Practical information before treatment with Azzalure® (abobotulinumtoxinA).

Important: This page supports your consultation and consent discussion. It does not replace advice based on your individual medical assessment.

About your treatment

Avsthetics uses Azzalure® (abobotulinumtoxinA), a prescription medicine commonly known as a botulinum toxin. It works by temporarily reducing the activity of selected muscles. This can soften dynamic lines - lines caused by facial movement - and may also be used to alter excessive muscle pull or prominence.

In the UK, Azzalure is licensed for moderate to severe frown lines between the eyebrows and crow's feet in adults aged under 65 when these lines have an important psychological impact.

Treatment of other areas - including the masseter muscles, lower face, platysma or neck - is off-label. This means that an authorised medicine is being used for a purpose or area not covered by its UK licence. Your clinician will explain why this is being considered, the available evidence, alternatives and additional uncertainties before you decide whether to proceed.

Please contact Avsthetics before your appointment if:

• You are pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding. Treatment will need to be postponed.

• You have an infection, inflammation, broken skin or an active skin condition near the proposed injection sites.

• You are currently unwell or have recently developed a new medical problem.

• You have ever had an allergic reaction to a botulinum toxin product or one of its ingredients.

• You have myasthenia gravis, Lambert-Eaton syndrome, motor neurone disease or another condition affecting your nerves or muscles.

• You have muscle weakness in or near the proposed treatment area.

• You have experienced difficulty swallowing, choking, aspiration, voice changes or breathing problems.

• You have a bleeding disorder, bruise very easily or have previously had significant bleeding after injections.

• You have had facial surgery, previous facial nerve damage or another recent facial procedure.

• You have had botulinum toxin treatment elsewhere, particularly within the last three months.

• A previous botulinum toxin treatment did not work as expected or caused a significant reaction.

• Your health, medicines or treatment plans have changed since your consultation.

Medicines and supplements

Tell your clinician about all medicines and supplements you take. This is particularly important for:

• Antibiotics, especially aminoglycoside antibiotics such as gentamicin or amikacin.

• Muscle-relaxing medicines.

• Anticoagulant or antiplatelet medicines.

• Aspirin, ibuprofen and other anti-inflammatory medicines.

• Vitamins, herbal preparations, fish oil and other supplements that may affect bruising or bleeding.

Do not stop prescribed medicine: Do not stop a prescribed medicine unless the clinician responsible for prescribing it has advised you to do so. If you are unsure, contact Avsthetics before your appointment.

Before you attend

• Eat and drink normally. You do not need to fast.

• Bring an up-to-date list of your medicines and supplements.

• If possible, attend without make-up over the intended treatment areas. Any remaining make-up will be removed and the skin cleaned.

• Think about the changes you hope to achieve and any facial movements or asymmetries that concern you.

• Allow enough time for assessment, photographs, discussion and consent rather than planning to rush away.

• Tell us if you have an important event approaching. Bruising, swelling or an uneven early response can occasionally be visible while the treatment settles.

Treatment is not automatic. Your clinician may recommend postponing or declining treatment if it would not be appropriate or safe.

What will happen at your appointment?

• An in-person medical assessment.

• Review of your medical history, medicines and previous treatments.

• Assessment of facial movement, proportions and existing asymmetries.

• Discussion of the expected benefits, limitations, alternatives and risks.

• Clinical photographs.

• Your opportunity to ask questions.

• Written consent and prescribing, if treatment is appropriate.

• Several small injections into the agreed muscles.

The injections are usually brief. You may feel a small sting, and temporary redness, swelling or tiny raised areas can appear at the injection points.

What results should you expect?

• The effect usually begins to appear within a few days.

• The result continues to develop and is usually assessed at around two weeks.

• Results are temporary and commonly last approximately three to four months, although this varies.

• Movement is reduced rather than permanently removed.

• Lines that remain present when your face is at rest may soften but may not disappear.

• Existing facial asymmetry may remain and can sometimes become more noticeable when muscle activity changes.

• Results vary between people and cannot be guaranteed.

• Off-label treatments have a smaller and less consistent evidence base than licensed upper-face treatment.

Before attending: Please contact Avsthetics if anything on this page raises a concern or if your circumstances change.