Anti-Wrinkle Injections (Part 2): What to Expect Before, During and After Treatment

Written by Dr. Maha Shariff · June 30, 2026 · Anti Wrinkle Injections

What to expect before, during and after anti-wrinkle injections. From the initial consultation to daily recovery and treatment longevity, this guide answers the most common practical questions.

Anti-Wrinkle Injections (Part 2): What to Expect Before, During and After Treatment

Part 1 explored the questions patients often ask before deciding whether anti-wrinkle treatment may be right for them. This second guide focuses on what happens next. Many patients reach a point where they understand what anti-wrinkle injections do, but still feel uncertain about the practical side of treatment.

What happens during consultation? How will my face feel after treatment? Will it feel strange? Will my lines disappear completely? How long will it last? Do I have to keep having it?

These are some of the most common questions discussed in clinic and understanding the answers often makes the decision-making process much clearer.

Consultation and mapping before treatment

Before you book: a simple checklist

Before considering treatment, it can be helpful to ask yourself a few questions:

First-time anxiety is normal

In reality, many first-time patients feel conflicted. They may have considered treatment for months or even years before booking an appointment. Common concerns include: worrying about looking unnatural, fear of regretting the decision, concerns about pain or discomfort, and uncertainty about whether treatment is appropriate at all.

This hesitation is entirely normal. In many cases, the consultation is simply the next step in understanding the available options rather than a commitment to treatment.

What happens during consultation?

The consultation is the most important part of the process. Anti-wrinkle treatment is often described as a simple procedure, but outcomes depend on assessment, dosing, muscle selection and facial anatomy. Two people with similar lines may require completely different treatment plans.

Treatment day

If treatment is appropriate and you choose to proceed, the procedure itself is usually straightforward. Small amounts of product are placed into carefully selected muscles responsible for specific movement patterns.

The injections themselves are quick and most patients describe the sensation as brief and manageable. If required, numbing cream may be used. Most patients find the appointment itself is much simpler than they expected.

Will I feel different afterwards?

This is a common concern, particularly for first-time patients. Most patients are surprised by how little they physically feel after treatment. Your face should not feel numb and you should still be able to make normal facial expressions. It is normal to have small temporary bumps where the product has been injected; however, this settles down relatively quickly within around 20-30 minutes.

As treatment begins to develop, some patients become more aware of certain muscles moving less than they are used to. This can feel unusual initially, but it generally settles as the treatment reaches its full effect.

This is particularly common in areas such as the forehead, where some patients describe a temporary feeling of tightness or increased awareness or effort of movement. This is usually most noticeable during the first couple of weeks and tends to settle as you adapt to the change. With subsequent treatments this is usually not a concern as the brain has adjusted to new movement patterns. The aim is not to make your face feel different. It is to modify specific muscle activity while preserving function and expression.

What should I expect after treatment?

Unlike filler treatments for example, anti-wrinkle injections work gradually; results are not immediate and this can add to uncertainty. During the first few days, most patients notice little or no visible change. This is entirely normal.

When should you contact your practitioner?

Why haven't my lines disappeared completely?

Lines and wrinkles are influenced by more than muscle activity alone. Anti-wrinkle injections reduce muscle contraction, but they do not directly improve skin texture, pigmentation, collagen loss or structural changes that have developed over time.

As a result, some lines may soften significantly while remaining partially visible. This is one of the reasons anti-wrinkle injections are often combined with treatments that focus on skin quality, such as prescription skincare, microneedling, chemical peels or skin boosters (mesotherapy) where appropriate.

A completely smooth appearance is not always anatomically realistic, desirable or clinically appropriate.

How long do anti-wrinkle injections last?

Results vary between individuals. Most patients notice peak effect at approximately two weeks, gradual reduction in effect from around two to three months, and a return of normal muscle movement by approximately three to four months.

What happens when treatment wears off?

As the effect reduces, muscle activity gradually returns. This process is typically subtle and often less noticeable than patients expect. You simply return to your natural baseline movement patterns over time.

What if I don't like the result?

This is a common concern, particularly for first-time patients. Unlike treatments that permanently alter facial structure, anti-wrinkle injections are temporary. In most cases, concerns relate to the amount of movement reduction rather than the treatment itself. This is one reason consultation, assessment and individualised treatment planning are so important from the outset.

Do I have to keep having treatment?

Treatment is entirely optional and there is no requirement to continue once you have started. Some patients choose to continue because they like the result. Others prefer occasional treatment, longer intervals between appointments or decide not to continue at all. All of these approaches are reasonable.

Can treatment be repeated regularly?

Yes, where appropriate. Repeat treatment is usually planned according to return of muscle activity, treatment goals, previous response, and individual preference.

In clinical practice, treatment is generally spaced at least 12 weeks apart. Some patients choose treatment every three to four months, whilst others find their results last longer and prefer less frequent appointments. The aim is not to create dependency on treatment, but to maintain a chosen outcome when it remains appropriate and desired.

Do people build resistance to anti-wrinkle injections?

True resistance is uncommon in aesthetic practice. Occasionally, patients may notice changes in response over time. Potential reasons include: natural variation between treatment cycles, muscle adaptation, differences in dosing or placement, or antibody formation (which is considered uncommon with standard aesthetic treatment).

If a patient feels treatment is not working as expected, this should be assessed clinically rather than assumed to represent resistance. It is also important to remember that changes in skin quality, collagen support and facial ageing continue over time. Sometimes what appears to be reduced treatment response is actually a change in the surrounding skin rather than the muscle response itself.

This is one of the reasons I assess anti-wrinkle treatment within the wider context of skin quality and ageing well, rather than as a standalone treatment.

Timing treatment around weddings, events and photography

If treatment is being planned around an important event, timing matters. Whether for weddings, professional photography, significant social events or public appearances: for patients having treatment for the first time, it is generally advisable to allow approximately four weeks before the event. This allows time for the full effect to develop and for the result to settle. For patients who have had treatment previously and understand their typical response, two to three weeks may be sufficient.

Frequently asked questions

Final thoughts

Most uncertainty surrounding anti-wrinkle treatment comes from not knowing what to expect especially if it is your first treatment. Once patients understand how treatment develops, how long it lasts and what it can realistically achieve, decision-making often becomes much simpler.

The most important part of the process is not the injection itself. It is ensuring that facial anatomy, expectations and treatment planning are aligned from the outset. When they are, outcomes tend to feel predictable, natural and appropriate for the individual.

If you have not already read it, Part 1 explores the decision-making process behind anti-wrinkle treatment, including suitability, movement, expectations and common concerns before treatment.

At Dr Maha Aesthetics, anti-wrinkle treatment is assessed within the context of facial anatomy, skin quality and a longer-term approach to ageing well. Treatment is only recommended where clinically appropriate and planned to preserve natural expression rather than alter identity.