Frequently Asked Questions

There is no difference between Botox and anti-wrinkle injections. Botox is the most popular and well-known brand of anti-wrinkle injection.

You will start to feel an effect in 1-3 days and may even notice the results in the mirror at this stage. For most people it takes between 10-14 days to get the full effect of the treatment. The treatment is then at its strongest up until the 6-week mark. At this stage it starts to gradually fade, as you body metabolizes it over the next couple of months.

There is no evidence to suggest that the COVID-19 vaccine interacts with any of the treatments we provide. However, this is a very new vaccine programme and therefore we can’t give a 100% guarantee. Wait at least 1 week after your vaccine/booster, before making an appointment to be on the safe side.

When administered by a trained and experienced doctor, serious side effects of Botox are extremely rare.

Some common side effects are bleeding at the time of injections, bruising and headaches which last a couple of days. Bleeding usually stops in a few seconds. Please inform your doctor if you are taking any blood thinning medications.

Rare side effects:

Asymmetries can occur due to poor injection planning. These can be corrected at your 2 week follow up on the rare occasion that these occur.

With certain treatment types there is a risk of brow or eyelid ptosis (drooping). In the rare cases where this occurs it typically lasts 2-3 weeks.

Other rare side effects include blurred vision, puffy eyelids dry eyes, drooping eyelids, infection, and tiredness.

Dissatisfaction with treatment results can occur, but this can be managed by attending an experienced doctor, having a thorough consultation before your treatment and a follow up appointment afterwards where additional injections can be provided.

• Be sure that your treating doctor has answered all your questions, and that you are familiar with the different treatment types.
• Avoid supplements that thin your blood for 5 days beforehand but DO NOT cease any prescribed medications

Supplements that may increase your risk of bruising:

• Ibuprofen
• John’s Wart
• Vitamin E
• Fish oil or Omega-3s
• Ginko Bilboa
• Ginseng

• Avoid heavy makeup or unnecessarily touching the area for 6 hours to reduce the risk of infection.
• Avoid rubbing or massaging the treated area for 6 hours to reduce the chance of the treatment moving.
• Keep upright for 4 hours to reduce the chance of the treatment moving to unintended areas.
• Light exercise after Botox is fine but avoid strenuous exercise such as weight-training or cross-fit for 24 hours as it can occasionally cause the treatment to move to unintended areas.
• Avoid saunas, jacuzzies or hot baths for 24 hours after the procedure as the heat can result in treatment migration.
• Avoid excessive alcohol consumption as it can increase the risk of bruising.

No, there is no downtime after Botox injections for most clients. To prevent side effects such as bruising or treatment migration we ask that you avoid heavy exercise, heavy make-up, and blood-thinning supplements, as mentioned above, after your treatment.

Clinical trials carried out to investigate this question showed that 1.5% of people develop ‘binding’ antibodies which may affect duration of treatment while 0 of the 916 subjects developed ‘neutralizing’ antibodies which would have prevented the treatment having an effect.

So, the answer is that the incidence of resistance is very low. It can be further reduced by attending an experienced doctor who correctly doses your Botox treatment and waiting for your treatment to fully wear off before getting treated again (every 3 months).

Discuss it with your treating doctor. It may be that your dose needs to be increased or that the areas treated need to be amended slightly to account for muscle compensation.

If it appears to be true resistance, don’t worry. There are other compounds such as Dysport or Azzalure which can be used. It is thought that immunogenicity wears off after time, so the alternative is to take 6 – 9 months with no treatment.

Botox has a bad reputation for creating a ‘frozen’ look. A skilled and experienced doctor can easily avoid creating this effect by not over-treating their clients. Botox can be used to maintain a natural look while softening lines and wrinkles. The result of this is that clients will look fresh and rested.

We recommend that clients avoid heavy exercise until 24 hours after treatment, to allow it to settle into the targeted muscles.

There is no hard evidence to suggest that exercise decreases Botox longevity.

Most people get 3-4 months out of their treatment. Others report movement in 2-3 months or nothing for most of the year. The fact is everybody is different!

Consultation – Through your consultation you and your doctor can cover your treatment plan and ensure it is as effective as possible. Working with an experienced doctor will give you the highest probability of a long-lasting treatment. This includes a follow up consultation at the 2-week mark.

Zinc – studies have shown that zinc supplements increase the effectiveness of Botox in 92% of participants. Increasing dietary zinc, and taking zinc supplements the week before and after treatment could help ensure you get the most out of your Botox. Never exceed the recommended dosage of these supplements.

Don’t be treated too frequently – As mentioned above, there is a small chance that you will develop resistance if you get treated too regularly.

There have been no human studies carried out to prove the safety of Botox in pregnancy and as such we avoid it. Cosmetic Botox is provided in very low doses (around 0.3 units/kg) so the risk of harming the baby is exceptionally low. However, any risk of harm should be avoided unnecessarily, and so we recommend waiting until after your pregnancy to book a treatment.

There have been no studies performed to directly answer this, and as such we avoid it. As the doses of Botox used for cosmetic purposes are very low and not detectable systemically, it is very unlikely that Botox is expressed in breast milk. To be safe, wait until after you finish breastfeeding to book your appointment.

Everybody has a different experience due to skin thickness; pain threshold and the areas being treated but, in general these treatments are almost completely painless. A small pinch is the extent of the discomfort. A numbing cream can be used for clients who feel they may require it.

‘Dermal fillers’ is the term commonly used when referring to hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a carbohydrate that can be found naturally in the muscles, joints, fat and of course the skin. Hyaluronic acid has the ability to hold 1000 times its weight in water. By injecting it, we help to plump and moisturize the skin. It can be reintroduced into areas where age has depleted it or used to enhance areas where it was never abundant in the first place.

