WRINKLE TREATMENTS
Are crow's feet making you appear older than you feel? Are small lines giving your mouth a puckered look? Do people think the lines on your face make you always look angry or anxious? Is your face beginning to resemble a city road map? Lines and wrinkles are the natural result of making thousands of facial expressions over time and spending days in the sun. But if you wish to appear younger than your years and prevent wrinkles from becoming deeper, then there are treatments that can help.
Take a look at the overview of our treatments below, then call us on 1300 88 99 35 to arrange a free private consultation with one of our highly trained team. During the consultation you will be assessed to determine which procedure is best for reducing your wrinkles and suits your budget.
You may wonder why we use the terms 'wrinkle prevention injections', 'dermal fillers' and 'skin volumising injections'. Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) regulations prevent all clinics from advertising these treatments by brand name in public documents. For more information about the individual brands we use, please call us.
- Medical Skin Care Products
- Peels and Therapeutic Facials
- Wrinkle Prevention Injections
- Fraxel Lite Skin Photo-Rejuvenation
- Fraxel re:store Skin Resurfacing
- Skin Volumising Injections
- DERMAL FILLERS
Medical Skin Care Products
- Concern: Fine lines
- Solution: Our scientifically proven, medical-strength skin care products can't be purchased in retail stores and include therapeutic skin renewal solutions and mineral make-ups to mask colour inconsistencies as well as anti-oxidants to stimulate renewed collagen growth.
- Time: Morning and evening skin care regimen and use of make-up as desired.
For a skin care range to be truly effective it has to be in a form that will penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin - ideally, it has to be a serum. Too often, skin care products are too oily/creamy and block the pores, leading to other skin problems and preventing easy camouflage with make-up.
Your skin products should include:
- anti-oxidants, especially vitamin A and C
- effective cleansers and exfoliants to unblock oil build-up in the pores and remove old skin cells
- sunscreens to prevent further sun damage
- pigment inhibitors
- skin hydrators - in the form of light, yet effective, moisturisers.
At the Facial Rejuvenation Clinic, we individually assess your skin and tailor a skin care regimen suitable for your skin type, condition and colour. We also advise camouflage make-up that gives good natural cover without blocking your pores.
We offer a comprehensive range of carefully researched and selected face and body products. These are very effective, nutritional treatments that contain highly purified anti-oxidants, vitamins and enzymes and no bulking agents and preservatives. Therefore, what you are placing on your skin is just the active product you need. The aim of the serums is to provide maximum renewal of skin collagen and elastin, plus improve skin pigmentation, discolouration and lustre.
We have trialled all the common brands of skin care and have rejected those we deem aren't sufficiently effective for either home use or professional clinic use for performing our facials and skin peels. The range of products we recommend to produce the best results for all skin conditions are as follows:
- Aspect
- CosMedix
- Results Rx
- Jan Marini
- Osmosis
- Rationale
- Obagi
As part of our recommended range, we provide several well-known and effective products for individual skin conditions. These are as follows.
ASAP
Clinic Care/Neova
We also offer mineral make-ups, which are ideal for covering skin inconsistencies. These are as follows.
Synergie Minerals Make-up
Synergie Minerals is designed to work in perfect synergy with your skin, offering powerful anti-oxidants to nurture and improve skin health, a natural broad spectrum UV protection and amazing results. The products are free of paraben, talc and artificial colouring, so there is no solution "build-up" and your skin can "breathe".
Jane Iredale Mineral Make-up
This range of make-up is not just a refinement of regular make-up, it is a new technology that is also good for the skin. It's so effective it is recommended by cosmetic surgeons, dermatologists and skin care professionals
. [Click to reveal our fact sheet on Medical Skin Care Products]
Peels and Therapeutic Facials
- Concerns: Fine lines, including crow's feet
- Solution: Our therapeutic facials and face and body peels are professional, medical-strength skin treatments designed to encourage skin renewal and support your everyday skin care maintenance.
