Wrinkle Treatment Melbourne

What Is Wrinkle Treatment?

Wrinkle treatment refers to a range of strategies designed to help soften the appearance of lines that form as a natural part of the ageing process. These lines, often called expression lines or dynamic wrinkles, develop over time due to repeated facial movements, changes in skin structure, and a gradual decline in collagen and elastin production.

Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all solution, wrinkle treatment typically involves a personalised approach tailored to the patient’s skin type, facial anatomy, and aesthetic goals. A thorough consultation with a qualified medical practitioner is essential to assess these factors and determine the most appropriate options.

How We Develop a Personalised Wrinkle Treatment Plan

If you’re considering treatment for facial wrinkles, the first step is a comprehensive medical consultation with one of our experienced doctors. This ensures we understand the underlying causes of your wrinkles and can recommend the most suitable treatment plan.

  • Your doctor will take a detailed medical history to ensure the treatment is suitable and appropriate for you.
  • A thorough examination of your facial skin will be conducted, focusing on skin laxity, volume loss, texture, and expression lines.
  • We take standardised clinical photos and videos of your face, followed by a VISIA skin analysis to assess your skin at a deeper level.
  • Based on your assessment, we will provide a customised treatment plan, including detailed pricing. To give you time to make an informed decision, a cooling-off period is required before proceeding.
  • Your doctor will thoroughly explain the proposed treatment, ensuring you understand the process, expected results, and any necessary aftercare.
  • Before starting treatment, we will discuss the potential risks and benefits, and you will be asked to complete a consent form to confirm your understanding.

Our doctors offer consultations for the treatment of wrinkles at our Lower Templestowe and Berwick clinics. To book an appointment, contact us today 1300 863 824 or book online.

Causes of Face Wrinkles

Facial wrinkles can develop for a variety of reasons, often due to a combination of natural ageing, lifestyle factors, and environmental influences. Understanding the different types of wrinkles can help in choosing the most effective treatment.

  • Atrophic wrinkles – These occur due to the loss of underlying skin structures, including subcutaneous fat and volume. As a result, the skin becomes thinner and more prone to creasing.
  • Dynamic wrinkles – These form during facial muscle contractions, such as when you smile, frown, or squint. They are most noticeable when expressing emotions.
  • Static wrinkles – Over time, repeated muscle movements cause collagen and elastin to break down, leading to wrinkles that remain visible even when the face is at rest.
  • Sleep wrinkles – These develop due to repeated compression of the face against pillows during sleep, leading to fine lines and creases over time.
  • Laxity wrinkles – A combination of gravity, sun exposure, and natural ageing weakens the skin’s structure, resulting in sagging and the formation of deeper wrinkles.

By understanding the different types of wrinkles and their causes, you can take proactive steps to maintain youthful looking skin. If you’re concerned about facial wrinkles, a professional consultation can help determine the best treatment options for you.

The Most Effective Treatment For Wrinkles

Selecting the most effective wrinkle treatment requires a comprehensive understanding of several factors, ensuring that the approach aligns with your unique skin needs and aesthetic goals. By considering the following key aspects, you can make a more informed decision about suitable treatment options for you.

Age and Skin Condition

Age plays a significant role in determining the most suitable treatment. Younger individuals may benefit more from preventative treatments, such as a high-quality skincare routine with retinoids and peptides. In contrast, older individuals with deeper, static wrinkles may require targeted in-clinic wrinkle treatments to restore lost volume, boost collagen production, and improve skin elasticity.

Understanding the Types of Wrinkles

It’s important to differentiate between dynamic and static wrinkles to choose the most effective treatment:

  • Dynamic wrinkles are caused by repetitive facial movements, such as smiling or frowning. Treatments targeting muscle relaxation are typically recommended.
  • Static wrinkles form due to collagen breakdown and skin laxity, leading to wrinkles that remain visible even at rest. Treatments that restore volume and stimulate collagen production are more suitable.

Desired Results and Expectations

The ideal treatment depends on the results you hope to achieve:

  • If you prefer gradual improvements with minimal downtime, skincare products enriched with retinoids and peptides, or light chemical peels, may be the most suitable.
  • If you seek faster, more dramatic results, in-clinic treatments like laser skin resurfacing or targeted wrinkle procedures may be more effective. While results vary, a tailored approach can help achieve a more youthful, refreshed appearance.

