Neuromodulators are muscle relaxants that block the transmission of nerve impulses to a specific muscle, thereby limiting muscle activity. During treatment, very small doses of neuromodulators are administered to targeted facial muscles via a fine needle. The treatment only takes approximately 10-20 minutes, and no recovery time is required. You can continue with your daily routine. You will see an improvement within a few days, and your results will last 2 to 4 months.

Botulinum toxin is a type of neuromodulator. It is comprised of a purified protein produced by Clostridium botulinum bacterium. Botulinum toxin is able to intercept signals being sent from the nerves to the muscles and stop them, halting muscle contractions and causing a relaxation of the targeted area. When this substance is injected, how it works is by simply relaxing the facial muscle underneath the skin to create a smooth and refreshed appearance. Botulinum toxin is approved by the FDA and Health Canada for the treatment of crow’s feet (those wrinkles that extend from the outer corners of your eyes, and appear most often when you smile or squint) and glabellar lines (the vertical creases between your eyebrows, most prominent when you frown). These are called 11 lines.

Botulinum toxin can be used to address a wide variety of concerns. Sometimes it is used on its own, and other times it is used in conjunction with dermal fillers to provide the desired result. At your consultation, your physician will assess your face and then come up with a recommendation taking into consideration what you’d like to achieve. While there are many uses for Botulinum toxin, some of the more popular uses are as follows:

• Frown lines

• Forehead Lines

• Crow’s feet

• Nasal Bunny Lines

• Excessive sweating

• Skin sagging

• Vertical lip lines (smoker’s lines)

• Downturned corners of mouth

Muscle relaxants are not intended to eliminate all animation lines, but rather soften specific lines significantly. Typically, an 80%+ softening of animation lines can be achieved.

Botulinum toxin injections are most popular amongst individuals between the ages of 30 and 70, however there is growth in the number of younger people seeking these injections as it is very effective at prevention. Women who are pregnant and breastfeeding as well as individuals who have certain neuromuscular disorders should avoid Botulinum toxin injections.

Getting Botulinum toxin injections is very quick and straightforward. The procedure can be performed immediately following an initial consultation in which your face is assessed to determine whether you will benefit from injections, the amount required and the injection locations. Your medical history and allergies will be reviewed. After the consultation, the areas to be injected will be swabbed with antibacterial wipes. If you desire, an ice pack or anesthetic cream can be used on the area prior to the administration of the injections. You will then be asked to frown, raise your eyebrows or squint. Following this, a few small injections will be administered via a very fine needle to the identified muscle locations, targeted to directly address your specific issues. The entire procedure 10-20 minutes, after which you will be able to resume your regular activities.

The most common side effects of a Botulinum toxin injection are bruising and mild swelling. Our gentle technique minimizes this risk. Rarely, patients can develop flu-like symptoms, such as muscle aches, stiffness, headache and even mild nausea for 2-4 hours after the procedure. These symptoms can be treated with Tylenol or Advil and will resolve.

Another complication includes the dispersion of the product beyond its intended region to affect adjacent or nearby muscles negatively. This is most common above the eyebrow, with a dispersion of Botulinum toxin over the eyebrow bone where it can weaken the eyelid levator muscle. This weakening of the eyelid muscle results in a drooping of the upper eyelid, a phenomenon called levator aponeurosis ptosis. Although this can last for 2-6 months, the effects can be softened somewhat with topical eye drops. Fortunately, the droopy eyelid complication is infrequent when performed by an expert, and when patients follow post-injection instructions carefully.

After receiving Botulinum toxin injections, your results will become evident within approximately 3-5 days, and after 14 days you will notice the complete result.

Botulinum toxin remains effective for 2 to 4 months, after which time you can return to Spring Medical Aesthetics to repeat the process. To maintain your look, it is recommended that you receive Botulinum toxin injections every 3 months. It is, however, completely fine to wait for longer intervals, or discontinue the use of Botulinum toxin at any time. If you elect to discontinue getting Botulinum toxin injections, the treated area will gradually revert to the way it looked prior to your treatment.

Botulinum toxin injections are extremely safe and having been used since 2002, a strong safety record has been established. While some people initially express reservations about undergoing Botulinum toxin injections, rest assured that it remains localized at the injection site and does not spread throughout the body.

The fee for Botulinum toxin is $10/unit. At your initial consultation, you will be provided with the actual cost of your treatment, based on an assessment of your face. Assessing the right amount of Botulinum toxin needed for you can only be determined by your doctor, but a basic understanding of the average units needed for each procedure will help you decide if this treatment is for you.

