Visage Medical Aesthetics

Line softening treatment, is a purified toxin produced by a bacterium called Clostridium Botulinum. For over 10 years it has been safely used by opthalmologists to treat spasms of the eyelid and lazy eye syndrome. When used cosmetically, Line softening treatment reversibly blocks the nerve impulses responsible for contraction of the tiny facial muscles that are related to expression lines. The muscles therefore cannot contract and tend to relax. When relaxed, the overlying skin becomes smooth and unwrinkled while the untreated muscles are still able to contract normally, thus allowing normal facial expression.

The ideal areas to treat are the deep creases between the eyebrows, frown lines of the forehead, laughter lines and crows feet radiating away from the eyes. Lines around the mouth and chin can be treated with low strength Line softening treatment to avoid weakening of the smile. Line softening treatment can also be used to effectively treat excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) of the hands, armpits and face and chronic tension type headache in some people.

Using a tiny needle a small amount of Line softening agent is injected directly into the desired area. Your doctor or nurse will determine which muscles to treat to give you the result you wish to achieve.

Anesthesia is not necessary for this treatment. Ice may be used to numb the area before treatment. This will minimize any discomfort felt from the injection. The actual treatment only takes a few minutes and requires no recovery time, so you can resume normal activities immediately.

Immediately after the injections, the area may be slightly red and mild swelling may occur. This usually subsides within 24-48 hours and application of ice for a few hours following treatment will help reduce any swelling.

You will notice a difference after 3-4 days. Further improvement will be seen over the following 7-10 days. Full effect of the treatment may take up to 21 days to work. Some clients with very powerful facial muscles may not see complete relaxation of the treated area initially but subsequent treatments will have the desired effect.

No, the improvement achieved will last approximately for three to six months. This is due to the toxin being slowly metabolised by the body. Further treatment will be required at this point to maintain skin-smoothing effects. Clinical studies also indicate that the duration of treatment benefits may be increased over time. Therefore, clients may require fewer injections, as the effects begin to last longer.

The side effects are generally associated with the injection of the solution. Occasionally, clients may experience localised pain, tenderness and bruising at the site of injection. This only normally lasts a few days and can easily be covered using make-up. A rare side effect is temporary drooping of the eyelid or eyebrow, lasting for approximately 2-3 weeks. Although the toxin is the same as that which causes a serious form of food poisoning (Botulism), the amount used in facial contouring is so minute that systemic or general reactions are very unlikely to occur.

There are no pre-treatment requirements. After your treatment we advise that you move the treated muscles frequently for a few hours and do not lie flat on your back for at least four hours.

A fully qualified and experienced doctor or aesthetic trained nurse, who is registered with their relevant professional body (GMC or GNC) and has undergone extensive postgraduate training in these procedures.

Most people can benefit from this treatment. During your consultation with the doctor or nurse a full medical history will be taken to assess your suitability for treatment. Line softening treatment is not recommended if you are pregnant, breast-feeding or have a neurological disorder. It is also important that you inform the doctor of any medications currently being taken.