Anti-Wrinkle Injections

Levant Cosmetic Surgery clinics in Sydney, Adelaide and Canberra offer consultations on anti-wrinkle injection treatment with registered medical practitioners and appropriately trained registered nurses. A real-time, in-person consultation is required before any prescription medicine can be considered.

The medicine used for anti-wrinkle injections is a Schedule 4 prescription muscle relaxant. Australian medical advertising guidelines prevent us from naming the specific brands. Your practitioner can discuss the products available during consultation.

This page is informational. It does not replace personalised medical advice. The content below outlines what a registered practitioner may discuss with you at consultation.

At consultation, your practitioner can explain what anti-wrinkle injections involve.

Anti-wrinkle injections — also known as muscle relaxant injections, wrinkle relaxers, or cosmetic neuromodulator injections — use a prescription medicine that temporarily reduces the contraction of specific facial muscles. By relaxing the muscles that pull on the skin during facial expressions, the appearance of the lines those expressions create is softened over time.

The active ingredient is a purified protein derived from botulinum toxin type A. When injected in very small doses into specific muscles, it blocks the nerve signal that tells the muscle to contract. The effect develops gradually over 3 to 7 days, peaks at around 2 weeks, and gradually wears off over 3 to 6 months as the body breaks down the medicine.

Anti-wrinkle injections do not add volume to the face — they reduce muscle activity. They are sometimes considered alongside dermal fillers, which work by a different mechanism (adding volume rather than reducing muscle movement). A consultation will discuss whether either or both may be appropriate for your concerns.

At consultation, your practitioner can explain the mechanism in detail.

The medicine is injected directly into the muscle that creates a specific dynamic line — for example, the corrugator muscles for frown lines between the brows, or the frontalis muscle for horizontal forehead lines. Once injected, the medicine blocks the chemical signal (acetylcholine) that the nerve sends to the muscle, preventing the muscle from contracting fully.

Over the following weeks, with reduced muscle contraction, the overlying skin smooths and the appearance of the lines softens. The effect is targeted to the specific muscles injected — surrounding muscles continue to function normally, preserving most facial expression.

The procedure is dose-dependent. Smaller doses produce more subtle softening with more residual movement; larger doses produce more pronounced reduction in muscle activity. The dose used is determined by the practitioner based on the patient's anatomy, muscle strength, treatment goals, and prior response.

Anti-wrinkle injections work primarily on dynamic lines — the lines that appear when you make facial expressions. As the muscle relaxes, the skin sits more smoothly when the expression is made, and the line is less visible.

Static lines — lines that are visible even when the face is at rest — can also soften over time with anti-wrinkle injections, but the response varies. Long-standing static lines may persist even after the muscle is relaxed, because the line has become etched into the skin. Static lines often respond better to a combination of approaches, depending on the depth and nature of the line.

At consultation, your practitioner will assess whether your concerns are primarily dynamic, primarily static, or a mix — and discuss the realistic expectations for each.

Anti-wrinkle injections can be used in several areas of the face and neck. Each area is assessed separately at consultation, and suitability depends on individual anatomy and the appearance of dynamic lines.

Frown lines (glabella) — The vertical lines between the eyebrows, created by the corrugator muscles when frowning.

Forehead lines — Horizontal lines across the forehead, created by the frontalis muscle when raising the eyebrows.

Crow's feet — Lines that radiate from the outer corners of the eyes when smiling or squinting.

Brow lift — Strategic injection patterns may slightly lift the position of the brow.

Bunny lines — Diagonal lines that appear across the bridge of the nose when scrunching the face.

Lip flip — A small dose injected into the upper lip muscle may slightly roll the upper lip outward, creating a fuller appearance without filler.

Gummy smile — Injection into the levator labii superioris alaeque nasi muscle may reduce the elevation of the upper lip when smiling.

Chin dimpling (pebbling) — May soften the irregular surface of the chin caused by overactive mentalis muscle activity.