• Treatment of frown lines between the eyes can take between 21-30 units with 5 injection sites. This is a very popular area requested for treatment.

• Treatment around the eyes can take between 12- 24 units, with each eye composed of 3 injection sites.

• Treatment of the forehead can take anywhere between 8 – 20 units, with 4-8 injection sites.

All these are basic units needed, but each Botulinum toxin treatment is customized for each individual. Your physician is the best person to determine the accurate dosage needed for you, depending upon a variety of factors like your gender, treatment area as well as facial muscle strength.

After your treatment, you may notice some mild redness which usually lasts less than an hour. On occasion, you can have some minor bruising and swelling. Cold compresses may be used 10 minutes on, 10 minutes off, 2-3 times per day for the first 1-2 days to reduce swelling 2-3 times per days, if needed. Most patients return to regular activity immediately.

You should contract your frowning muscles 3 times every 10 minutes for the first hour after treatment. Sleeping or strenuous exercise should be avoided for 4-6 hours after injection. You should also avoid rubbing or massaging the treated areas for 24 hours after treatment.

Enjoy! We will be in touch with you 2 weeks after your treatment to assess your progress. Feel free to contact your physician if you have any concerns.

Fillers are anti-ageing injections which contain a gel-like substance, most often hyaluronic acid. When injected into the skin, dermal fillers ‘fill” lines and wrinkles, and fill out sunken areas of the face giving a more youthful (or less tired!) appearance. Essentially, dermal fillers work in place of diminished fat, collagen and elastin.

Dermal fillers are used to treat static lines (which remain on the face even when it’s relaxed) and for facial contouring. Dynamic lines (which disappear when the face is expressionless), however, are best treated with botulinum toxin A.

Treatment for fillers areas include:

• Lips

• Cheeks

• Marionette lines (which extend from the corners of the mouth down to the chin)

• Nasolabial folds (lines either side of the nose)

• Chin and jawline

The most common types of dermal fillers are made from hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring molecule found in the skin. It mimics the human body’s real hyaluronic acid. Furthermore, it can be dissolved (with a medicine called hyaluronidase) if anything goes wrong with the treatment or if you or your doctor don’t like the results.

The treatment time will depend on the area being injected and how much filler is needed.

If a numbing cream is used, you’ll have to wait roughly 20 minutes for it to kick in before the treatment begins.

It can take 15 to 60 minutes depending on your treatment.

Side effects are pretty minimal and usually disappear soon after the treatment - they typically last a few days. They include things like swelling, redness and minor bleeding near the injection points. Bruising can be common and easily covered by makeup.

If any of these symptoms persist, contact your practitioner for advice.

There’s no downtime following a filler treatment, so you’ll be able to resume your plans as usual. And any side effects you encounter should clear up within a few days of your treatment. You might want to clear your calendar of important events until any signs of redness, swelling and bruising have disappeared.

A topical numbing cream applied to the target area can help reduce pain. All our fillers also contain lidocaine, which will continue to numb the area with each injection.

There are several important vessels in areas of the face which are often treated with fillers. In the right hands, the risks of dermal fillers are significantly lowered when you choose the practitioner with the training, experience and the appropriate qualifications.

We will ask your medical history and ensure you don’t have any contraindications. We will go over all the risks and ask you for your written consent.

A week prior to your treatment, avoid taking aspirin, ibuprofen, or vitamin E, as these may increase bleeding and bruising. However, if you are taking any prescribed medicines, including aspirin, please ask us what to do prior to your arrival.

If you are prone to herpes (cold sores) outbreaks on your lips or face, please note that NO fillers will be injected until they have completely cleared. Please talk to us about how you can avoid an outbreak prior to your treatment.

Avoiding alcohol for at least one day before your treatment is also recommended.

Try not to touch the treated areas immediately after your treatment as this can lead to infection or interfere with the placement of filler. Exercise, alcohol and heat should be avoided for the first couple of days after the treatment and you should wait 1-2 weeks before having any other aesthetic treatments.

You shouldn’t have a filler treatment if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, if you’re allergic to any of the ingredients in the filler, or if your skin is irritated or infected.

Your MD will be able to give you further guidance on this.

When hyaluronic acid-based dermal fillers are used, results typically last for 6-18 months. Results will vary from person to person as it depends on how quickly each individual metabolizes the filler.

It depends on how much filler you need and what type of treatment.

Cheeks generally require more filler. If you want a really full lip-you will need more filler. Come for a consultation, we will take photos of your face and talk through your options.