Following is some important information about your treatment for lines and wrinkles and tight muscles especially if it was your first time (with us) and what to expect.

Please have a careful read so you can understand what is normal and when to worry.
​

There is a shorter “summary” version and a longer version with more details below. 

Summary:

• every brand of this class of drug will act differently on your face especially if you don’t know what brand was used before.
  
  
• barring unexpected complications, we do nothing but wait till in person review at 14-21 days in clinic
  
  
• typically results begin slowly around 5-7 days post treatment
  
  
• there may be some initial unevenness especially in brows, forehead and lower face if these areas were treated
  
  
• it is normal NOT to feel tightness, heaviness etc. These usually (but not always) indicate doses that were too high or incorrect technique.
  
  
• rarely, there may be temporary swelling around the eyes or a dry sensation within a few days. 
  
  

​

Longer explainer: 

1. We find in clinic that there is often a lot of excitement and nerves especially the first time followed by necessary patience as the effects begin to kick in as early as 3 days, but usually between 5-7 days and reach maximum effect by 14 days, when we offer you a complimentary review in person including to correct any concerns such as unevenness and to assess outcomes.
   
   

   We do not do anything prior to this 14 day mark, as it can take that long for everything to settle.
   ​

2. Treatment with this class of medication is not usually like a light switch – ON or OFF- results kick in gradually, reaching peak effect by 14 days, and then begin to wear off from as early as 6-8 weeks, eventually requiring re-treatment from 3 months onwards to maintain best results without disruption. 

​

3. During this two week period, it is common to see asymmetry in which some muscles respond first and others later, and to also have some areas that are weakened more than others, requiring a further dose on review at two weeks. Please do NOT panic or worry as we will do nothing until the complimentary review at 2 weeks to consider any further treatment if needed.

​

4. When we first meet you, we may not get the dose exactly right and you may be offered the complimentary review at 2 weeks for three reasons:
   
   

• Dr Joshi’s aesthetic is subtle and aimed at looking fresh rather than frozen, so she uses a deliberately conservative dose which may not be enough. It’s always easier to add more than to subtract – so we can see the effect of the dose we DID use, and determine if it is the best dose for you and document it for future use
  
  
• we can add more units if needed at review (cost to be borne by you) to arrive at your ongoing standard dose for future treatments.
  
  

​

Common side effects following treatment that will settle:

• bruising and swelling
• lumps and bumps
• redness
• temporary headache at the treated site (hours not days)
• unevenness when the drug effect begins to kick in, all of which will settle within a few more days.
  
  

​

Rare side effects:

• movement of the medication to a nearby muscle causing unintended droop eg around the eyes or smile
  
  

This drug cannot be “removed” once injected. You will need to wait for it to wear off, so Dr Joshi takes the approach of “less is more” to begin with, as we can always add in more at the 2 week review if needed but we can’t remove an overly strong dose.
​

For the first 2 hours after treatment please do not:

• lie face down eg massage
• get a facial
• touch or rub your face
• attend the gym
• apply makeup

After this, everything can get back on track, including regular skincare.

In time you will come to understand what is normal for your facial muscles and your skin, and will be far more relaxed about what to expect as we work together. 

Until then, these are the things to watch out for which are completely normal and common while you wait for 14 days for your medication to reach peak effect.