How Do We Combat Fine Lines & Wrinkles?

• Neurotoxins block the nerve signals that tell a muscle to move, so the skin over it smooths out.
• Bella Viságe uses Dysport and Jeuveau, which are FDA approved for smoothing wrinkles in the upper face.
• Lines soften in 24 to 48 hours, results settle in fully within two weeks, and they last up to three months.
• There’s relatively no downtime. We just ask you to skip exercise for 24 hours.
• You can start once wrinkles appear, but no earlier than age 18.

As skin is exposed to sun, pollution and everyday muscle movement, collagen and hyaluronic acid naturally decline. That leads to fine lines, lost volume and changes in skin texture.

Some of those changes are about volume. Others are tied directly to movement, like the horizontal lines across the forehead, the “11s” between the brows and crow’s feet around the eyes. Those movement lines are what neurotoxins are made for.

All neurotoxins are made from the same molecule, botulinum toxin type A. Once it’s injected into a muscle, the medication settles onto receptors and blocks the nerve signal that tells that muscle to move.

With the signal blocked, the muscle stays relaxed and the lines above it soften. For example, when we treat the frontalis muscle in the forehead, the lines that run horizontally across it smooth out.

It’s temporary by design. Your body metabolizes the product naturally, and you regain the movement, and the wrinkles, unless you’re re-treated.

There are five different neurotoxins on the market, and Botox is the most recognized name. Botox and the others are simply brand names for formulations of botulinum toxin type A. Think of ibuprofen and the various labels that make it.

Each product is manufactured and purified a little differently, which can influence onset, spread and individual preference. We chose Dysport, made by Galderma, and Jeuveau, made by Evolus, because of their reliability and affordability.

All of these medications have been extensively researched for safety and effectiveness, and they’re FDA approved for smoothing wrinkles in the upper face.

You can start treatment once wrinkles appear on your face, but no earlier than 18 years old. It’s best to start before lines become permanent, meaning you can see them even when your face is at rest. That’s what “preventative” treatment means.

Neurotoxins are measured in units. Each brand has a recommended number of units for each area, but you and your provider decide how many you need based on the results you want.

If you’re new to Bella Viságe, your first visit is a 30-minute appointment with one of our Nurse Practitioners. We talk through your areas of concern and your medical history to make sure you’re a good candidate. Some medical conditions would prevent treatment, so if something raises a flag, we may ask you to get clearance from your physician first.

If you’d like to go ahead, you can be treated during that same visit. You’ll sign consents, and we take “before” photos for your chart. The injections themselves take just a few minutes.

The needle is very tiny, and we use a distractor tool to confuse your nerves, so no numbing is needed. Most people find the treatment relatively painless.

Dysport and Jeuveau start to work within 24 hours, and you can see the wrinkles soften within 24 to 48 hours. Results settle in completely within two weeks.

That’s why we see you again at two weeks for your first follow-up. We take “after” photos and make sure you got the result you wanted. If you need a touch-up, we allow two weeks between touch-up appointments, because the toxin continues to spread for that full two weeks. Follow-up appointments take 15 minutes.

There’s relatively no downtime. You can go straight back to your day, with one exception: skip exercise for 24 hours after treatment.

There’s usually no sign that you had injections at all. Sometimes a small bruise appears where you were treated, since the skin on the face has a lot of blood vessels. You can cover it with makeup if you like.

Results last up to three months. Everyone metabolizes toxin differently, so your timing may vary a little.

Clients who are happy with their results schedule maintenance injections every three months to keep the muscle relaxed. If you decide not to continue, the toxin simply wears off and you go back to making the same facial expressions you did before treatment.