Frown Line Treatment

Anti-wrinkle injections are the simplest, most predictable method for reducing deep frown lines. A noticeable improvement can be achieved with a treatment taking less than one minute to perform. 

Topical retinoids & antioxidants can help prevent fine lines & wrinkles, whilst lasers & chemical peels are other options for those who are risk averse to injectables. More on that later. 

Anti-wrinkle injections are the most predictable treatment for frown lines. They are also the most cost-effective method, with the shortest downtime (none). 

A small injection of muscle relaxant binds to the muscle that contracts the frown area. This relaxes the area & smooths the skin, in turn diminishing the appearance of wrinkles in the frown area. Injections can be used to prevent frown lines from appearing in the first place. 

Injectables can be performed on adults of any age. The median age for treating frown lines is 32. There are two schools of thought as to when to treat; 

• As a therapy to reverse established lines, usually older age group
• As a method to prevent frown lines; in a younger age group, under 35. 

There’s no right or wrong answer, this philosophy can be discussed with your injector. 

Within two weeks, frown lines will be less apparent. 

The anti-wrinkle injection relaxes the frown muscles by blocking signals from the nerves in turn weakening the muscles of the area. Our skilled injectors will place the correct amount to reduce deep creases whilst keeping your look natural. 

A skilful eye & decades of experience will ensure that your results are natural. Our dermatologists are trainers for injectables, & coupled with a knack for aesthetics, the results are natural. 

At Cutis Dermatology, you are not limited to injectables, we combine lasers, energy devices, chemical peels & clinical skin care to ensure you have the best results- a 360-degree approach, covering all angles. 

Typically, 3 to 6 months. For first timers, it usually lasts 3-4 months. Over time muscles will slowly become active, causing the frown lines to trend back to pre-treatment depths. 

Follow up treatment at 3 to 4 months will prolong the effects of anti-wrinkle injections by reducing the strength of frown muscles. 

There is no downtime involved with anti-wrinkle injections. You can immediately return to work. The post injection protocol is-

• Don’t touch the injection site for 12 hours post injection
• No exercise for the remainder of the day
• No facial massage for 36 hours

Your choices are as follows-

Laser resurfacing: includes ablative & hybrid lasers. If you have deep static wrinkles, we can plane down the crease safely. Recovery ranges from 6 to 12 days, depending on the depth of the frown lines. 

Deep peels: includes Jessner TCA & phenol. Downtime is over 8 days. Much like laser resurfacing, peels are best for static wrinkles. If your frown lines have a dynamic component, small doses of anti-wrinkle injections are recommended post treatment. 

Electrical tape: yes, taping your forehead & frown lines can work, especially if you frown in your sleep. You can do it on a budget with electrical tape from Bunnings or Fixomull tape from a chemist. Not a great look in public, but you can try this at home. 

Fractional lasers are great at treating crow’s feet, they can marginally improve deep frown lines, however they do give a modest improvement in medium depth wrinkles. Lasers only address static wrinkles, for the dynamic component of frown lines, simple anti-wrinkle injections work. 

The two most common mistakes made in the industry are-

1. Not using enough anti-wrinkle units to treat the wrinkles & frown lines. On average, men require 50% more units than women. In some cases, up to 80 units with super strong muscles.
2. The second mistake is ‘spocking’, namely treating the frowns but omitting to treat other key muscles that elevate the brow. Think Shane Warne a decade ago. Not a good look. Men’s brows should be flat.

Skin care has marginal effects at best. Skin care is best for preventing fine lines & wrinkles. Our go to ingredients include:

• Retinol: Vitamin A is a powerful anti-wrinkle ingredient that can preserve & build collagen. 
• Antioxidants: prevent UV & environmental breakdown of collagen. The key ingredients include resveratrol, tocopherol, ascorbic & ferulic acids. This should be applied prior to SPF as part of your morning routine.
• Skin care acids: include glycolic & lactic acids. They can improve frown lines by addressing light reflex & optical transmission, hence reducing the appearance of deep wrinkles. Best combined with retinoids.