Three Anti-Wrinkle Myths Our Doctors Hear Every Week

Three Anti-Wrinkle Myths I Hear Every Week

Anti-wrinkle injections attract more myths than almost any other treatment we offer. Some of them are decades old, passed down from a time when the aesthetics world was less refined and results were more obvious. Others come from social media, where a handful of over-treated faces get far more attention than the many people walking around with subtle, well-placed work you would never spot.

At Wellface, I spend a good chunk of every consultation simply correcting misunderstandings. Not to talk anyone into treatment, but so the decision you make is an informed one. Three myths come up again and again, and they are worth unpicking properly.

So let's take the three I hear most often and look at what is actually true, based on how the treatment works and what I see in clinic every week.

Myth one: it is too early to start

The idea that you have to wait until you have visible, set-in wrinkles before doing anything is one of the most persistent, and one of the least helpful. In truth, it is never too early to start looking after your skin. What changes is what "starting" actually means for you.

For someone in their twenties, starting often has nothing to do with injectables at all. It might mean a proper medical-grade skincare routine with active ingredients that support collagen and protect against daily damage. It might mean regular medical facials to keep the skin healthy, supple and well hydrated. Building those habits early pays off for decades, because so much of how skin ages comes down to sun exposure and the quality of the collagen underneath.

When it comes to anti-wrinkle injections specifically, there is a genuine logic to starting earlier rather than later, and it hinges on the difference between two types of lines.

Dynamic versus static lines

Dynamic lines are the ones that appear only when you move: when you frown, raise your brows or smile. Static lines are the ones that stay put even when your face is relaxed. Over years of repeated movement, dynamic lines gradually etch themselves into the skin and become static. Once a line is static, it is much harder to soften, because the skin itself has creased.

The thinking behind preventative treatment is to relax the muscles responsible for those repeated movements before the lines have a chance to set. It is less about erasing what is already there and more about slowing the process that turns a temporary crease into a permanent one. Small, conservative doses can be enough at this stage, which is part of why starting early tends to mean using less over time rather than more.

That said, earlier is not automatically right for everyone. As your doctor, I will look at your muscle strength, how expressive your face is and whether you actually have anything worth treating yet. Sometimes the honest answer is that skincare and sun protection are all you need for now, and that is a perfectly good outcome from a consultation.

Myth two: it always looks obvious or frozen

This is the fear that stops a lot of people from ever booking a consultation. They picture a smooth, expressionless forehead and brows that no longer move. The reassuring truth is that a frozen look is a sign of treatment done without enough thought, not an inevitable result of the treatment itself.

Anti-wrinkle injections work by temporarily relaxing specific muscles. How the result looks depends almost entirely on which muscles are treated, how much product is used and how the doses are balanced across the face. Done well, the aim is to soften movement rather than switch it off. You should still be able to raise your brows, show emotion and look like yourself, just with less of the deep creasing that comes with strong, repeated muscle activity.

Why a proper facial assessment matters

Faces are not symmetrical, and no two people move in the same way. One person frowns hard between the brows, another lifts one eyebrow more than the other, someone else carries most of their movement in the forehead. I watch how you actually animate your face before deciding anything: I will ask you to frown, raise your brows, squint and smile, and I map the treatment to your particular pattern.

The best results are the ones nobody can identify. People might tell you that you look well rested or ask if you have been on holiday, but they should not be able to point to what you have had done. That seamlessness comes from restraint and precision. It comes from a doctor who understands facial anatomy, respects how your features move together and would rather do a little and review than overdo it and leave you looking stiff.

At Wellface, that measured approach is the whole point. I tailor treatment to your face and your lifestyle, and my goal is always that it sits naturally with the rest of you.

Myth three: skincare alone can handle everything

Good skincare matters enormously, and I am the first to say so. A well-chosen routine with proven active ingredients, retinoids, antioxidants like vitamin C, and daily broad-spectrum SPF, does real work. It supports the skin barrier, encourages collagen, improves texture and tone, and protects against the sun damage that drives so much visible ageing. If you do nothing else, wear sunscreen every day.

