Anti-Wrinkle Injections in Soho
At Dr Oli Aesthetics in Soho, a doctor's consultation decides whether anti-wrinkle injections suit you, for lines on the forehead, between the brows and around the eyes, or for medical concerns such as jaw clenching, excessive sweating and chronic migraine.
- £50 doctor consultation
The short answer
What anti-wrinkle treatment is
Anti-wrinkle injections use a prescription-only medicine that relaxes specific muscles for a few months by blocking the nerve signal to them. In the upper face, it relaxes the muscles behind forehead lines, frown lines and crow's feet. Lower in the face, it is used to slim the jaw, lift the brow, turn out the upper lip, ease bunny lines and reduce a gummy smile.
It is also licensed and used for teeth grinding (bruxism), excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) and chronic migraine. Because it is a prescription medicine, Dr Oli, a GMC-registered doctor, assesses you in person before anything is prescribed, at UNTIL Soho or UNTIL Marylebone. The aim is a natural look that keeps your expression.
Anti-wrinkle treatment at a glance
- Starts withA consultation with Dr Oli
- Appointment15 to 20 minutes
- Takes effectOver 5 to 14 days
- Cosmetic effectAbout 3 to 4 months
- ReviewAt 2 weeks
- WhereSoho and Marylebone
Cosmetic and medical uses of anti-wrinkle injections
Forehead lines, frown lines and crow's feet
The most common treatment covers three upper-face areas: the forehead, the frown lines between the brows (the "11" lines) and the crow's feet around the eyes. They are usually treated together, because relaxing the forehead alone can make the frown work harder.
Lip flip, gummy smile and bunny lines
Lower in the face, the treatment is used to turn out the upper lip (a lip flip), reduce a gummy smile, ease bunny lines on the nose, lift a heavy brow and soften a dimpled chin. On the neck, it is used for vertical bands that can make the neck look older.
Jaw clenching and teeth grinding (bruxism)
Injected into the masseter, the main chewing muscle, the treatment is used for night-time teeth grinding and clenching, and for the headaches and tooth wear that come with it. It can also slim a square jaw. Relief starts at about 2 weeks.
Excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis)
Injected into the underarms, palms, soles or scalp, the treatment switches off the sweat glands in that area for 4 to 9 months.
Chronic migraine
Chronic migraine means 15 or more headache days a month, with at least 8 of them showing migraine features. If you meet the NICE criteria, which include 3 preventive medicines that have not worked, the prescription medicine is given every 12 weeks using the PREEMPT protocol. It takes 2 to 3 weeks to start working. It is best planned together with your neurologist.
Recurrent anal fissures
The treatment is also used for anal fissures that keep coming back. Injected into the internal anal sphincter, it relaxes the muscle spasm to ease pain and help healing. This is a recognised medical use, and Dr Oli is an NHS colorectal doctor.
Anti-wrinkle injections are used for:
Lines on the forehead, between the brows and around the eyes
These lines come from muscle movement. At your consultation, Dr Oli looks at how your face moves and whether treatment suits you. The upper-face areas are often treated together for a balanced look.
Brow, lip, nose and neck concerns
Lower in the face, the treatment is used for a heavy brow, a lip flip, bunny lines on the nose, a gummy smile, a dimpled chin and vertical bands on the neck.
Jaw clenching and teeth grinding
Injected into the jaw muscle, it is used for night-time grinding and clenching, and the headaches and tooth wear that can come with it.
Excessive sweating
For hyperhidrosis, it is injected into the underarms, palms, soles or scalp to switch off the sweat glands there for a number of months.
Chronic migraine and anal fissures
For patients who meet NICE criteria, it is used to reduce chronic migraine days. It is also a recognised treatment for recurrent anal fissures.
Anti-wrinkle treatment from consultation to aftercare
Anti-wrinkle injections use a prescription medicine, so every treatment starts with a face-to-face consultation. Dr Oli takes your medical history, checks whether treatment is right for you and explains the plan and the cost before anything is prescribed.
Consultation.
