Forehead wrinkles

[AnoiaUnstickMyDrawers]

Does anyone have any recommendations to treat / reduce forehead wrinkles? Pics attached. The second one is me 'stretching' the skin flat to show the marks in my skin.

I'm mid 30s and very short sighted so have a tendency to frown/squint when I'm trying to see concentrating (prescription is fine, it's just habit I think)

It's much worse if I use foundation as it seems to settle into the creases as I frown through the day, I've been using eyeshadow primer stuff to counteract that, which helps a little but isn't marvellous.

Any ideas? I'm not up for botox yet I don't think, it's too expensive and I'm not good with pain! Also, I like being able to frown when I want to - it's just the habitual low level stuff that's doing the damage I think...

I'm mid 30s and tried everything lotion and potion possible. Nothing worked. In the end I had a small amount of Botox just to relax the permanent frown lines. It worked really well and I still have good movement in rest of forehead and eyebrows.

OK, that's interesting. How long does it last and has it removed the permanent scar-like creases that form in the deepest wrinkles, or would I need a filler for that? I'm a bit tempted, it just feels a bit drastic!

It lasts around 4 months. I go to a Dr clinic and it costs £90. I thought the amount I was spending on creams etc it balanced it out. Mine were like yours, so I thought I would need filler, but actually didn't, it completely relaxed the lines and by a week later I couldn't really see where they were. The Dr really got that I wanted it to be subtle and still move eye brows, rest of forehead. My makeup sits much better now as doesn't get stuck in the lines. If you do decide to go for it, make sure you see a Dr for it. Many do free consultations to discuss it, and you can then decide whether to go ahead. I honestly never thought I would have Botox, but it has made a real difference.

Botox is great. Pain? What pain? I would classify it as a slight discomfort. I agree it is expensive but unfortunately no other solution comes close. I only had it once and it's worn off, and I dont really have lines. Expression lines are there if I frown. Same age as you. I will continue having it so that i don't form any permanent lines.

£90?! That’s amazing, can I ask roughly what part of the country you are in oranges? I’ve been thinking it was about £350, and £90 is much more justifiable!

PinkLipsDontLie whenever I've seen it done on foreheads on the TV people have watering eyes and are making gaspy pain noises - I though it was due to the lack of 'padding' on the forehead. I have quite a low pain threshold - can't wax my legs or anything like that - so it's put me off.

£90 does seem cheap, I thought it was much more expensive too!

I was expecting it to be 100s too. She was definitely a qualified Dr in a proper clinic ( I researched her for ages!) It is near Southampton, if that's near you I can message you the clinic details.

I did not make a single noise and my eyes did not water, so don't assume you will have the same experience as them. Waxing is a lot more painful, especially on the bikini it's excruciating for me, that's why I lasered everything off. Even the laser is more painful than botox, but less than waxing.

Thanks oranges sadly I’m not, good to know though and I will get researching again!

If you don't want the poison injected into you you could try the ren skin firmer. I won this so use out occasionally, I'm not sure how good it is on forehead lines as mine aren't that bad but it works well on my marionette lines

Botox doesn't hurt! I'm a huge wimp and i certainly wasn't in pain

It really doesn’t hurt and I’m rubbish with pain. The needle is so tiny, it doesn’t hurt more than a mosquito bite.

Ooooh @Orangesandlemons82 please could you let me know the clinic? I'm hoping it might be the one I looked at!

Yes of course, will send you a message now

Is it genetic, do you think? I’m starting to develope the exact same lines my mum and auntie have 😐. Do you do what’s now thought of as “usual precautions” such as sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat when out and about? I can’t emphasise enough the importance of this.

You could try Retinol. I’ve started using Indeed Labs Retinoid cream at night but then slap on the spf 50, next day. Are you gentle with your skin? No rubbing/scrubbing and gentle pats with the towel? They might seem insignificant but, something you might be in the habit of doing could be a cause?

