Anti-wrinkle injections temporarily reduce the muscle activity that creates expression lines, softening them while preserving your ability to move your face.
Anti-wrinkle injections use botulinum toxin, a prescription medicine, to temporarily reduce the activity of specific facial muscles. Where lines have formed from repeated expression, softening that movement allows the skin above to settle and the line to become less visible.
They are the most familiar aesthetic treatment and, in Dr Sateei’s experience, the one where dose discipline matters most. The difference between a face that looks rested and a face that looks immobile is not the product. It is how much is used, where it is placed, and whether the practitioner is willing to use less than the patient asked for. Results vary between individuals, and treatment is suitable following consultation.
Facial expression lines form in two stages. First they appear only on movement, when you frown or smile. Over years, the repeated folding of the skin at the same point causes the line to persist at rest.
Botulinum toxin works by temporarily reducing the signal between nerve and muscle in the small area where it is placed. The muscle relaxes, the skin above it stops folding at that point, and the line softens. Where a line is still movement-related, the improvement can be considerable. Where a line has become deeply etched at rest, softening the movement slows its progression and improves it partially rather than removing it, and Dr Sateei will be clear about which category yours falls into before treating.
Dose and placement are decided per muscle rather than per face. The same brow treated with a standard pattern will read quite differently on a patient with strong frontalis activity than on one whose brow is already low. This is also why the effect is temporary: it wears off as nerve signalling recovers, typically over three to four months.
Anti-wrinkle injections may suit you if you are looking to:
They are not suitable during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or where you have certain neuromuscular conditions. Your full medical history and current medications will be reviewed at consultation.
If you are seeking complete absence of movement, Dr Sateei will tell you at consultation that she is not the right practitioner for that, rather than after treatment.
Treatment takes around 15 to 30 minutes. Very fine needles are used and most patients describe a brief sting rather than pain. Numbing is generally not required. There is no expected downtime and you can return to normal activity immediately, although it is sensible to avoid strenuous exercise, facial massage and lying flat for around four hours afterwards. Small raised marks at injection points settle within an hour, and occasional pinpoint bruising within a few days.
Results are not immediate. Onset usually begins around day three to five, with the full effect apparent at around two weeks. Dr Sateei reviews new patients at two weeks, because that is the point at which a small adjustment can be made if the balance is not quite right. It is worth waiting until then before judging the result.
The effect typically lasts three to four months, sometimes longer with repeat treatment as the muscle gradually weakens with consistent use. Areas with stronger muscles, such as the masseter or the glabella, and treatments for excessive sweating, often last longer.
| Treatment | London | Sevenoaks |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-wrinkle injections | From £495 | From £395 |
| Gummy smile | From £350 | From £350 |
| Orange peel chin | From £340 | From £340 |
New patient consultation, £195 at both clinics. If you go ahead with treatment on the day of your appointment, this fee is deducted from the cost of your treatment.
Prices correct as published and subject to change.
“The whole skill here is restraint. Anyone can inject a standard pattern, but faces aren’t standard, and the patients who look obviously treated are almost always the ones who were given a full dose when half of it would have done. I would rather start conservatively, see you at two weeks and add a little, than take away something I can’t take away. Softening a line is the goal. Removing your expression is not.”
Dr Ellie Sateei has over two decades of experience in dermatology and aesthetics.
Botulinum toxin temporarily reduces the activity of the specific muscle it is placed in, so the skin above it stops folding and the line softens.
Onset usually begins around day three to five, with the full effect at around two weeks. New patients are reviewed at two weeks so any adjustment can be made then.
Typically three to four months. Stronger muscles such as the masseter, and treatment for excessive sweating, often last longer. Results vary between individuals.
Not with conservative dosing. Dr Sateei’s approach is to soften lines while retaining movement, and she will use less than requested where that produces a more natural result.
Very fine needles are used and most patients describe a brief sting. Numbing is generally not required.
Yes. Dr Ellie Sateei recommends a multi-treatment approach for patients who prefer this, administering a smaller amount of filler each time so you can see how the results develop gradually.
Dermal fillers are often planned alongside these.
Dermal fillers restore lost volume and definition with subtle, natural-looking results across a wide range of facial and non-facial areas. If you would like to know which areas would benefit, the best next step is a consultation with Dr Ellie Sateei at her London or Sevenoaks clinic.
Our London clinic is located at 91a New Cavendish Street, London, W1W 6XF
We serve patients from London, Kent and the home counties as well as from all over the world. Our London clinic sits in the heart of Marylebone, within easy reach of the West End by tube, while our Sevenoaks clinic in Ightham is moments from the M25 and M26 for patients across Kent.