Downturned mouth corners (DAO) — May relax the depressor anguli oris muscle, allowing the corners of the mouth to lift slightly.

Jaw slimming (masseters) — Injection into the masseter muscles may, over repeated treatments, reduce the volume of the muscle and slim the lower face. Sometimes considered for jaw clenching or teeth grinding (bruxism).

Neck bands (platysma) — May soften the appearance of vertical bands in the neck created by the platysma muscle.

Excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) — Anti-wrinkle injections are also TGA-approved for the medical treatment of severe primary axillary hyperhidrosis. Treatment for hyperhidrosis is a separate consultation.

Step 1 — Consultation

At your initial consultation, you will meet with a registered medical practitioner or appropriately trained registered nurse. Your medical history, current medications, allergies, and treatment objectives will be reviewed. The practitioner will examine the areas you would like to discuss, assess muscle strength and activity, and explain whether anti-wrinkle injection treatment may be appropriate for you — including the realistic outcomes for each area, the dose typically required, and the alternatives available.

Step 2 — Pre-Treatment

If you and your practitioner decide to proceed after consultation, pre-treatment instructions typically include: - Avoiding blood-thinning medications and supplements for approximately one week prior (alcohol, aspirin, ibuprofen, fish oil, vitamin E) — only on the advice of your prescribing doctor for prescription medications - Disclosing any history of neuromuscular conditions (myasthenia gravis, Lambert-Eaton syndrome, ALS) which may be contraindications - Waiting at least two weeks after a COVID-19 or other vaccination - Avoiding other facial treatments in the days leading up

Step 3 — The Procedure

The treatment areas are cleansed and the practitioner may ask you to make specific facial expressions (frown, raise brows, smile) to identify the active muscles. Five to ten small injections per area are typical, using a very fine needle. Most appointments take 15–30 minutes in total.

You may feel small pinches during the injections. The procedure is generally tolerated without topical anaesthetic, although ice or cold compresses are sometimes used for comfort.

Step 4 — Aftercare & Recovery

Most patients return to normal activities immediately. Small bumps at the injection sites typically resolve within 15–20 minutes. Aftercare guidance typically includes: - Avoiding rubbing, massaging, or pressing on the treated areas for at least 4 hours - Staying upright for the first 4 hours (no lying flat or face-down) - Avoiding strenuous exercise for 24 hours - Avoiding alcohol for 24 hours - Avoiding heat exposure (saunas, hot showers, sunbeds) for 24 hours - Moving the muscles in the treated area in the first few hours (gentle, normal expression) may help the medicine settle

You will not see the full effect for around two weeks. A follow-up review is typically scheduled at 2 weeks for any minor adjustments if needed.

Anti-wrinkle injection results last between three and six months on average. The medicine is gradually broken down by the body, and muscle activity returns over this period. Some patients find their results last closer to three months; others maintain results closer to six months.

Onset of results is gradual. You may begin to notice softening of dynamic lines from around three days afterwards, with the peak effect at around two weeks. The full settling timeline is important to understand — if you have an event you would like to look refreshed for, treatment should be scheduled at least three weeks in advance.

With repeated treatment over time, some patients find their results last longer between appointments. This is because the targeted muscles have less opportunity to fully contract, and may weaken slightly over time. Maintenance appointments are typically scheduled every three to four months.

Anti-wrinkle injections and dermal fillers are two different procedures that work in fundamentally different ways. They address different types of facial concerns. They are sometimes considered together at consultation.

At consultation, your practitioner can discuss whether anti-wrinkle injections, dermal fillers, or a combination may be appropriate for your individual concerns.

