Anti-wrinkle injections are a procedure that is very much associated with a certain age demographic: people in their thirties who have started to notice fine lines and wrinkles appearing on their forehead and in the corners of their eyes. But cosmetic clinics have started to notice a rise in the number of younger people opting for anti-wrinkle injections as a preventative measure, having the procedure done before wrinkles appear to try and stop them before they become a problem.

The rise could be linked to the prevalence of social media, particularly Instagram and Snapchat with their perfectly crafted, beautifying filters designed to mask any imperfections. Although anti-wrinkle injections are designed to smooth out unwanted lines and wrinkles on a person’s face, is it worth getting it done before you even have any? Or are people better off waiting until their skin is showing signs of ageing before trying the procedure?

Preventative or Unnecessary?

To find out whether anti-wrinkle injections would have any effect on the skin of someone without any wrinkles, we first need to look at what anti-wrinkle injections are and how they work.

Anti-wrinkle injections are one of the most popular non-surgical cosmetic treatments and can be used for a number of applications aside from treating wrinkles, such as treating excessive sweating and muscular disorders. Anti-wrinkle injections are injected in safe, small doses directly into the skin to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by paralysing the underlying muscles. This paralysing prevents the muscles from contracting, which causes wrinkles to relax and soften.

It could be theorised that preventative anti-wrinkle injections may make the procedure more effective. Afterall, surely prolonging the time with which a person doesn’t have any wrinkles at all will only ensure that less treatments are needed as they age. But cosmetic experts are divided on the issue of preventative anti-wrinkle injections, with some saying they would not want to perform the procedure on people in their early twenties who don’t have any visible wrinkles.

Does it Work?

Using anti-wrinkle injections for cosmetic reasons has fundamentally always been about treating visible lines and wrinkles. Whether or not it would work on the skin of someone without any is very much up for debate. Some cosmetic experts would suggest that getting anti-wrinkle injections too early could actually exasperate the problem further down the line. They claim that paralysing the muscles in the face over a long period of time will lead to atrophy – a condition that causes muscles to wither from under use – and that these atrophied facial muscles will cause less volume in a person’s complexion, ageing them quicker.

Others, however, believe this is not a rational argument as facial muscles are so tiny that any shrinkage would not have any noticeable, physical effect. They claim that, since wrinkles get deeper and deeper as we age, the earlier you first get a treatment of anti-wrinkle injections, the less treatments you’re going to need in the future as the wrinkles don’t have a chance to develop as quickly.

What You Should Consider

Whether or not preventative anti-wrinkle injections are something you should consider depends on a number of factors. Everyone’s skin is different, and the rate at which you develop wrinkles is dependent on your skin type, your genetics and lifestyle. A person who has a more ‘hyper-mobile’ face would probably benefit from earlier anti-wrinkle injection procedures more than someone who doesn’t. Someone who regularly purses their lips or furrows their brow could be liable to start getting lines around their mouth and forehead in their early twenties, and thus could be an appropriate candidate for preventative anti-wrinkle injections.

Others may not need to start thinking about it until they can physically see those lines. Wrinkles initially appear when certain facial expressions are made and then disappear at rest. Some cosmetic professionals would argue that it’s only time to consider anti-wrinkle injections once these lines are starting to stick around when someone is not making a particular facial expression.

Essentially, it is up to the individual to decide what’s best for them. anti-wrinkle injections are not a one-size-fits-all procedure, so it’s a good idea to have a consultation and discuss your skin concerns with a professional who can advise you further. They should be able to use their expert knowledge to assess whether preventative anti-wrinkle injections are something you could benefit from, or if you’re better off waiting until you have developed visible lines.

If you’re looking for anti-wrinkle injections in Belfast or anti-wrinkle injections in Jersey, Guernsey or Northern Ireland, contact Aesthetic Skin Clinic today. Our team of medical professionals are highly trained and experienced in injectable-based treatments and will be able to advise you on treatments upon consultation.