Injection of Botulinum toxin, commonly known as antiwrinkle injections into the muscles of the face has been used for over thirty years to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by inhibiting movement of the muscle around the area the injection is placed. The impact on the movement of the muscle is temporary, with the products effectiveness generally being the greatest at 2 weeks post injection, with the product slowly wearing off and full movement returning between 3-6 months. There are a number of individual factors which may result in your antiwrinkle injections not being as effective as they once were and some studies have found that zinc supplements may increase the longevity of antiwrinkle medication.

Can zinc increase how long antiwrinkle injections last?

Zinc supplementation has been readily used in skincare as a way of promoting the process of wound healing in addition to the support and development of immune cells. Zinc has also been shown to protect cells from oxidative stress caused by free radicals. There is currently limited clinical data to support the increase in longevity of antiwrinkle injections with Zinc supplements, however some smaller studies have shown the use of 50mg a day of zinc can increase the duration, efficacy, and action of antiwrinkle injections for facial injections. Have you tried this? We would love to hear if zinc has helped you increase the longevity of your antiwrinkle injections.

If Zine has not help increase the longevity of your antiwrinkle injections, here are our suggestions on factors that can decrease how long your antiwrinkle medication lasts and what you can do to increase how long the antiwrinkle medication lasts for you.
 
Some factors which may reduce the longevity of your antiwrinkle injections can include:

• ·        The muscle being targeted
• ·        Exercise
• ·        Weight loss
• ·        Medication

The forehead (Frontalis muscle), frown (Glabellar muscle) and crows feet (lateral canthal limes) are the most frequently treated areas with botulinum toxin across the world. Effectiveness of the botulinum toxin treatment in these areas generally lasts 3-6months (dependent on other individual factors below), however other areas such as the muscles around the mouth, commonly known as a “lip flip” may not last as long due to the frequency of muscle activity in that area.

Exercise and weight loss and metabolism are other factors that can impact on the longevity of antiwrinkle injections. People that undertake heavy exercise may find that their injections wears off more quickly due to the increase rate of metabolism of the product. Heavy exercise is also not recommended after antiwrinkle injections due to the increased risk of bruising and movement of the product.

Certain medications can also reduce the effectiveness of antiwrinkle injections, which is why it is always important to discuss this with your injector before you proceed with treatment. Antibiotics, COVID vaccines and certain medications that affect nerve transmission may interact with antiwrinkle medication.

How to increase longevity of antiwrinkle injections

A great way to first identify if your antiwrinkle injections aren’t lasting as long as they once were is to review your before and after photos with your injector. These date documented photos will help in understanding the longevity of the product and whether it is in line with the pharmaceutical companies guidelines.
Your injector should always discuss the use of medication and supplements with your during your initial consultation, if you have any changes with medication, it is important to discuss these so that your antiwrinkle injections can be modified around the medication if appropriate. As an example, a patient being treated with antiwrinkle injections with antibiotics may be advised to wait a week after finishing treatment to reduce the chance of the antibiotic impairing the longevity of the antiwrinkle medication. Your injector will also discuss avoiding antinflammatory medications and fish oil prior to your appointments to help reduce the risk of bruising. If you do bruise easily, you may want to try an arnica cream to reduce bruising. Arnicare is the best arnica cream in Australia for application after antiwrinkle injections.

At present in Australia, most injectors will advise waiting until two weeks after a COVID or flu vaccine prior to receiving antiwrinkle injections.

If you are concerned about the longevity of your antiwrinkle product your injector may suggest trialing a different brand to see if this is more suitable for your individual circumstances.

 
Have you tried this? Let us know your experience.