Forehead and Frown Line Treatment in Marylebone, London
Horizontal forehead lines, vertical "11" frown lines between the brows, and crow’s feet are dynamic wrinkles driven by repeated muscle movement. Treated with carefully dosed anti-wrinkle injections that soften the line while keeping the face mobile.
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What you're seeing
The concern
Forehead and frown lines are dynamic wrinkles — creases that form when the muscles of the upper face contract during expression. The horizontal lines across the forehead come from the frontalis muscle lifting the brow; the vertical "11" lines between the eyebrows come from the corrugator and procerus muscles that pull the brow inward when you concentrate or frown; crow’s feet at the outer eye come from the orbicularis oculi. Early on these lines appear only on movement; over years of repeated folding they become etched into the skin and visible at rest.
Anti-wrinkle injections relax the specific muscles producing the line, so the overlying skin is no longer folded with every expression. Dr Elgey’s approach is deliberately conservative: dose to soften and preserve natural movement, not to freeze. A GP-trained eye assesses the whole upper third in balance — over-treating the forehead alone can drop the brow, so the frontalis, glabella, and crow’s feet are planned together. Where lines are already deeply etched at rest, injections are combined over time with regenerative skin treatment, because relaxing the muscle stops new folding but does not fill an established crease.
Why it happens
What drives it
- Repeated muscle contraction during expression (frowning, raising the brow, squinting)
- Natural collagen and elastin decline reducing the skin’s ability to spring back
- Cumulative UV damage degrading dermal support
- Genetic predisposition to strong upper-face musculature
- Smoking and high glycation accelerating skin-quality decline
Treatment approach
How Paul treats it
Anti-Wrinkle Injections
By consultationFirst-line for dynamic forehead, frown, and crow’s-feet lines. The prescription medicine relaxes the specific muscles producing the crease; the forehead, glabella, and orbital muscles are dosed together so the brow stays balanced. Conservative, movement-preserving dosing; effect develops over 3 to 14 days and typically lasts 3 to 4 months.
See treatment detail →Polynucleotides
By consultationWhere lines are already etched at rest, polynucleotides stimulate collagen and improve skin quality in the line itself — addressing what relaxing the muscle alone cannot. Often planned as a short course alongside anti-wrinkle injections.
See treatment detail →Signature Full Face Rejuvenation
By consultationWhen upper-face lines are one part of a broader picture, the signature full-face plan sequences injectables, regenerative work, and skin treatment across staged appointments so the whole face stays in proportion rather than one feature being chased in isolation.
See treatment detail →FAQ
Common
questions
Will anti-wrinkle injections freeze my face?
Not when dosed conservatively. The aim is to soften the line and reduce the depth of the crease while preserving natural expression — you should still be able to raise your brows and show emotion. Dr Elgey doses to the individual muscle strength rather than to a fixed protocol, which is why a whole-face assessment comes first. An over-frozen forehead is a sign of over-treatment, not a goal.
How long does the effect last?
Typically 3 to 4 months for first-time patients. The relaxed muscle gradually recovers its movement and the line returns, at which point treatment can be repeated. With regular treatment some patients find the interval lengthens as the habit of strong contraction reduces. The effect is not permanent, which is part of why it is a low-commitment, adjustable treatment.
When will I see the result, and is there downtime?
The effect develops gradually — first changes from around day 3, full effect by day 14. There is essentially no downtime; small raised bumps at the injection points settle within 15 to 30 minutes. You are advised to stay upright for a few hours and avoid heavy exercise, hot environments, and rubbing the area for 24 hours so the product settles where it was placed.
My frown lines are deep even when I am not frowning — will injections still work?
They will soften the line by stopping the muscle that deepens it, but a crease that is already etched at rest is partly a skin-quality problem, not only a muscle problem. The honest plan in that case combines anti-wrinkle injections to stop the folding with regenerative treatment (polynucleotides) to rebuild the skin in the line over time. This is discussed at your consultation.
Are anti-wrinkle injections safe?
The medicine used is well established and, in the hands of a GMC-registered doctor working to a medical standard, has a strong safety record. Side effects are usually minor and temporary — small bruises, brief tenderness, occasionally a temporary heaviness if a dose migrates. A doctor-led consultation screens your medical history and contraindications before any treatment.
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Dr Paul Elgey Aesthetics • Unit 1, Orchard Street, London W1H 6HJ
BookAppointments typically available within 1–2 weeks