Suki it's definitely the habit of frowning. I'm constantly being asked what's wrong / what are you worried about / do you understand / is everything OK. It's been like that since I was at school, it's infuriating.
Initially it was the fact that I couldn't see. Now it's just my natural expression. I'm thinking botox is going to be the only thing to fix it, I'm just reluctant to spend so much. I've done a quick Google and everywhere near me has prices starting at about 200 quid.

Botox can only fix dynamic lines (lines that appear when you frown etc) it can soften lines that are there without expression but to get rid of non dynamic lines I think you may have to go down the filler route but that is more risky, particularly around the eye area.

Thanks Betty that's good to know. My hope was the botox would give the skin a rest and let it repair itself, with help from creams etc. obviously. But I did wonder if filler would be necessary. Can I ask, have you had either? If you have, what was your experience like? Also, what are risks from filler in the eye area? Is it that the results could be a bit strange, or is it medical risks? Thanks!

I had my first Botox a couple of months ago at first I thought it was rubbish as nothing really happened for a couple of weeks and then bam! It kicked in and I literally could not raise my eyebrows at all, which was not really the effect I was looking for! when I went back for my check up my practitioner said that next time she would use less, even though she had been conservative with the units I had reacted quite strongly to it! Good thing is that my next round will be cheaper, after a few more weeks I have now got movement back in my brows and the result is really lovely, I have no forehead creases, my number 1 (did not have 11’s) is much softer and the acid test was when I went to the hairdressers and was sat in front of their awful mirrors and I looked ok!! I don’t look cross anymore! I am definitely a convert. As for fillers I am really risk averse (took me months of research and angst before deciding to go for Botox) it is highly,highly unlikely,and there have only been a few cases but with fillers you can loose your sight permanently if it goes wrong and for me I just could not take that risk however small, but please don’t let my over the top worry affect your decision, millions have fillers and are absolutely fine, I’m just way too cautious!

OP, are you a migraine sufferer? I only ask as Botox can be used for migraine on the nhs.

hi @Orangesandlemons82 that's near me and id LOVE to know a good botox dr 🙏🏼

differin has improved mine. OP, could you be dehydrated?

holding out for @Orangesandlemons82 tip though 🤞🏼

suki I do get migraines, but only aura and only in the last 2 years, so I doubt I would meet any criteria. But how on earth does botox help migraines?! My optician told me they are caused by increased pressure in an artery 'vibrating' against the optic nerve.
Dehydration is unlikely simply because it's long term and clearly getting worse as I age.
Bit scared by fillers now...

“... How does botulinum toxin work in chronic migraine?

The simple answer is that we don’t know fully. A recent US study by Rami Burstein et al using animal models suggested that botulinum toxin inhibits pain in chronic migraine by reducing the expression of certain pain pathways involving nerve cells in the trigeminovascular system. The trigeminovascular system is a sensory pathway thought to play a key role in the headache phase of a migraine attack.

Unlike many of the other conditions in which it is used, it is not thought to work by relaxing overactive muscles. Botulinum toxin has been shown to reduce pain in a number of disease states, including cervical dystonia, neuropathic pain, lower back pain, spasticity, myofascial pain, and bladder pain.

More research into the mechanism of action of botulinum toxin will hopefully shed light into all the pathways that it acts upon.

Availability of Botox® for treating chronic migraine on the NHS

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) issued guidance in June 2012 recommending Botox® is made available on the NHS as a preventive treatment option for adult patients with chronic migraine – this applies to NHS settings in England and Wales.

Following the NICE guidance, local NHS healthcare providers in England and Wales had three months to ensure the funding and resources were in place for suitable patients to access the treatment following recommendation by a suitably qualified health professional. This time frame has now elapsed and the treatment should be available locally on the NHS for those meeting the criteria. Access to treatments that have been recommended by NICE for use in the NHS, if your doctor says they are clinically appropriate for you, is a patient right enshrined in the NHS Constitution...”

Botox can definitely get rid of resting wrinkles that are caused by frowning or raising your eyebrows.
I used to have really noticeable horizontal forehead lines and also a bit of a frown line with (reasonably) regular Botox they have gone.
I pay £150 for two areas and it starts to wear off after about three months but I usually have it done every six months as it doesn't completely go until then.
You can usually go for a free consultation.