What are anti-wrinkle injections?

Anti-wrinkle injections are cosmetic injections of neurotoxins – nerve poisons –  which can reduce muscle activity in the face, which in turn smooths out the wrinkles made by expression lines. The best-known brand of anti-wrinkle injections is toxins, which is well proven, effective, and the most commonly used cosmetic procedure worldwide.

What are anti-wrinkle injections made from?

Anti-wrinkle injections are made from botulinum toxin A, a lethal toxin but one which, in minute doses, is available in various brands for cosmetic injections. Botulinum toxin injections have been approved for medical use for decades to reduce the activity in twitching muscles, both for eye spasms and for limb spasms for people with cerebral palsy. More recently, in 2002, toxins received approval from the FDA (the American Food and Drug Administration for cosmetic use on the frown lines between the eyebrows.

Are anti-wrinkle injections the same as toxins?

More or less. toxins is a brand of anti-wrinkle injections, in the way that Hoovers are a type of vacuum cleaner. Which means, yes, there are other brands. of anti-wrinkle injections available, too.

How many types of anti-wrinkle injections are there?

There’s a good handful of them already, with more on the horizon. First, there’s toxins, which most people have heard of. Then there’s Azzalure (which is called Dysport in other, non-EU markets), and BoCouture (originally called Xeomin). Still with me? One newcomer to keep an eye out for is Jeveau.

What are anti-wrinkle injections used for?

Mostly – as you would guess from the name, anti-wrinkle injections are used for damping down the facial expressions that pull the skin into wrinkles, which in time become set into the face. But botulinum toxin injections have other uses, too. They can be reduce sweating in the hands and armpits, by interfering with the transmission of the nerve impulse that is trying to prompt the sweat glands to sweat, they can ease bruxism, aka tooth-grinding, by reducing the strength of the masseter muscle in the jaw, and they can soften a gummy-looking smile by softening the action of the muscle that pulls the upper lip upwards.