Dr Oli takes your medical history, looks at how your face moves and decides whether treatment suits you. If it does, the right licensed product is chosen and prescribed for you.
Preparation.
Avoid ibuprofen, aspirin, vitamin E, fish oil and alcohol for 24 to 48 hours before, and come without makeup. Mention any cold sores. For migraine treatment, bring a headache diary covering the last 8 weeks.
Treatment.
A very fine needle is used, and most people feel each injection as a small pinch for 1 to 2 seconds. Numbing cream is available if you would like it.
Aftercare.
Avoid pressure and makeup on the area for a few hours. Skip hard exercise, saunas and alcohol for 24 hours, and avoid facial massage or lying face down for 7 days.
Two-week review.
Any change develops over about 14 days. Dr Oli reviews you at 2 weeks and corrects any unevenness then. For migraine, progress is checked against your headache diary at 12 weeks.
Concerns this treatment is used for
Each concern has its own page. Your consultation decides whether treatment is right for you.
- Forehead and frown lines
- Crow's feet
- Jaw clenching and bruxism
- Excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis)
- Chronic migraine
- Recurrent anal fissures
Treatment areas
Face
Jaw and neck
Body
Boundaries of practice
What's not treated
Good practice means saying no when indicated:
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- A skin infection where the injections would go
- A nerve and muscle condition such as myasthenia gravis or Lambert-Eaton syndrome
- A known allergy to the prescription medicine used or any of its ingredients (including human albumin)
- Recent use of certain antibiotics (aminoglycosides) or other medicines that affect how nerves signal to muscles
- Body dysmorphic disorder, or expectations that treatment cannot meet, found at consultation
Written and medically reviewed by Dr Oli Curwen, Aesthetic Doctor: MBBS BSc MRCS · MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency): the medicine used is a prescription-only medicine; NICE TA260 covers its use in chronic migraine prevention.
FAQ
Anti-wrinkle treatment FAQs
How long do anti-wrinkle injections last?
Cosmetic anti-wrinkle treatment at Dr Oli Aesthetics usually lasts 3 to 4 months. With regular treatment, some people find the gap stretches to 5 or 6 months. Medical uses tend to last longer: 4 to 6 months for jaw clenching and 4 to 9 months for excessive sweating, while chronic migraine treatment is repeated every 12 weeks.
Will I look frozen?
Looking frozen is not the aim at Dr Oli Aesthetics. Doses are planned to keep your natural movement and give a rested look. First-time patients start on a lower dose, because more can be added at the 2-week review, while too much can only wear off over time.
Can these injections treat my migraines?
They may, if you meet the NICE criteria for chronic migraine: 15 or more headache days a month, at least 8 with migraine features, for 3 months or more, after 3 preventive medicines have not worked. At Dr Oli Aesthetics the injections follow the PREEMPT protocol every 12 weeks, ideally shared with your neurologist.
How is jaw clenching treatment different from cosmetic treatment?
Jaw clenching treatment at Dr Oli Aesthetics uses a higher dose in each masseter (jaw) muscle than cosmetic treatment of the upper face. It is used for night-time grinding and clenching, and it can also slim a square jaw. Relief starts at about 2 weeks, and the effect lasts 4 to 6 months.
Is treatment painful?
Most patients at Dr Oli Aesthetics feel each injection as a small pinch lasting 1 to 2 seconds, from a very fine needle. Numbing cream is available if you would like it. The injections take about 2 minutes for three upper-face areas, and a little longer for sweating or migraine treatment, which need more injection points.
What are the side effects of anti-wrinkle injections?
Side effects after anti-wrinkle injections at Dr Oli Aesthetics are usually mild and short-lived: tiny spots of bleeding, a small bruise in 5 to 10% of treatments and a mild headache for a day. Uneven results are uncommon and are corrected at the 2-week review. A drooping eyelid or brow is rare and lasts 2 to 6 weeks.
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Dr Oli Aesthetics • 111 Charing Cross Road, UNTIL Soho, London WC2H 0DT
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