Non-Surgical Treatments vs. Skincare Solutions

Deciding between non-surgical procedures and topical skincare treatments is another crucial factor:

  • Non-surgical treatments, such as laser resurfacing, injectables, or microneedling, target visible signs of ageing, including wrinkles, fine lines, and volume loss.
  • Skincare-based approaches, including high-quality serums, chemical peels, and IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) treatments, help with wrinkle prevention and long-term skin maintenance by improving collagen production, skin texture, and tone.

Addressing the Root Causes of Wrinkles

Instead of focusing only on visible wrinkles, treatments that target the underlying causes of skin ageing can provide more sustainable results. For instance, boosting collagen production and skin elasticity helps maintain firmer, smoother skin over time.

Prevention and Long-Term Maintenance

For long-term results, combining preventative measures with in-clinic targeted wrinkle treatments can help slow down the ageing process. To maintain healthy looking skin, consider:

  • Daily sunscreen use to protect against UV damage
  • A well-balanced diet rich in antioxidants
  • Adequate hydration to support skin elasticity
  • A consistent skincare routine with active ingredients
  • Preventative treatments like light chemical peels, IPL, or microneedling to maintain collagen levels
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Wrinkles Caused By Muscle Movement

This diagram illustrates muscles that cause dynamic wrinkles through repetitive contraction, with the green arrows indicating the direction of muscle movement. Repeated skin creasing, along with volume loss from fat depletion, can lead to the formation of static wrinkles.

Types of Face Wrinkles

Understanding the types of face wrinkles, including where in the skin they occur, is essential for both prevention and treatment. The skin, our body’s largest organ, is composed of three main layers: the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue. The epidermis serves as a protective barrier, while the dermis, rich in collagen and elastin fibres, provides strength and elasticity. The subcutaneous layer consists of fat and connective tissue that cushions and insulates the body.

Wrinkle formation is primarily due to the breakdown of collagen and elastin in the dermis, often exacerbated by repetitive muscle movements, sun exposure, and ageing. This degradation leads to reduced skin volume and elasticity, resulting in visible lines and creases.

Dynamic vs Static Wrinkles

Wrinkles can be broadly categorised into dynamic and static wrinkles.

Dynamic wrinkles, also known as expression lines, form due to repetitive facial muscle movements. These lines are most noticeable when we make facial expressions such as smiling, frowning, or squinting. Common areas affected by dynamic wrinkles include around the eyes, frown lines between the eyebrows, and horizontal lines on the forehead. Typically fine and shallow, dynamic wrinkles become more pronounced with movement but may be less visible when the face is at rest. Treatments for dynamic wrinkles will often focus on relaxing the underlying muscles.

In contrast, static wrinkles are present even when the face is at rest. These deeper lines result from a combination of ageing, repetitive facial movements, and the loss of collagen and elastin. Over time, the skin loses its ability to bounce back, leading to permanent creases and folds. Static wrinkles commonly appear on the cheeks, around the mouth, neck, and can overlap with dynamic wrinkle areas such as the forehead and frown lines. Addressing static wrinkles typically requires treatments that restore volume and stimulate collagen production.

Common Facial Areas for Wrinkle Treatments

Common areas assessed when considering suitable wrinkle treatments include;

  • Forehead: Repeatedly raising the eyebrows creates wrinkles on the forehead. Over time, these lines can deepen and become more prominent. Additionally, the natural ageing process can lead to fat loss in the forehead area, making these wrinkles more noticeable. This combination of repetitive muscle movement and volume loss contributes to the development and visibility of forehead wrinkles.
  • Glabella: Glabella lines are vertical lines that form between the eyebrows. These lines are primarily caused by repeated muscle movements such as frowning, squinting, or concentrating. Over time, the repeated contraction of the muscles in this area, specifically the corrugator and procerus muscles, leads to the formation of these lines. As the skin loses elasticity with age, these lines can become deeper and more pronounced, even when the face is at rest.

  • Brows: Loss of skin elasticity, redistribution of fat pads and bone reabsorption due to ageing can lead to eyebrows drooping. Droopy brows can push the upper eyelid skin downward, creating a hooded appearance, and contribute to the formation of wrinkles at the outer corners of the eyes. Evaluating the brow height and shape when assessing wrinkles around the eye area will assist in determining whether drooping of the eyebrows is contributing to skin wrinkles around the eye area. Also, with the descent of the eyebrows and eyelids, often an elevation of the frontalis (forehead muscle) ensues, and this forms forehead wrinkling.

