Facial aesthetics
Consultation for lines and wrinkles
A lines and wrinkles consultation assesses whether a line is caused by muscle activity, volume loss, skin quality or sun damage, because each of those has a different management route and some respond to none of them.
At a glance
- Layer addressed
- Muscle activity
- Course
- Assessment appointment. Any subsequent treatment is arranged separately, after a prescriber assessment where one is required.
- First appointment
- Assessment and written plan
What is assessed
- Whether the line is present at rest, on movement, or both
- Muscle activity and habitual expression patterns
- Skin thickness, elasticity and photodamage
- Underlying volume and structural support
- Medical history, including any condition or medication affecting muscle or healing
How it works
- 01
Mapping
Lines are assessed statically and dynamically, and their likely cause recorded.
- 02
Explanation
Which categories of treatment are relevant to that cause, and which are not.
- 03
Suitability
Whether treatment is appropriate for you at all, including reasons it might not be.
- 04
Written plan
If treatment is appropriate, a plan is issued with risks, limitations and review arrangements.
Who it suits
- Adults wanting to understand why a particular line has formed
- Patients weighing up whether to treat, and what treating would and would not achieve
What it cannot do
- Static lines etched into the skin respond differently from lines that appear only on movement
- No treatment removes every line, and results are temporary
- Some prescription treatments can only be discussed after a face-to-face assessment by a prescriber, and cannot be advertised or offered online
Risks and side effects
- Risks depend entirely on which treatment, if any, is agreed, and are explained individually before consent
- Bruising, swelling and asymmetry are possible with any injectable treatment
Risks are discussed individually before consent. No treatment is provided on the day a plan is first discussed.
Alternatives
- Sun protection and a considered skincare routine
- Treatments addressing skin quality rather than muscle
- Accepting the line and doing nothing
Course and aftercare
Assessment appointment. Any subsequent treatment is arranged separately, after a prescriber assessment where one is required.
- Follow the written plan issued at consultation
Clinician’s note
“A line that is only there when you move is a different problem from a line that is there when your face is still. If someone treats both the same way, one of them will not improve. That is the whole point of assessing before treating.”
Dr Vikas Prinja, Dental Surgeon · GDC 265374
Some treatments for lines and wrinkles involve prescription-only medicines. UK advertising rules do not permit these to be promoted to the public, so they are not named, priced or advertised on this website. They can only be considered after a face-to-face assessment by a prescriber, who will decide whether treatment is appropriate for you.
Consider alongside
Related facial aesthetic treatment
- Volume, contour and supportFacial aesthetics consultationA facial aesthetics consultation is an assessment of facial anatomy, proportion, muscle activity and skin quality, after which suitable options — including doing nothing — are explained in writing before any treatment is agreed.
- Volume, contour and supportDermal fillersDermal fillers are injectable hyaluronic-acid gels used to restore or support facial volume and contour in specific areas; the effect is temporary and the material is gradually broken down by the body.
- Within the skinPolynucleotidesPolynucleotides are injectable products containing purified polynucleotide chains, used in aesthetic practice with the intention of improving the appearance of skin quality in specific areas over a course of treatments.
- Within the skinSkin boostersSkin boosters are injectable hyaluronic-acid preparations placed into the skin with the intention of improving skin hydration and appearance, rather than adding facial volume or contour.
Consultation
Thinking about improving your smile?
Start with a comprehensive assessment and understand your options before deciding on treatment.