Everything you need to know about anti-wrinkle injections like Botox® and Azzalure®

Anti-wrinkle injections are fast becoming one of the leading cosmetic procedures thanks to the safe, predictable and quick results. This article will go through the most common questions our patients ask before they decide to get wrinkle reduction. If you have any questions please feel free to email across photos or take advantage of our limited time only free consultations.

What is Botox®?

Botox® is the brand name for the medication that helps to eliminate or reduce wrinkles and frown lines. The active ingredient is a protein called Botulin and it works by temporarily blocking nerve impulses that inhibit your muscle from contracting. We can use this to relax muscles involved in facial expression which cause frowns and wrinkles.

How does Botox® work?

To answer this, it’s important to understand the basic anatomy of your muscles. Your brain controls nerve fibres that innervate your muscles by communicating through synapses which can be thought of as junctions. The nerves release a chemical messenger called acetylcholine at the synapse (junction) which attaches to the receptors on the muscle cells and this causes the muscles to contract.

Botox works by preventing the release of acetylcholine, thereby preventing muscle contraction. We use this method to target the specific muscles that cause unwanted wrinkles giving you the desired result.

Is the brand Botox® used at Gentle Dental Care?

We use a variety of products at our clinics and the choice will depend upon the clinician’s preference for the solution needed. The main products we use at Gentle Dental Care are Botox® and Azzalureâ. Azzalureâ is very similar to Botox® and it is owned by Galderma which is a huge pharmaceutical company with a good reputation. It was sold by Nestle in 2019 for $10.2 billion so be rest assured it a trusted company. People generally use the word Botox interchangeable for various products, although “Botox” is the registered trademark of the company Allergan.

How long does Botox® last?

The wrinkle reduction result from Botox® is temporary, with it lasting 3 to 4 months. Results may last longer with repeated applications. After the 3 to 4 month period you will experience a gradual fading of the results. This means you don’t wake up in the morning with sudden re-appearance of wrinkles, it happens gradually.

How long does Botox® take to work?

After the application of Botox®, it usually takes up to 10 days to work, sometimes in the extreme cases 2 weeks. You will normally start to see a gradual appearance of results within 48 to 72 hours. As there is a delay in effects, we offer a free 2-week top up service whereby we assess the results and apply more Botox® if needed.

Lots of people also ask what it feels like when it first starts to work. Well, you’ll notice your specific muscles feel a little tighter and when you try to move that certain muscle it doesn’t move. It will feel a little strange at first, but you get used to it very quickly.

How much is Botox®?

We would need to assess you first to ensure you are an ideal candidate. After discussing your desired goals and wishes we would make a diagnosis and agree on a plan.

Current prices for Botox® are:

£140 for 1 area

£180 for 2 areas

£220 for 3 areas

How is the Botox® so cheap? Other providers in the area are much more expensive.

Gentle Dental Care is a large group of dental practices in Croydon and have been serving the local community for over 40 years. As we have a great reputation in the area we have a large patient following meaning we do a large volume of not only dental work but also facial aesthetics like Botox® and Dermal Fillers. This means we are able to negotiate large discounts on products such as pharmaceuticals, thereby passing this cost onto consumers.

Why Choose Gentle Dental Care for Botox® treatment?

We are a leading provider of Botox® in Croydon, having treated thousands of cases. Our clinicians are all registered with the GDC, are all indemnified (insured) and hold the relevant qualifications. There are lots of providers who are under qualified, uninsured and illegally practising facial aesthetics and we promise you a professional service with our expertly trained clinicians.

Is Botox® safe?

Botox has been around for over 20 years and has been used to help treat thousands of patients worried about wrinkles and fine lines. There has not been any serious side effect noted in all those years and it has an excellent safety record.

Side effects can occur in a small number of cases which include

• Localised bruising
• Slight swelling
• Redness from the injection site

These side-effects are normally short lived, disappear quickly and can be mitigated by using special techniques that our clinicians are expertly trained in.

We use the same products and techniques on ourselves as well as our patients so you can trust they meet a rigorous safety standard.

Is Botox painful?

At Gentle Dental Care we understand that many patients are nervous, especially of injections. That’s why we make it our mission to ensure you get a comfortable experience every time you see us. We use high quality, fine, small needles which means you hardly feel a thing. As we place thousands of these a year, we have built up good techniques to ensure your comfort.

Find out more about the procedure HERE.

Are there any contraindications to Botox treatment?

We avoid using Botox in patients who are pregnant or in patients who have an allergy to eggs.