  • Melomental Folds: These are lines running from the corners of the mouth down to the chin, creating a downturned expression. Medical treatments are available to stop the mouth corners from pulling down which helps reduce the pull of muscles on the mouth and lower face, making the melomental folds less pronounced.

  • Upper Lip: The same factors that contribute to upper lip lines can also contribute to wrinkles in nearby areas. For example, frequent puckering or pursing of the lips and smoking can exacerbate lines around the mouth and contribute to melomental folds.

  • Neck Lines:  The platysma muscle is responsible for vertical bands or cords that can form on the neck as we age. While the primary effect of treating the platysma muscle is on the neck and jawline, there can be secondary benefits for facial wrinkles. For example, treating the platysma can indirectly affect the appearance of wrinkles around the mouth and chin by reducing downward tension, therefore minimising the drag of the platysma muscle on the face.

  • Chin: A more prominent mental crease (horizontal crease underneath your lower lip and above your chin) or dimples on the chin with expressions such as pursing of the lips, can coincide with changes in other facial areas due to shared ageing mechanisms, such as decreased skin thickness, reduced subcutaneous fat, bone reabsorption and diminished muscle tone. Treatments to reduce dimpling of the chin or to decrease the appearance of the mental crease may be considered when assessing the face for suitable wrinkle reducing treatment options.

A consultation and assessment with a doctor are required prior to any form of treatment to determine the most suitable plan for your needs.

What to Expect From Wrinkle Treatment

Expectations for wrinkle treatment can vary significantly depending on the specific treatment chosen and the patient’s skin characteristics. Treatments can range from in-clinic performed wrinkle reducing procedures, laser treatments, chemical peels, microneedling and IPL, as well as at home skin care regimens.

While expectations for wrinkle treatments can vary based on the specific procedure, understanding the steps and processes involved when looking for wrinkle treatments helps you know what to anticipate, no matter which treatment is chosen.

Consultation

Patients seeking to reduce wrinkles receive a comprehensive consultation with a medical practitioner. During this consultation a VISIA Skin Analysis scan is performed and clinical photographs are taken. Using this information, your practitioner will assess your skin condition, review your medical history, discuss your concerns, and create a personalised treatment plan tailored to your unique needs. This plan may include a combination of in-clinic treatments and at-home skincare regimens.

Treatment Process

When you arrive for your wrinkle treatment, we begin by taking standardised clinical photographs and performing a VISIA Skin Analysis Scan. These steps are carried out at each visit so we can carefully track your skin’s progress over time.

Next, if needed for your specific procedure, a numbing cream will be applied to help maximise your comfort. For treatments that stimulate collagen, such as skin needling or microneedling, you may be asked to arrive a little earlier to allow sufficient time for the numbing cream to take effect.

However, some wrinkle-reducing treatments do not require numbing beforehand. These procedures are generally quick and well-tolerated, allowing you to complete your appointment efficiently.

Risks and Side Effects of Wrinkle Treatment

It is important to understand that treatments for wrinkles do carry risks and may require a recovery period or downtime.

The risks of treatment may include; bruising, swelling, infection, redness of the skin, scarring, and other risks. There are also cosmetic risks, that include an undesirable outcome, over-treatment or under-treatment.

 

FAQs

Who Is Suitable For Wrinkle Consultation and Treatment?

Candidates for wrinkle consultation and treatment are those with one or more of the following concerns:

Can Wrinkles Be Removed Permanently?

It is important to understand that ageing is a natural and ongoing process. The effects of the treatment are not permanent, nor do they stop the future formation of wrinkles. The effect of the treatments will depend on the client, the type of treatment, the treatment area, and the number of treatments performed.

Why choose Victorian Cosmetic Institute for your consultation and wrinkle treatment?

Since 2005, Victorian Cosmetic Institute has been helping patients in Melbourne address the appearance of wrinkles with advanced, non-surgical wrinkle treatments. Our experienced doctors are highly trained in a wide range of techniques and are dedicated to providing personalised care that reflects your individual needs.

From your first consultation, we take the time to listen to your concerns and understand your goals. We carefully consider factors such as the results you’re hoping to achieve, your lifestyle, and the amount of downtime you’re comfortable with. This ensures any treatment plan we recommend is both suitable and realistic. Throughout your journey, we’ll guide you on what you can expect and what outcomes are achievable, so you can make informed decisions.

To book your initial consultation, please contact our Customer Care team on 1300 863 824 or book online.

Last updated June 2025