What Anti-Wrinkle Injections Can Achieve
Fine lines and wrinkles commonly develop on the forehead and around the eyes asa result of repeated facial movements such as smiling and frowning. Over time, these expression lines can become more pronounced and may remain visible even when the face is at rest, contributing to a tired or aged appearance.
Anti-wrinkle injections work by relaxing the facial muscles responsible for these lines. This softens their appearance while maintaining natural facial expression, resulting in a refreshed and well-rested look. The effects are temporary, typically lasting up to four months, after which muscle activity and line formation gradually return.
Your Treatment Journey
Your treatment journey begins with a personalised consultation at The Surgery. This allows for assessment of your facial anatomy, skin quality and aesthetic concerns, ensuring the treatment is tailored to your individual needs and goals.
Anti-wrinkle injections are performed using numbing cream for comfort, and nitrous oxide is also available if required. Treatment is delivered through a series of carefully placed injections designed to soften dynamic lines. You may notice an effect within a few days, with maximal results seen at around 10 to 14 days.
Recovery and Aftercare
Anti-wrinkle injections involve minimal downtime. Mild redness, swelling, tenderness or small injection marks may be present and typically resolve within hours. Bruising can occur and usually settles within a few days.
You should avoid rubbing or massaging the treated areas, as well as lying flat or bending forward for several hours after treatment. Strenuous activity, saunas and spas should be deferred for 24 hours. Makeup is best left until the following day to minimise irritation at injection sites.
Are Anti-Wrinkle Injections Right for You?
Anti-wrinkle injections may be considered in adults depending on individual concerns. Some people choose treatment to soften existing expression lines, while others take a preventative approach to help delay the development of deeper static lines over time.
A consultation at The Surgery allows for a personalised assessment of your facial anatomy, concerns and treatment goals, ensuring the approach is tailored to you and designed to maintain subtle, natural-looking results.
Anti-Wrinkle Injections in Dunedin at The Surgery
Frequently Asked Questions
Anti-wrinkle injections contain a purified injectable muscle relaxant that works by temporarily blocking the signal between the nerve and the muscle. This allows the treated muscle to relax and soften the appearance of expression lines.
Anti-wrinkle injections and dermal filler work in different ways. Anti-wrinkle injections relax specific facial muscles to soften lines caused by repeated movement, such as frowning or squinting. Dermal filler restores age-related volume loss by replenishing hyaluronic acid within the skin, helping to restore facial structure, contour and proportion. These treatments may be used separately or as part of an overall facial rejuvenation plan with timing tailored to your individual needs.
Patients commonly choose anti-wrinkle injections to soften dynamic expression lines, maintain a refreshed appearance and, in some cases, take a preventative approach to delay the development of deeper static lines over time.
Anti-wrinkle injections are most commonly used to soften expression lines on the forehead, between the eyebrows (frown lines) and around the eyes (crow’s feet). In selected patients, other facial areas may also be treated with suitability and any off-label use discussed during your consultation.
Preparing well is an important part of your treatment journey and helps improve outcomes. When it comes to non-surgical facial rejuvenation, skin quality plays a key role in supporting and maintaining results from injectable treatments. Medical-grade, evidence-based skincare helps preserve skin barrier function, support collagen signalling and strengthen antioxidant resilience. Optimising the skin before treatment may help reduce inflammation and promote a smoother, more predictable response.
Anti-wrinkle injections are performed using numbing cream for comfort and nitrous oxide is also available if required. A series of small injections are placed into specific facial muscles. You may notice a change within a few days with maximal effect seen at around 10 to 14 days.
Injectable treatments are tailored specifically for you. Outcomes, longevity and recovery vary depending on anatomy, treatment area and individual response. Your expected results will be discussed during your consultation.
After treatment, you should avoid rubbing or massaging the treated areas as well as lying flat or bending forward for several hours. Strenuous activity, saunas and spas should be deferred for 24 hours. Makeup is best left until the following day to minimise irritation at injection sites.
LED light therapy is routinely used at The Surgery to support recovery and skin health following injectable treatments. The Healite LED system delivers specific wavelengths of light that support the skin’s natural healing processes. Yellow light helps reduce inflammation and support early post-treatment recovery while red light promotes collagen and elastin production, improving skin tone, texture and overall vitality.
Facial rejuvenation is not a single event but a continuum. High-performance, medical-grade skincare supports skin health, barrier function and overall skin resilience, complementing the effects of anti-wrinkle injections. Skincare recommendations can be tailored as part of your overall treatment plan.
Most patients can return to work on the same day as treatment. Mild redness may be present initially.
Strenuous exercise should be avoided for 24 hours. Normal exercise can usually be resumed the following day.
You may notice an effect within a few days, with maximal results usually seen at around 10 to 14 days after treatment.
Results typically last up to four months. Over time, muscle activity gradually returns and lines may reappear. Many patients choose regular maintenance treatments to sustain a softened appearance.
Yes. Anti-wrinkle injections are often used alongside treatments such as dermal filler, bioremodelling and LED light therapy as part of a comprehensive approach to facial rejuvenation. Suitability will be discussed during your consultation.
Anti-wrinkle injections are generally very well tolerated. Possible side effects include temporary injection-site pain, stinging, redness, swelling, bruising, headache, a heavy sensation in the forehead or flu-like symptoms. Rarer complications include temporary drooping of the eyebrow or eyelid.
These effects are uncommon and usually temporary. Your individual risk profile and aftercare guidance will be discussed during your consultation.
Further important prescribing information for botulinum toxin products used at The Surgery is outlined in the mandatory information section below.
Botulinum toxin injections are prescription medicines used for the temporary improvement of facial lines caused by muscle movement, including frown lines, crow’s feet, and horizontal forehead lines in adults. These treatments must only be administered by appropriately qualified medical professionals.
Botulinum toxin treatments have risks and benefits and may not be suitable for everyone. Possible side effects may include headache, bruising, eyelid drooping, facial asymmetry, swelling, or dry eye. In rare cases the toxin effect may spread beyond the injection site causing muscle weakness or difficulty swallowing or breathing. Please discuss with Dr Collins whether treatment is appropriate for you and refer to the full Product Information on the Medsafe website.
The botulinum toxin products used at The Surgery include:
Botox® (onabotulinumtoxinA) – prescription medicine for the temporary improvement of moderate to severe frown lines and crow’s feet in adults.
Dysport® (botulinum toxin type A) – prescription medicine supplied in 300 or 500 unit vials for the treatment of frown lines and crow’s feet around the eyes.
Xeomin® (incobotulinumtoxinA) – prescription medicine used for the temporary improvement of moderate to severe upper facial lines in adults including frown lines, crow’s feet, and horizontal forehead lines.
For full prescribing information please refer to the Consumer Medicine Information available at www.medsafe.govt.nz.
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