Whether anti-wrinkle injection treatment may be suitable for you can only be determined in consultation. In general, practitioners may consider:

• Adults aged 18 or over
• People concerned about the appearance of dynamic lines or wrinkles
• Individuals with sufficient muscle activity in the area to benefit from relaxation
• People in good general health with realistic expectations
• Individuals who are not pregnant or breastfeeding
• People without active skin infection or inflammation in the treatment area
• Individuals able to attend a follow-up review at two weeks if needed
• People who understand that results are temporary and maintenance is required

Generally not suitable for:

• People under the age of 18
• Pregnant or breastfeeding individuals
• Anyone with a known allergy to the active ingredient or other components
• People with neuromuscular conditions including myasthenia gravis, Lambert-Eaton syndrome, ALS (motor neurone disease)
• People with active skin infection or inflammation in the proposed treatment area
• Anyone on certain medications including aminoglycoside antibiotics (relative contraindication; discuss at consultation)
• People with significant ptosis (drooping eyelid) — assessment required
• Anyone seeking permanent change — the effect is always temporary
• People with static lines very deeply etched into the skin who may not respond well

There is no standard price for anti-wrinkle injection treatment in Australia. Cost depends on the area being treated, the dose used (typically measured in units), and the specific product. Australian advertising guidelines for prescription cosmetic injectables prevent clinics from publicly advertising specific prices or per-unit costs.

Factors typically affecting the cost include: - The number of areas being treated - The number of units of medicine required per area, which varies with muscle strength and depth of lines - The specific product used - The training and experience of the treating practitioner - The location of the clinic - Whether an initial consultation fee applies

At Levant Cosmetic Surgery, your practitioner will discuss what may be required at consultation and provide a written, itemised quote afterwards.

At consultation, your practitioner will discuss the risks specific to your individual situation. Possible side effects and complications include:

• Bruising, swelling, redness, and tenderness at injection sites (common, usually resolves within days)
• Mild headache after treatment (common, usually resolves within 24–48 hours)
• Temporary asymmetry — one side may settle slightly differently from the other
• Drooping of the eyelid (ptosis) or eyebrow — uncommon, temporary; can last several weeks until the effect of the medicine wears off
• Heaviness or unusual sensation in the treated area
• Reduced facial expression in unintended areas if the medicine spreads slightly
• Allergic reaction to the medicine (rare)
• Infection at the injection site (uncommon)
• No effect or reduced effect — some patients respond less to anti-wrinkle injections, including a small group who develop antibodies to the medicine over time

Read more about non-surgical procedure risks →

AHPRA registration. All practitioners administering anti-wrinkle injections must be registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.

Medical practitioner or appropriately trained registered nurse. Cosmetic nurses must work under appropriate clinical supervision and prescribing arrangements.

Detailed facial anatomy knowledge. Effective anti-wrinkle injection treatment requires precise placement based on the patient's individual muscle activity.

A thorough consultation process. The dose, placement, and pattern of injections should be tailored to your individual anatomy — not delivered to a fixed template.

Conservative initial approach. A reputable practitioner will often recommend a conservative first appointment with a follow-up review at two weeks, where adjustments can be made if needed.

No pressure to proceed. Real-time, in-person consultation is required by Australian guidelines before any prescription medicine can be administered. Same-day treatment for first-time patients is not appropriate.

• Anti-wrinkle injections use a Schedule 4 prescription-only medicine and can only be prescribed and administered by a qualified registered medical practitioner or appropriately trained registered nurse, following a real-time consultation.
• Australian medical advertising guidelines (TGA and AHPRA) prohibit advertising prescription-only medicines to consumers. This means we cannot publish the brand names of anti-wrinkle medicines used in our clinics. Your practitioner can discuss product options at consultation.
• We do not publish before-and-after photographs of anti-wrinkle injection treatment in accordance with current advertising guidelines.
• All cosmetic procedures carry risks. A consultation with a registered health practitioner is required to determine suitability.
• Individual results vary and outcomes cannot be guaranteed.
• If you have a concern about a registered health practitioner, you can make a complaint to AHPRA at any time. Visit ahpra.gov.au for information.