But skincare has limits, and it is worth being honest about them. Topical products sit on and within the upper layers of the skin. They cannot relax the muscles that create dynamic wrinkles, because those muscles are well beneath the reach of any cream. No serum, however expensive, will stop a frown line forming when the frowning muscle keeps contracting. That is a mechanical problem, and it needs a different tool.

The case for combining treatments

This is why the most natural, long-lasting results usually come from a combination rather than a single hero product or procedure. Anti-wrinkle injections address the movement-related lines. Skincare keeps the surface healthy, bright and resilient. And for skin quality itself, the crepiness, the loss of firmness, the dullness that creeps in over time, there are treatments that work at a deeper level than any cream can reach.

Regenerative and device-led options each play a role here. Treatments such as Profhilo and polynucleotides work from within to improve hydration and stimulate the skin's own repair processes. Skin boosters add deep hydration. Energy-based devices like Morpheus8 and various laser platforms encourage new collagen and tighten skin over time. None of these replaces anti-wrinkle injections, and injections do not replace them. They do different jobs, and used together, in the right order and the right amounts, they keep the whole face looking healthy rather than just freezing one part of it.

The takeaway is not that you need everything at once. It is that skincare is the foundation, not the entire building.

What a first anti-wrinkle appointment actually involves

If the myths have been putting you off, it helps to know how straightforward the process really is. A first appointment always begins with a consultation. I take a full medical history, discuss what is bothering you and what you hope to achieve, and assess your face at rest and in movement. This is also the moment to raise any concerns, including the fear of looking overdone.

The injections themselves are quick. Treatment usually takes around ten to fifteen minutes once the plan is agreed. I use a very fine needle, and most people describe the sensation as a brief scratch or pinch rather than anything painful. There is no need for general anaesthetic and no real recovery period, which is why so many people fit it around a normal working day.

Afterwards you may have small raised bumps where the product went in, a little like tiny insect bites, and these settle within about half an hour. Some people get slight redness or the odd small bruise. The results are not instant. Anti-wrinkle injections take a few days to begin working and reach their full effect at around two weeks, which is why I often review you at that point to check the balance and top up if anything needs refining.

The effect is temporary. For most people it lasts somewhere between three and four months, after which the muscle activity gradually returns and the treatment can be repeated. Over time, with regular sensible treatment, many people find they need slightly less to maintain the same result.

Common questions about anti-wrinkle injections

Will people be able to tell I have had it done?

Done properly, no. The aim is softer movement and fewer deep lines while you keep your natural expressions. People tend to notice that you look refreshed without being able to say why, which is exactly the point.

How soon will I see results?

Not straight away. Anti-wrinkle injections usually start to take effect within a few days and settle fully at around two weeks. It is worth waiting for that two-week mark before judging the result, which is why a review appointment can be so useful.

Is there any downtime?

Very little. You might have small bumps for the first half hour and occasionally a minor bruise, but most people return to normal activities immediately. I do advise avoiding strenuous exercise, heat and lying flat for the rest of the day, and not rubbing the treated areas.

How long does it last?

Typically three to four months, though this varies from person to person depending on your metabolism, muscle strength and the area treated. When the effect fades, movement returns gradually and the treatment can be repeated.

Can I combine it with other treatments?

Yes, and often that gives the most balanced result. Anti-wrinkle injections pair well with skin boosters, Profhilo, polynucleotides and device-led treatments, because each addresses a different aspect of ageing. I can map out a sensible plan and the right timing for combining them.

Come and get an honest answer

The best way to separate fact from fear is a proper conversation with a doctor who will assess your face and tell you what you actually need, even if that turns out to be nothing more than better skincare for now. There is no obligation to go ahead with anything on the day.

If you would like a considered, natural-looking approach to anti-wrinkle treatment, I would be glad to see you at Wellface in Cobham, Esher or Wimbledon. Book a consultation with me and we will talk through your options properly, at your pace.