- Time: 30 minutes per facial, 30 minutes per face peel
- Recovery: 0 days
The Fraxel laser is the biggest breakthrough in skin repair and rejuvenation of this decade. This is due to the fact it can penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin (dermis) plus the amount of skin treated each time can be varied. This makes it suitable for all skin conditions and all skin colours. Furthermore, results can be achieved without the downtime, pain and complications of traditional lasers that remove damaged layers of skin to stimulate skin renewal.
[Click to reveal our fact sheet on Peels and Facials]
Wrinkle Prevention Injections
- Concerns: Fine lines and wrinkles, including crow's feet, frown lines and forehead lines
- Solution: Tiny amounts of a muscle relaxing solution are injected into individual muscles of selected areas of concern, preventing them from making facial expressions and further creasing the skin.
- Time: 10 minutes per session. You usually require upkeep sessions every 3-6 months, depending on the size of the muscle targeted and the amount of the active ingredient used.
- Recovery: 0 days
What are they?
They are a series of small injections of a muscle relaxing solution into individual muscles in your area of concern (area containing wrinkles), preventing them from making unnecessary and undesirable facial expressions and further creasing the skin. They will not radically change your appearance or make you look as though you've had a facelift and they will not 'freeze' facial expressions - they just soften the areas of concern and make you appear younger and more refreshed.
What are wrinkles?
Wrinkles are simply lines and creases. They are caused by a number of factors including heredity, ageing (due to the depletion of collagen and elastin), expressions, smoking and general lifestyle habits (such as working in the sun). When we are young, expression wrinkles disappear when we relax our muscles. However, as we age and continually contract our facial muscles, we establish permanent lines in our face as the collagen is squeezed out of the base of the creases.
Which areas can be treated?
Areas on the face such as the frown lines between the eyes (worry or anger lines), the forehead lines and crow's feet are the most common areas treated. Puckering lines above the top lip, the 'bunny lines' at the top of the nose as well as many areas in the lower face to prevent age creases and folds can also be treated.
When should I begin having wrinkle prevention injections?
Ideally, wrinkle prevention injections should be considered in your late twenties or early thirties - before the signs of ageing begin to show and you develop permanent, deep lines on your face. This is because the injections prevent future wrinkles, helping you maintain a youthful appearance. But it is never too late to start and prevent further signs of ageing.
Are wrinkle prevention injections safe?
They are very safe. They have been used by doctors for more than 30 years in millions of people around the world. It is one of the most studied and researched procedures and has no long-term side effects. The active wrinkle prevention ingredient is not absorbed or passed through the blood and is no longer present or active in the body an hour after injection. The Facial Rejuvenation Clinic is the highest user of wrinkle prevention injections in Sydney and our experienced clinicians are trained to provide optimum results.
How does it work?
Wrinkle prevention injections are carefully placed in the muscles that are causing the skin to wrinkle. This deactivates a protein in the nerve endings that makes a nerve-transmitter chemical that allows the muscles to work. This, in turn, prevents the nerves from moving the muscle, therefore smoothing the overlying skin. The remaining facial muscles keep contracting as per usual so that normal and more desirable facial expressions are unaffected.
What happens during the procedure?
This is a quick and simple procedure that is relatively pain-free. Even the most needle-phobic people are surprised at the ease of treatment. Ice is used to numb each spot prior to injection and then an extremely fine needle is used to make minute injections of the wrinkle prevention solution into the targeted muscles. You will experience only brief discomfort, therefore anaesthetic is not needed.
How long does the procedure take?
10-15 minutes per session, depending on the size and number of areas treated. Most people require wrinkle prevention injections 3 times a year for best ongoing results.
How long will my recovery be and what can I expect?
Recovery is immediate. There may be some redness and faint needle-prick marks that usually disappear within a few minutes. Ladies can reapply make-up immediately. Rarely, there is slight bruising that will last for a few days, but make-up will easily mask this.
When will I start to see results?
You will not see the results of the procedure until 3-7 days after injection. This is because it takes time for the targeted nerve endings to become 'deactivated'. If you have had previous wrinkle injections, then you may see a quicker onset of muscle relaxation, often in 1-2 days. However, if this is the first time you have had the procedure, or have left it too long between treatments, it can take 3-4 days to notice slight muscle relaxation, or up to 10 days to see the full results. The Facial Rejuvenation Clinic invites you back to review the results after 1-2 weeks.
