Getting older doesn’t mean we have to settle for the lines and wrinkles that normally come with aging skin. Dysport therapy can effectively minimize these types of imperfections while giving your skin a more supple texture by relaxing facial muscles and increasing collagen production. Here at Ingrid E. Trenkle, MD in Redlands, CA, we offer this treatment for both corrective and preventative purposes and have had excellent success in treating our patients with it.
Regardless of whether you’re in your 20s or 30s and would like to delay the signs of aging or if you’re a bit older and already experiencing skin issues that you’d like to correct, we can help. So if you’re looking for a way to revitalize your appearance or maintain your youthful looks, here’s what you can expect when you schedule your first therapy session with us and how long it typically takes for most patients to see results.
Does Dysport Work Immediately?
You might start to notice the effects of this medication within 24 to 48 hours, but you shouldn’t expect to see the full results for at least one to two weeks. The first noticeable sign that this treatment is working is normally a relaxing feeling in your muscles, which is then often followed by smoother skin. As the muscles relax, the skin does as well, though it may take a bit longer for lines and wrinkles to become less noticeable.
Although this medication can block the release of acetylcholine, which influences muscle contractions, it doesn’t have an effect on any levels of this neurotransmitter that are already circulating in your body at the time of treatment. So your genetics and metabolism, as well as your stress levels just before treatment can all have an effect on how quickly your muscles respond to this medication.
How Does Dysport Therapy Work?
Dysport, a type of botulinum toxin, is a potent neuromuscular blocker that has been FDA-approved for the treatment of a wide variety of cosmetic conditions. Minimally invasive and safe, only small amounts of this medication are used to increase collagen production and relax facial muscles, which can improve one’s appearance by rejuvenating the skin while reducing both fine lines and wrinkles.
While it can be used for many different types of issues, it’s most commonly used to treat expression lines, which are the types of lines that appear whenever we make certain facial expressions. In our 20s and early 30s, these lines quickly fade away on their own whenever we’re not smiling, frowning, or making other expressions. But as we age, our skin produces lower levels of collagen and elastin, which can make these lines more prominent.
Where Can Dysport Be Used?
Because of its versatility and safety profile, this medication can be used to treat just about any area where wrinkles, lines, or rough skin are present. The following are some of the more common areas of the face that we regularly treat:
The Forehead
Large wrinkles or lines, known as glabellar lines, are commonly found spanning across the forehead in patients of all ages. The frontalis muscle of the forehead is responsible for these issues, but luckily, it normally responds quite well to this therapy.
Near the Eyes
To the left and right of both eyes, near the outer edges, you may have lines and wrinkles branching out in a horizontal direction. These are called crow’s feet because of their shape, and despite how noticeable they may be for some patients, this treatment can be extremely effective in reducing their appearance.
Above the Nose
Lines found between the eyebrows and just above the nose that run in a vertical manner are called frown lines because they become more noticeable when a person is frowning or squinting their eyes. Treating the tiny procerus and corrugator muscles in this area normally minimizes these types of lines.
Center of the Nose
Bunny lines are those that appear in the center of your nose, and while these can show up at just about any age, even in patients who are in their 20s, they can become much more noticeable and more deeply entrenched as we get older, at which point they may require treatment.
Above the Mouth
Vertical lines that appear just below the nose are referred to as “lipstick lines” because of how close they are to the upper lip, and they can often be successfully treated. Most patients won’t experience this issue until they reach their late 40s or 50s, and for this reason, many of our younger patients opt to start preventative treatments in this area before then.
Sides of the Mouth
Deep vertical creases that are noticeable on both sides of the mouth are known as nasolabial folds, and while Dysport is often effective in treating these, in some cases we may need to combine this therapy with other treatments or explore other options, depending on their depth.
What Can I Expect During Treatment?
Although the entire treatment process from start to finish is easy and quick, we’ve outlined each step of the process as follows so you know what to expect:
1. Consultation
When you first arrive for your appointment with us, we’ll carry out a quick consultation to discuss your aesthetic goals and why you’re interested in this treatment. This helps us gauge how effective this therapy will be for you and to ensure that the results will align with your expectations.
It also helps us ensure that this treatment is safe for you, as we’ll want to know about any medications you might be currently taking or health conditions you might be dealing with, as well as your medical history and any surgeries you’ve had.
2. Examination
During the consultation, there will also be a brief examination. We’ll assess your facial muscles and skin, which gives us an idea of how much medication we should use and where we should inject it. Muscles that have been tense for a very long time often require more medication, and some muscles require more injections than others, depending on their size.
This is one of the main differences between being treated by an experienced professional or someone with limited medical knowledge. Your therapy with Dr. Trenkle is personalized and thorough, so each treatment session is tailored for your specific skin type and muscular structure, which leads to better results that last longer.
3. Treatment
The therapy session itself is a very quick one that typically takes between 10 to 20 minutes, though this depends on different factors, such as how many areas of your face we’ll be treating. The injections are made with microneedles, which are much smaller than standard needles and aren’t painful. We’ll inject small amounts of Dysport into each target muscle while making sure that you’re comfortable throughout the entire process.
4. Results
After your treatment session, there’s no downtime, so you can quickly return to work or everyday activities. We will, however, recommend you take a few precautions just to optimize the results, such as avoiding excessive heat or strenuous exercise for the first few days. You should start to notice some results within the first week, though the full effects often don’t occur until the second week after treatment.
You can then expect the results to last at least three to four months, and if you’ve been receiving regularly scheduled treatments for over a year or two, you may start to notice the effects lasting even longer. It’s not uncommon for some of our patients to experience results for as long as six months after a few years of regular treatment sessions.
Will Dysport Affect My Facial Expressions?
Although this medication relaxes muscles, we only use conservative amounts based on your muscle tone and skin texture. You’ll still be able to smile and laugh as you always have, but your muscles will be more relaxed when doing so. Also, as an added benefit, regular treatments can help retrain your muscles over time so they become less tense, leading to revitalized skin and fewer lines and wrinkles as a result.
How Safe Is This Therapy?
Dysport has gained a reputation for being extremely safe for the following reasons:
- It’s minimally invasive
- The effects are temporary
- It’s been thoroughly tested
- There’s no recovery period
- Only targeted areas are treated
- It’s administered by a professional
Get Started Towards Your Skincare Goals
While Dysport therapy can take a bit of time to kick in, the effects are normally long-lasting once they do. To see if this is the right treatment for you, reach out to us today at Ingrid E. Trenkle, MD in Redlands, CA to schedule your first appointment and consultation. Because lines and wrinkles can develop at any time or worsen when left untreated, there’s no better time than now to get started.