Immediately! One of the great things about dermal fillers is the immediate results. Due to swelling it is recommended that you give the treatment 7 days to assess your final result. This will give the swelling time to subside and the treatment time to settle.

• Avoid alcohol 24 hours before treatment as it may increase your risk of bruising.
• You can wear make-up the day of your treatment, but the doctor will remove it from the treatment area.
• You can use an icepack the 20 minutes before your treatment to minimise post-treatment bruising and redness.
• Avoid Vitamin C, Retinol, AHA and BHA the 24 hours before your treatment.
• Avoid supplements that thin your blood for 5 days beforehand but DO NOT cease any prescribed medications

Supplements that may increase your risk of bruising:

• Ibuprofen
• John’s Wart
• Vitamin E
• Fish oil or Omega-3s
• Ginko Bilboa
• Ginseng

• You may experience some swelling and bruising the day after your procedure. This is completely normal and will subside in 5-7 days.
• Avoid heavy makeup or unnecessarily touching the area for 6 hours to reduce the risk of infection.
• Avoid Vitamin C, Retinol, AHA and BHA skincare products for 24 hours after treatment, to give your treatment time to settle.
• Avoid rubbing or massaging the treated area for 24 hours to reduce the chance of the treatment moving.
• Keep upright for 4 hours to reduce the chance of the treatment moving to unintended areas.
• Avoid strenuous exercise such as weight-training or cross-fit for 24 hours as it can occasionally cause the treatment to move to unintended areas.
• Avoid saunas, jacuzzies or hot baths for 24 hours after the procedure as the heat can result in treatment migration.
• Avoid excessive alcohol consumption as it can increase the risk of bruising.
• Don’t sleep on the treated area the night following your treatment.

This very much depends on the product. The more viscous the product, the longer it lasts. However, thicker products are more suited to deeper injections than superficial injections. The products that are used superficially are thinner and more fluid to prevent lumps showing.

Thick products can last up to 18 months to 2 years, while thinner, surface products last 6-9 months. The longevity of the product is also determined by the amount that is used and the age of the client.

Everybody has a different experience due to skin thickness; pain threshold and areas being treated but, in general these treatments are almost completely painless. A small pinch is the extent of the discomfort.

A numbing agent will be rubbed into the skin to ensure a comfortable experience for the client. The treatment itself also contains a numbing agent to add to this effect. First time clients might find the sensation unusual but not painful.

When administered by a trained and experienced doctor, serious side effects of dermal filler are extremely rare.

Some common side effects include, swelling, redness and tenderness of the injection site immediately after the treatment. Lumps or bumps may also be felt, in the initial stages and can be messaged out by the client if unsatisfactory. These side effects generally last less than 14 days.

Rare side effects include:

Infection: This usually occurs immediately to 1 month after treatment. It can usually be treated with antibiotics but in certain circumstances the treatment will need to be dissolved.

Delayed Hypersensitivity: This is a late onset allergic reaction that can occur months after treatment. It is easily treatable and very rare. It often resolves on its own spontaneously. It can sometimes result in lumps called granulomas forming.

Tyndall effect: If a thick treatment is placed too superficially it can create a bluish discolouration of the area known as the Tyndall effect. This is very rare when proper injection technique is used and can be treated by dissolving the product with hyaluronidase.

Vascular compromise: This is by far the rarest of possible side effects but also the most serious. If painful blanching occurs at or after the treatment inform your doctor immediately and they will dissolve the product for you. If you have any visual changes or eye pain, you should tell your aesthetic doctor immediately.

As dermal fillers aren’t technically a medical product, you don’t need to be a doctor to inject them. While side effects can happen in the most experienced hands, they are much less likely when you are treated by a doctor. Always attend a trained and experienced doctor for Botox and filler treatments.

Our experienced doctors will be able to ensure you achieve natural-looking results. The best way to do this is by taking a conservative approach to treatments. By starting slow and providing treatments over a few months, we ensure that clients are satisfied with their new look, and don’t experience too much of a change too quickly.

Deoxycholic acid is a compound generated in the body, which breaks down dietary fat, transporting it to distant areas of the body via the lymphatic system, where it is stored. By injecting a synthetic version of this compound into areas were fat is stored (under the chin, back of the arms, love handles, stomach) the fat cells are again broken down and destroyed. The body then removes them over 2 or 3 weeks, resulting in the permanent removal of fat.

Fat dissolving treatments begin to take effect immediately. This can result in swelling of the treated area for the first week. Over the next couple of weeks these cells are removed. After 3 weeks you will be able to see your final result. It should be noted that most people require 2-3 rounds of treatment, each 1 month apart to achieve the desired effect.

• Be sure that your treating doctor has answered all your questions, and that you are familiar with your treatment type.
• Avoid supplements that thin your blood for 5 days beforehand but DO NOT cease any prescribed medications.

Supplements that may increase your risk of bruising:

• Ibuprofen
• John’s Wart
• Vitamin E
• Fish oil or Omega-3s
• Ginko Bilboa
• Ginseng

• Avoid heavy makeup or unnecessarily touching the area for 6 hours to reduce the risk of infection.
• Avoid rubbing or massaging the treated area for 6 hours to reduce the chance of the treatment moving.
• Keep upright for 4 hours to reduce the chance of the treatment moving to unintended areas.
• Light exercise after this treatment is fine but avoid strenuous exercise such as weight-training or cross-fit for 24 hours as it can occasionally cause the treatment to move to unintended areas.
• Avoid saunas, jacuzzies or hot baths for 24 hours after the procedure as the heat can result in treatment migration.
• Avoid excessive alcohol consumption as it can increase the risk of bruising.