Will this treatment affect my muscles and nerves in the long-term?
There is no direct affect at any time on the muscle. It is only the proteins within the nerve endings that are destroyed - but they start to rebuild immediately. It generally takes 3-4 months to build a new batch of nerve proteins to a point where the nerve regains its normal function.
How long do the results last?
The length of time it takes the nerve endings to regain enough protein to operate the nerves at full capacity is individual - usually 4-6 months. Over time (about 2-3 years), the results will last longer due to the nerve proteins becoming slower at rebuilding. In areas where you have created a lot expression through involuntary overuse of your facial muscles (such as the forehead and frown lines) you can find that, even if you discontinue wrinkle prevention injections after about 5 years, your muscle memory will have lessened to the point where you no longer create those undesirable expressions.
Can wrinkle prevention injections be combined with other procedures?
They are often used in combination with dermal fillers, especially where deep creases have already formed, to prolong their life under the skin. Also, the effects of IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) skin rejuvenation and Fraxel skin repair are enhanced by wrinkle prevention injections, preventing further skin creasing.
How much does it cost?
The cost of wrinkle prevention injections is determined by the number of units required to achieve your desired result. At The Facial Rejuvenation Clinic, the cost is $15 per unit. As each person is unique and their needs are varied, the true cost can't be given over the phone. A consultation is required with someone with a good understanding of the facial anatomy - how your particular facial muscles move and their size and strength - to work out the number of units you will need. Usually, bigger muscles require about 20 units. We can tailor your treatment to suit your budget, but it's worth noting that the fewer the units, the less effective your results will be. If you desire, you can be treated straight after your consultation.
[Click to reveal our fact sheet Wrinkle Prevention Injections]
- Concerns: Fine lines
- Solution: The Fraxel skin resurfacing and rejuvenating machine offers breakthrough technology in deep laser resurfacing, providing a fresher appearance with rapid recovery.
- Time: 20 minutes per session (+ 2 hours preparation)
- Recovery: Overnight
The Fraxel laser is the biggest breakthrough in skin repair and rejuvenation of this decade. This is due to the fact it can penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin (dermis) and the amount of skin treated each time can be varied. This makes it suitable for all skin conditions and all skin colours. Furthermore, results can be achieved without the downtime, pain and complications of traditional lasers that remove damaged layers of skin to stimulate skin renewal.
Due to the nature of the laser, treatments can tailored individually - reduced for minimal recovery and downtime or increased as necessary according to your needs. Treatments can also be personalised to achieve optimum results for all degrees of skin rejuvenation and skin resurfacing.
At the Facial Rejuvenation Clinic, the level of Fraxel laser technology used will depend on the nature of your skin concern.
What are wrinkles?
Wrinkles are simply lines and creases. They are caused by a number of factors including heredity, ageing (due to the depletion of collagen and elastin), expressions, smoking and general lifestyle habits (such as working in the sun). Fraxel's benefit in treating wrinkles is that it is such an effective deep resurfacing laser that it progressively removes creased and damaged skin, producing significant, long-lasting tightening.
Which areas can be treated?
Any area of face, neck and chest where you would like to address fine lines and creases.
Is it safe?
The machine is FDA- and TGA-approved for use, which means it has been through rigorous investigation to ensure its safety. Fraxel has been trialled since 2000, was released into the market in 2004 and has been used for tens of thousands of treatments since. At the Facial Rejuvenation Clinic, we have completed more than 3000 treatments using the Fraxel laser.
How does it work?
The Fraxel laser drives thousands of individual columns of light (about the width of a hair) deep into the skin, leaving the remaining skin to stimulate collagen - the basic building blocks or structural support for our skin. The fraction of skin treated by the laser beams can be varied to 14-32 per cent - the microscopic columns of treated skin are eliminated slowly over many weeks as they are replaced by healthy new tissue. You will find your skin improves in thickness and elasticity (springiness), as well as in colour, lustre and tone.
