The 3 main areas for anti-wrinkle injections
There are 3 areas on the face which are the most frequent places to be injected with anti-wrinkle injections:
- the frown,
- the forehead and
- the eyes.
In fact, because these are the most common areas, many clinics charge simply by areas; one, two or three.
More facial areas to use anti-wrinkle injections
But actually, there are many areas on the face beside these 3 where you can use anti-wrinkle injections, and by treating more areas, I am able to be more bespoke for my patients. Other facial areas where you can use anti-wrinkle injections include:
- The brow lift
- The bunny nose
- The upper lip
- The gummy smile
- The downturn of the mouth
- Chin dimpling
- The neck (called the Nefertiti lift)
- The masseters for facial slimming – thanks Kim Kardashian for highlighting this treatment!
- Any asymmetry in the face – for instance in cases of stroke or Bells Palsy.
Treating some of the areas around the face, in particular, the frown and forehead, can also have the benefit of reducing migraines and headaches.
Another common use of anti-wrinkle injections is to use them under the arm to stop excessive sweating, or hyperhidrosis.
Hospital uses for botulinum toxin type A
In a hospital setting though there are lots of uses for anti-wrinkle injections, otherwise known as botulinum toxin type A, that would probably surprise you. Botulinum toxin has over 100 medical uses! A few of the common ones include treatment of:
- Eye disorders such as strabismus (crossed eyes) and blepharospasm (uncontrolled blinking and twitching).
- Muscle disorders i.e. cervical dystonia, torticollis or tics,
- Muscle spasticity, such as those seen in strokes, MS or cerebral palsy
- Prevention of migraines, as we discussed
- Overactive bladder
- Excessive sweating on the hands and feet
- Anogenital spasms causing vaginismus or anal fissures
And there are more. Trials are being undertaken to discover new uses of botulinum toxin type A as a medical treatment option for other conditions too. So watch this space to see what else it can do. That little substance that smoothes away your lines is pretty useful for many, many things.
