Age and normal muscle movements, such as squinting in the sun, drinking from a straw, and repetitive facial expressions, can all cause our skin to form several lines and creases between the eyebrows. Over time, these glabellar lines get permanently etched into our skin, making us look older than we really are. At Gold Skin Care Center in Nashville, TN, we treat moderate to severe frown lines using FDA-approved Dysport prescription injection.
What Is Dysport Used For?
Taking a Closer Look
Dysport is a therapeutic muscle-relaxing agent whose active ingredient is botulinum toxin A derived from the bacterium Clostridium Botulinum. It is produced by IPSEN and sold in the U.S. by Galderma. The FDA approved the use of Dysport in the United States in 2009 and has since been accepted in 69 countries across the world.
With 25 years of clinical experience, this wrinkle correction treatment has been found to be non-invasive, fast-acting, and long-lasting. It provides temporary improvement of mild to severe frown lines between eyebrows in adults aged 65 years or younger. Essentially, the botulinum toxin is responsible for restricting nerve activity in the targeted muscles through a process known as botulism.
By temporarily blocking or limiting facial muscle movements in the treatment area, it helps lessen the appearance of wrinkles. While this form of wrinkle correction prevents the creation or deepening of facial wrinkles, it is important to acknowledge that the treatment is temporary. Follow-up injections after every few months will be necessary.
How It Works
This injectable shares a common working principle with Botox, although there are slight differences between them. For better understanding, note that the movements and contractions of the facial muscles are regulated by messages from the brain.
Using botulinum type A, this neuromodulator restricts the targeted muscles from responding to those signals. Consequently, the muscles in the forehead are paralyzed and forced to relax, allowing the overlying skin to remain unwrinkled and smooth.
One of our certified dermatologists will inject a small amount of the substance directly into the intended muscle. The treatment will start to work in 2-3 hours after injection depending on person to person. As the muscle relaxes, the skin above it becomes smoother, thus preventing wrinkles from forming and softening existing lines over time.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Who Is Eligible for This Treatment?
While you may be having wrinkles, it’s important to acknowledge that the severity of cases varies from one person to another. As such, our licensed and certified dermatologists use a time-tested criterion to determine whether or not you’re eligible for the injection treatment.
Generally, anyone with dynamic wrinkles may be the ideal candidate for the injections. The candidates ought to be adults aged below 65 years who have moderate to severe glabellar lines. Even so, one must be in good health for the treatment to be administered.
Before we proceed with the treatment, we’ll first crosscheck your medical history and ask relevant questions concerning the same. We’ll also help you understand what the treatment will do for you so we’re on the same page before we get started.
2. Does It Correct Wrinkles Only?
This prescription injection is used to treat more than just wrinkles between the eyebrows in patients aged 65 and younger. The treatment is also ideal for:
- Treating cervical dystonia (CD) in adults
- Treating muscle stiffness in adults with upper and lower limb spasticity
- Treating increased upper/lower muscle stiffness in children aged 2 years or older
Frown Lines
Frown lines (wrinkles) are formed when the muscles responsible for controlling facial expressions become tighter and tighter. We will inject the substance into the targeted muscles to help stop the muscular tightening for 3-4 months.
Cervical Dystonia
Cervical dystonia (CD) in adults is a chronic movement disorder caused by muscle spasms in the neck. These spasms tighten the neck muscles, often resulting in abnormal head position and neck pain. We combine the prescription injection with other treatments to weaken those muscles for up to 16 weeks.
Lower Limb Spasticity in Children
Muscle spasms in calf muscles result in lower limb spasticity in children aged 2 years and older. If left unattended, these spasms can lead to an unusual position of the calf muscles. We treat muscle spasms and stiffness (spasticity) in children at least 2 years old. The treatment weakens the calf muscles for up to 22 weeks.
Upper/Lower Limb Spasticity in Adults
Muscle spasms in the finger, wrist, and elbow muscles are responsible for upper limb spasticity in adults. On the other hand, muscle spasms in the ankle and toe muscles are responsible for lower limb spasticity in adults. Our injection helps address muscle spasms and stiffness of the feet, legs, hands, and arms in adults. The treatment weakens the targeted muscles for up to 16 weeks.
3. How Is the Injection Administered?
After carefully assessing your conditions and qualifying you for the treatment, we’ll schedule a date to get the shots. You’ll need to visit our facility on the planned day for the injections to be prescribed by one of our certified dermatologists and aesthetic surgeons.
With a very fine needle, the botulinum toxin will be injected directly into the treatment site to block the specific muscle that is contracting and causing wrinkles on the face. A minimal “pinprick” may be felt in the treatment area, but no anesthetic is needed.