What happens during the procedure?
The Fraxel laser is rolled across the entire area it is treating eight or more times. Topical anaesthetic is applied before the procedure plus cold air is used during the procedure to minimise discomfort. Afterwards, cold compresses are applied to cool the skin. There is no skin breakage or burning - the skin remains dry. A sunscreen and a post-laser lotion are applied and often a dry, mineral powder camouflage make-up is used to cover the resulting redness. Most people feel comfortable travelling home by public transport.
How long does the procedure take?
15-30 minutes per session, depending on the size of the area treated (+ 2 hours preparation and 1 hour cooling time). Depending on your skin's needs, you will need 1-5 sessions, 2-6 weeks apart, for best results.
How long will my recovery be and what can I expect?
You will have the appearance of a red, 'sunburnt' face for 1-3 days with some swelling, depending on the level of treatment you have experienced. Much deeper treatments may require a few more days of recovery. Most people arrange their treatments for a Friday or Saturday morning and comfortably return to work the following Monday.
Is there any after care?
Your home after-care is carefully discussed before and during each treatment session, which includes ongoing sunscreen protection. Also, you will need to return for a post-treatment facial to help with exfoliation and maximise new collagen stimulation.
How long do the results last?
The Fraxel laser can take up to 10 years off your skin's age, depending on the degree of your wrinkles before treatment. We recommend maintaining this improvement and slowing future ageing by using good skin care products containing anti-oxidants and always using sun protection.
[Click to reveal our fact sheet on Fraxel Light Skin Photo-Rejuvenation]
- Concerns: Fine to medium lines
- Solution: Using the deepest true skin resurfacing technology, this treatment is safe and effective, does not break the surface of the skin and offers the quickest recovery time of similar skin resurfacing treatments. It's suitable for all skin colours.
- Time: 30 minutes per session (+ 2 hours preparation). You require 4-5 sessions for best results.
- Recovery: 1-3 days, depending on depth of treatment, due to red and slightly swollen skin
- [Click to reveal our fact sheet Fraxel re:store Skin Resurfacing]
Skin Volumising Injections
- Concerns: Fine to deep wrinkles (including cheek smile creases)
- Solution: This collagen-regeneration product is injected into the skin to 'plump', volumise and stretch the skin, therefore reducing cheek creases and other depressions. Over a period of a few months it stimulates collagen growth, plumping and 'lifting' the skin - such as lifting a sagging neckline and jowl area - it's like a non-surgical facelift.
- Time: 20-30 minutes per session, depending on the size of the area treated. You require 3-4 sessions for best results, then maintenance sessions every 18 months to 2 years.
- Recovery: 0 days. Bruising is possible.
- [Click to reveal our fact sheet Skin Volumising Injections]
Medium-term dermal fillers - Hyaluronics
- Concerns: Fine lines, creases and folds around the forehead, nose, mouth and eyes
- Solution: Hyaluronic acid (a natural sugar produced by the body but developed as a synthetic gel solution) is injected into the desired area to 'fill' lines and depressions or plump sunken areas or lips. As it is a natural body product, it is slowly absorbed into the body - it will last 6-12 months, depending on the type and the amount used as well as the site injected.
- Time: 10-20 minutes per session. You may require up to 3 sessions, depending on the size and type of area targeted.
- Recovery: 0 days for lines (there may be slight redness and bruising), overnight for lip enhancement due to redness, slight bruising and swelling.
What are they?
Hyaluronics are medium-term dermal fillers made from a synthetic polymer of hyaluronic acid. Our skin makes its own hyaluronic acid (it helps retain water under our skin for skin hydration), which is why it is a temporary filler - the body naturally absorbs it after a few months. Due to Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) regulations, all clinics are prevented from advertising these treatments by brand name in public documents. For more information about the individual brands we use, please call us on 1300 88 99 35.
In what areas can it be used?
