Neurotoxin Injections

What is Neurotoxin Injection?

The functioning of mimic muscles of our face leads to the formation of creases and wrinkles in the skin covering these muscles. Continuous repetition of these mimic movements for years makes the creases conspicuous and leads to the formation of dynamic (due to muscle movement) wrinkles. Dynamic lines are most prominent on the forehead, between the eyebrows, around the eyes and in addition to giving the person an aged look, also lead to a scowling, angry expression when they especially form between the eyebrows.

Neurotoxin shows activity by inhibiting the releasing of substances that transmit the stimuli to the muscles from the nerve ends and blocks the nerve conduction. Inhibition of the nerve conduction results in the decrease or total disappearance in the movement of the muscle that the nerve stimulates. 

Medicine has long been benefiting from this effect of neurotoxin and this toxin has been used for approximately 15 years to decrease the wrinkles arising from the movements of mimic muscles of the face without the need for surgery. By applying neurotoxin to mimic muscles, the movements of these muscles are reduced and the wrinkles forming due to the folding of the skin over these muscles and deepening in time are prevented, as a consequence, significant improvement in the aged and angry facial expression is provided. The wrinkles that that respond to neurotoxin treatment the best are the wrinkles seen on the forehead, around the eyes and the ones between the eyebrows. Neurotoxin is also being used successfully in the treatment of lines formed due to laughing and the wrinkles of the neck and the chin. 

While better results are obtained when neurotoxin application is performed during the early period in which dynamic wrinkles are formed, since these wrinkles deepen in time, in order for them to disappear completely, additional filling injections may be required. 

Another application that can be performed with neurotoxin is eyebrow shaping (eyebrow lifting) directed to the correction of eyebrow pitosis that leads to a tired look.  

The effect of neurotoxin may last for 4 to 6 months depending on the applied dose, used technique and the metabolism of the person. In addition, the duration of the effect may be longer due to the weakening of the muscle with repeated applications. When the effect of neurotoxin is over, the skin turns to its pre-application state.  

Neurotoxin applications have been performed for long years and a severe side effect has not been reported until now. The most frequently seen side effect is minor swellings and purple spot on the application area. Though adverse events like pitosis of the eyelid or the eyebrows may rarely be seen due to wrong applications, they disappear with the effect’s wearing off.  In addition, tough asymmetrical mimics or eyebrow lifting may be seen when the results of the application becomes prominent within a couple of days, these may always be corrected with additional applications. 

The effect of neurotoxin is limited to the application area; it is observed 3-5 days after the application completely and disappears within a period of 4-6 months. 

Neurotoxin application in excessive sweating

Neurotoxin has been used in the treatment of excessive sweating of the arm pit, hands and feet which is called hyperhydrosis with an increased frequency. With neurotoxin injections, applied to the regions with excessive sweating, sweating can be prevented for 6-8 months following the injection.