The treatment will be complete in approximately 10 minutes, and you may resume your normal activities immediately thereafter. Facial wrinkle correction in Nashville is safe and effective. In fact, changes will be noticeable in less than 3 days.
4. What Are the Possible Injection Sites and How Many Units Are Needed?
Injections can be done on multiples areas to counteract the following:
- Forehead wrinkles
- Crow’s feet
- Lines between the eyebrows (glabellum)
- Lines on the sides of the nose (bunny lines)
- Eyebrows (brow lift)
- Neck bands
The number of units to be administered will vary from person to person. For the area between the eyes (glabella), most patients will receive 45-70 units. For the most part, that’s enough to smooth out the glabellar (frown line) region.
Most patients will receive about 66-70 units for the crow’s feet area, but this also varies from patient to patient. The same goes for the forehead area, as it tends to vary between people. Most people will receive about 40 units to treat forehead lines.
5. How Should You Prepare for the Shots?
We might offer numerous precautionary measures to help you get set up for your sessions. Such precautions are crucial in ensuring optimal results after the treatment process.
One of the measures we undertake before the treatment commences is physical assessment. If there’s an issue in your targeted treatment area, such as muscle weakness, swelling, or an infection, we’ll advise you to recover first before we proceed with the injections.
It’s imperative to follow the guidelines we provide to guarantee a successful treatment. If you’re under some medications, we might recommend alternative prescriptions depending on how we deem it fit. But if not necessary, we’ll encourage you to complete the dosage before taking the shots.
6. Is There Anything to Avoid or Discontinue Before Getting the Shots?
The patient may be advised to discontinue certain medications and products at least 3-7 days prior to the injections. You may be asked to stop using flax oil, Gingko Biloba, and essential fatty acids a few days to the treatment day.
Other products that you may be encouraged to avoid 24-48 hours prior to the session include high-sodium foods, niacin supplements, caffeine, sugar foods, cigarettes, and alcohol. Sometimes a cold score, a blemish, or a rash may develop in the targeted area just before the treatment commences.
In such a situation, reach out to our doctors for the injections to be rescheduled until the issues subside. Patients who recently had such cosmetic treatments as laser, ultrasound, and facials may not be fit to take the shots immediately. It’s advisable to wait 14-21 days to get your botulinum shots.
7. What Are the Expectations After Injections?
Clients are released to go home immediately after injections. Typically, the effect of the treatment will be visible within 3 days. Depending on person to person, maximum benefits are achieved between 7 and 14 days.
As soon the muscle becomes dormant, the skin will start to soften, and the patient will be able to flaunt a more relaxed and youthful look. Worth noting, this form of wrinkle treatment is temporary. That means you’ll need follow-up injections after a few months to keep your forehead ever smooth.
8. How Convenient Is the Treatment?
This form of treatment is non-invasive, and the injections are offered in a matter of minutes when you visit our office. With us, hospital stays or downtimes are a thing of the past. We’ll get your shots and release you to go back home in less than an hour.
There’s no adverse effect associated with driving yourself after the treatment. You can drive yourself without any inconvenience. And since no recovery time is needed, you’re good to resume your normal activities if you so wish. If you qualify for the treatment, the injections are safe, and you never have to worry about any potential side effects.
9. Is This Treatment the Same As Botox?
The two treatment options have a lot of incredible similarities. They both use a type of botulinum type A to erase pesky wrinkles. And the results for both options last the same amount of time. However, there are some slight differences between the two.
One variation is clearly noticeable in measurements. For instance, while you might need only 25 units of Botox to treat a forehead, you’ll need up to 50 units to treat the same forehead using the other option. Also, unlike Botox, Dysport tends to spread, making it possible to treat larger surface areas of the forehead.
10. Can It Be Interchanged With Other Botulinum Toxins?
It is not advisable to interchange Dysport injections with other botulinum toxins like Botox Cosmetic if used within the last four months. If it’s necessary to combine the shots with any other botulinum toxin, then it should only be performed by skilled injectors in Nashville.
Dr. Gold and his team in Nashville often use this treatment method in conjunction with IPL skin photorejuvenation and injectable fillers for wrinkle correction. All our treatment options are tailored to meet each person’s unique needs. That is why we strive to understand the root causes of each person’s unique wrinkles before proceeding with the treatment.
Correct Facial Wrinkles With Nashville Dermatologists
Not every dermatologist out there is qualified enough to administer your Dysport injections. If you’re ready to erase those fine lines and wrinkles, call us at Gold Skin Care Center in Nashville, TN, today and schedule an appointment with us. We will be happy to design a customized treatment plan to help you achieve your aesthetic goals.