Smile creases, jowling creases (marionette lines that produce downturned lips), frown and forehead creases, creases around the eyes and hollows underneath the eyes, crease lines above and below the lips, the lips to plump and reshape, the nose, chin, jawline and cheeks to add volume and reshape, and the eyebrows to create lift. During your consultation, the clinician will discuss your needs to determine the amount of dermal filler required. You can begin with a small amount of filler and build on this, depending on the result you would like and your budget.
Are they safe?
Hyaluronics have been used around the world for more than 12 years. They are completely safe and are not known to cause allergic reactions.
How do they work?
Firstly, the soft gel fillers plump and flatten age lines, creases and depressions (such as smile lines and the lines above and below the lips). Once in place, the skin isn't able to fold in these areas as easily and therefore you receive significant protection from advanced ageing and further collagen loss. Secondly, you are able to fill and enhance facial features, such as the lips, cheeks, chin and nose, where volume is lacking. Not only do they perform a cosmetic enhancement, they prevent the folds and creases from becoming deeper - they act as a cushioning pad plus they stimulate new collagen growth in the base of creases.
What happens during the procedure?
The filler is injected into the desired area. Most injections are painless due to you receiving a local anaesthetic, which wears off in 30-40 minutes.
How long does the procedure take?
Usually 10-20 minutes. You may require up to 3 sessions, depending on the size or type of area targeted.
How long will my recovery be and what can I expect?
In most cases you will be able to return to your normal activities straightaway. There is usually no discomfort once the local anaesthetic has worn off. Swelling and some redness is apparent for a few hours. You may also see a few tiny needle prick marks and some local bruising. These can be easily masked with make-up. In the case of lip enhancement, younger people will recover overnight, but older people (with more shrunken and scarred lips) can expect reasonable swelling for 2-3 days.
Is there any aftercare?
Yes. It is important to revisit the clinic for a follow-up consultation 3-5 days after your treatment. The clinician will mould and massage the gel padding to ensure there are no lumps, fix any slight movements (which is common) and check if it is providing the maximum repair/support.
How long will they last?
As they are a natural body product, hyaluronics are slowly absorbed into the body and will require topping up after 6-12 months, depending on the type and the amount used and the site injected. The more product used, and the thicker and firmer version of the product, the longer it will remain in place. Also, the less an area moves, the longer it will last.
[Click to reveal our fact sheet on Medium-term dermal fillers - Hyaluronics]
- Concerns: Deep lines, creases and folds around the forehead, nose, mouth and eyes
- Solution: A gel filler (naturally produced by the body) that is longer-lasting than the hyaluronics. It is injected into the desired area and will last 16-24 months before being absorbed by the body.
- Time: 10-20 minutes per session. You may require up to 3 sessions, depending on the size and type of area targeted.
- Recovery: 0 days for lines (there may be slight redness and bruising), overnight for lip enhancement due to redness, slight bruising and swelling.
What is it?
This is a long-term dermal filler. This substance also occurs naturally in the body, which is why it is a temporary filler - the body naturally absorbs it over about 2 years. Due to Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) regulations, all clinics are prevented from advertising these treatments by brand name in public documents. For more information about the individual brands we use, please call us on 1300 88 99 35.
In what areas can it be used?
Smile creases, jowling creases (marionette lines that produce downturned lips), frown and forehead creases, the nose, chin, jawline and cheeks to add volume and reshape, and the eyebrows to create lift. During your consultation, the clinician will discuss your needs to determine the amount of dermal filler required. You can begin with a small amount of filler and build on this, depending on the result you would like and your budget.
Is it safe?
This filler is completely safe and there have been no known allergic reactions.
How does it work?
Firstly, the soft gel filler plumps and flattens age lines, creases and depressions (such as smile lines and smoker's lines). Once in place, the skin isn't able to fold in these areas as easily and therefore you receive significant protection from advanced ageing and further collagen loss. Secondly, you are able to fill and enhance facial features, such as the lips, cheeks, chin and nose, where volume is lacking. Not only does the filler perform a cosmetic enhancement, it prevents the folds and creases from becoming deeper - it acts as a cushioning pad plus it stimulates new collagen growth (more so than the hyaluronics) in the base of creases. It also builds up more volume than the hyaluronics and therefore less product is required.
