is spent annually on non- and minimally-invasive treatments, with anti-wrinkle injections leading the pack as Australia’s #1 non-surgical cosmetic treatment.
Despite their popularity and proven effectiveness over decades, anti-wrinkle injections are still misunderstood. Sadly, this may keep many people who could benefit from the treatment from seeking it out.
In this article, the Costhetics team is on a myth-busting mission. We’re sharing the facts that disprove the fictions being circulated about anti-wrinkle injections. Read on.
- Anti-Wrinkle Injections Hurt – Pain and the fear of something ouchy are powerful de-motivators when it comes to smoothing out fine lines and wrinkles with cosmetic injectables. Everyone has his/her own pain threshold, of course, but the majority of patients say the injection feels like a slight pinch and only lasts a moment, similar to being bitten by a mosquito.
The truth is that the pain is minimal to non-existent, so much so that no anaesthetic is necessary.
- Anti-Wrinkle Injections Freeze Your Expression – We’ve all seen the dipped-in-wax look that can happen with anti-wrinkle injections, but it’s not the product that should be blamed. A trained and skilled cosmetic professional can selectively treat facial lines in a way that ensures patients retain their full range of facial expressions.
The truth is that anti-wrinkle injections only relax the muscles at the injection point. Done correctly, they will enhance, not erase, facial expressions.
- You Should Wait Until You See Lines to Have Injections – Many people delay having anti-wrinkle injections until the fine lines on their faces become deeply etched. At that point, the wrinkles may be more difficult to smooth out.
The truth is that injections can be used to prevent wrinkles before they appear. The injections will limit how often you scowl, squint, or raise your eyebrows and this may actually decrease your need for future anti-wrinkle treatments.
- False: It’s Never Too Early to Start Anti-Wrinkle Injections – While anti-wrinkle injections are appropriate as a preventative measure for men and women in their 20’s and up, kids and teenagers should not have the treatment without a pressing medical reason. In 2011, a California mother lost custody of her 8-year-old daughter—and rightfully so—after subjecting the girl to anti-wrinkle treatments in preparation for a beauty pageant.
The truth is that anti-wrinkle injections address the effects of long-term muscle use that produces fine lines around the eyes, on the forehead, etc. These lines in a teen’s face are more likely to be the result of external factors such as sun exposure than muscle movement.
- False: Stop Anti-Wrinkle Injections & Wrinkles Get Worse – Anti-wrinkle injections are a temporary solution for wrinkles and fine lines. This has given birth to the myth that you must keep up a program of injections or your wrinkles will get worse.
The truth is that injections prevent your wrinkles from worsening while you are in treatment; the relaxing effect wears off gradually if you stop. When that happens, your wrinkles will return to their original pre-treatment status.
- False: Anti-Wrinkle Injections Are for Cosmetic Use Only – Anti-wrinkle injections trace their beginnings to a medical laboratory, where they were developed as a treatment for neurological disorders. It wasn’t until much later that they were found to be an effective tool for cosmetic enhancement.
The truth is that anti-wrinkle injections are used for a variety of different conditions including migraine headaches, chronic neck and back pain, involuntary facial movements, and movement disorders such as facial spasms and neck tremors.
- False: Anti-Wrinkle Injections for Men Don’t Exist – Today’s man is under just as much pressure as a woman to look youthful and attractive. Wrinkles can make men appear older, and, in some instances, angry. Anti-wrinkle injections soften a man’s face, making him look more approachable.
The truth is that men as young as 30 are making anti-wrinkle injections a major part of their grooming regimen.