What happens during the procedure?
The filler is injected into the desired area. Most injections are painless due to you receiving a local anaesthetic, which wears off in 30-40 minutes.
How long does the procedure take?
Usually 10-20 minutes. You may require up to 3 sessions, depending on the size or type of area targeted.
How long will my recovery be and what can I expect?
In most cases you will be able to return to your normal activities straightaway.
There is usually no discomfort once the local anaesthetic has worn off. Swelling and some redness is apparent for a few hours. You may also see a few tiny needle prick marks and some local bruising. These can be easily masked with make-up.
Is there any aftercare?
Yes. It is important to revisit the clinic for a follow-up consultation 3-5 days after your treatment. The clinician will mould and massage the gel padding to ensure there are no lumps, fix any slight movements (which is common) and check if it is providing the maximum repair/support.
How long will it last?
As it is a natural body product, it is slowly absorbed into the body and will require topping up after 16 months to 2 years. The more product used, and the thicker and firmer version of the product, the longer it will remain in place. Also, the less an area moves, the longer it will last
[Click to reveal our fact sheet on Long-term dermal filler]
- Concerns: Fine to deep lines, creases and folds around the forehead, nose, mouth and eyes
- Solution: The most permanent of all fillers, it is made of a safe synthetic polymer that is not a natural body product and so is not easily absorbed by the body. After injecting the soft, pliable gel into the desired area, it should last 5-7 years. It is recommended that you experience the results of a semi-permanent filler before using this more permanent filler.
- Time: 10-20 minutes per session. You may require up to 3 sessions, depending on the size and type of area targeted.
- Recovery: 0 days for lines (there may be slight redness and bruising), overnight for lip enhancement due to redness, slight bruising and swelling
What is it?
This is a synthetic polymer used to fill and augment skin tissue. It is considered a 'permanent' dermal filler because it isn't a 'natural body product' and so should not be absorbed into the skin. Due to Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) regulations, all clinics are prevented from advertising these treatments by brand name in public documents. For more information about the individual brands we use, please call us on 1300 88 99 35.
In what areas can it be used?
Smile creases, jowling creases (marionette lines that produce downturned lips), frown and forehead creases, creases around the eyes and hollows underneath the eyes, crease lines above and below the lips, the lips to plump and reshape, the nose, chin, jawline and cheeks to add volume and reshape, and the eyebrows to create lift. During your consultation, the clinician will discuss your needs to determine the amount of dermal filler required. You can begin with a small amount of filler and build on this, depending on the result you would like and your budget.
Is it safe?
This filler is completely safe and there have been no known allergic reactions.
How does it work?
Firstly, the soft gel filler plumps and flattens age lines, creases and depressions (such as smile lines and lines around the lips). Once in place, the skin isn't able to fold in these areas as easily and therefore you receive significant protection from advanced ageing and further collagen loss. Secondly, you are able to fill and enhance facial features, such as the lips, cheeks, chin and nose, where volume is lacking.
What happens during the procedure?
The filler is injected into the desired area. Most injections are painless due to you receiving a local anaesthetic, which wears off in 30-40 minutes.
How long does the procedure take?
Usually 10-20 minutes, depending on the area targeted
How long will my recovery be and what can I expect?
In most cases you will be able to return to your normal activities straightaway. There is usually no discomfort once the local anaesthetic has worn off. Swelling and some redness is apparent for a few hours. You may also see a few tiny needle prick marks and some local bruising. These can be easily masked with make-up.
Is there any aftercare?
Yes. It is important to revisit the clinic for a follow-up consultation 3-5 days after your treatment. The clinician will mould and massage the gel padding to ensure there are no lumps, fix any slight movements (which is common) and check if it is providing the maximum repair/support.
How long will it last?
This filler will last at least 5-7 years in the area it has been injected, and it cannot be removed. Therefore, you need to be sure that you want the area filled and you need to choose a reliable injector. Dr Cussell at the Facial Rejuvenation Clinic is highly qualified and has completed hundreds of procedures.
[Click to reveal our fact sheet on Permanent dermal filler]
