Frequently Asked Questions

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Currently, we are only accepting bookings for Essex.

1. Consultation First: If you're new to Biba Aesthetics or considering a new treatment, we recommend starting with a consultation. This allows us to understand your needs, provide expert advice, and tailor a treatment plan just for you.

2. Choose Your Preferred Date and Time: Using our intuitive booking system, select a date and time that suits you best.

3. Provide Necessary Information: Fill in the essential details to ensure a smooth appointment. Rest assured, your data is kept confidential, adhering to strict data protection regulations.

4. Receive Confirmation: Once booked, you'll receive an email confirmation with your appointment details, ensuring you have all the necessary information at your fingertips.

Botulinum toxin is a neurotoxin made by the bacteria clostridium botulinum; an anaerobic bacteria found in soil. Botulinum toxin is purified for clinical and cosmetic use. Botulinum toxins are divided into 7 serotypes by their differences in potency and duration of action. Botulinum toxin type A is the most potent of the serotypes and therefore is used for clinical and cosmetic purposes. 

There are several product brands under the different Botulinum toxin A subtypes including Azzalure®, Dysport®, Bocouture®, Xeomin®, Botox® and Vistabel®. Botulinum toxins contain albumin, which comes from human blood. No cases of contamination of licensed botulinum toxin products with infectious diseases have been reported.

All botulinum toxins are prescription only medicines (POM) and can only be prescribed by registered prescribers, following your consultation.

Once injected into the muscle, the mechanism of action of botulinum toxin is to cause temporary muscle paralysis by blocking the signal from the nerve to the muscle telling the muscle to contract. The muscles enter a resting state, which creates the desired cosmetic effects. With time, the body learns to bypass the blockage leading to the reoccurrence of muscular contractions and hence the ‘wearing off’ effect of botulinum toxin. This recovery takes 8-12 weeks to occur.

The treatment may not completely paralyse the muscle and often some movement is retained. The aim is to reduce the amount of movement of the muscle and therefore the number 

and depth of lines visible on movement. It does not treat lines that are present with no muscle movement (static lines).

Botulinum toxin can be used for many medical purposes such as migraines, muscle spasm and bladder overactivity. Most brands of Botulinum toxin are only licensed for use in frown lines but have been proven to be safe and effective in many other “off-label” uses including:

Upper face: Traditionally known as the “3 Areas of Botox” this encompasses treatment of horizontal forehead lines, frown lines and crow’s feet.

Brow lift: These are injections targeted just under the brow to lift the brow, open up the eyes and reduce dark shadows.

Bunny lines: Lines on the nose that appear on wrinkling the nose like a bunny can be treated with an injection into the nasalis muscle.

Gummy smile: When we smile, our upper lip rests around the level of the top of the upper teeth. If our muscles are overactive, then this can lift the lip too high and expose more of the upper gum. Botulinum toxin can be used to lower the upper lip.

DAO: The depressor anguli oris (DAO) muscle is responsible for bringing down the corners of our mouth. Paralysing this muscle provides a lift to the corners.

Mentalis: The muscle of the chin, botulinum toxin in this area smooths out the chin and prevents it from puckering on facial expression.

Masseter/Jawline slimming: Botulinum toxin into the masseter muscle treats jaw clenching and grinding (bruxism) and over time can slim the jaw.

Neck: Paralysing the platysma muscle of the neck can get rid of neck “bands” visible on straining and provide a slight lift to the neck. It cannot address neck “bands” that remain visible on relaxing the neck muscles.

Hyperhidrosis: Botulinum toxin administered into the skin of the armpits, hands and feet reduce sweating.

Prior to your treatment, you will be assessed by our practitioner. You will be asked to complete a medical history and consent form. You will also be asked permission to share your photos. This is not compulsory but since aesthetics is such a visual specialty, we rely on using photos to advertise our work and hope you would help us with this. We endeavour to run on time, but we also don’t like any of our patients to feel rushed so please accept our apologies if we are running behind. 

When it is your time, you will be brought into the treatment area. You will get settled onto a treatment couch and your medical history will be checked. You will then have the opportunity to discuss any specific concerns you have with your practitioner, and, with them, you will formulate a treatment plan. Once the treatment plan is agreed your skin will be cleaned using a cleansing solution. Please inform us if you have any allergies prior to this point. Your skin may be marked with a non-permanent skin pencil and the injections will be performed. A little pain is not uncommon and depends on several factors including hormones, tiredness, stress, and distraction and vary from treatment to treatment and person to person.

You may notice small red lumps at the injection sites which tend to settle within an hour. Bruising is common but not normally extensive and you should be able to cover this with make-up from the day after your treatment. You are encouraged to sit upright for the first hour after treatment. For 24 hours after the procedure, we recommend exercising the affected muscles, avoiding makeup, exercise, alcohol, and hot environments, and not touching the injection sites. You will start to notice a difference after a few days but sometimes it can look irregular as the toxin beings to paralyse some muscles but not others. This should even out as the rest of the muscle relaxes and the final result will be visible at 2 weeks. The effect normally lasts for 3 months (up to 6 months for sweating).

Botulinum toxin has been proven to be safe for human use at the low doses used in aesthetics. However, all treatments have side effects that can occur. Swelling, redness, bleeding and bruising are common with botulinum toxin treatments and are considered part of the normal recovery process rather than true side effects. The side effects that can occur are as follows:

Headache: Some people describe a headache or feeling of forehead “heaviness” in the days after treatment. This is treatable with simple painkillers and usually resolves by one week.

Asymmetry: We aim to deliver toxin in a symmetrical manner but sometimes one side of our face has stronger muscles or the toxin spreads in an unexpected direction. This can lead to asymmetrical results affecting the brow, smile or facial expression depending on the area injected. This is managed either by waiting for the toxin to wear off or by injecting toxin in specific areas to address the asymmetry if suitable.

Drooping of the brow or eyelid: Sometimes the toxin can spread towards the brow or eye causing drooping to occur. This normally resolves by itself over 6-8 weeks. Occasionally small doses of botulinum toxin may be used to lift the brow and for eyelid droop an eyedrop can be prescribed. 

Over- or under-treatment: The response to botulinum toxin can vary and for this reason we cannot guarantee the results you will see. Whilst we aim to give you the results you desire sometimes you may see more or less paralysis of the muscle. Under-treatment can be easily rectified with a top up, but over-treatment normally requires waiting until the toxin has worn off.

Unexpected response: Sometimes botulinum toxin can cause unexpected effects on surrounding muscles. Rest assured that if this happens it is almost always temporary and will resolve as the toxin wears off.

You will be asked a series of medical questions and the target area(s) will be examined prior to treatment to assess your suitability. 

Botulinum toxin cannot be given if:

• · you have had a pervious allergic or hypersensitivity reaction to botulinum toxin 
• · you are under 18 years of age
• · you are pregnant or Breastfeeding
• · you are on certain medications
• · you have certain neurological disorders
• 
  

You may not be suitable for treatment with botulinum toxin if:

• · you have had botulinum toxin treatment within the last 3 months
• · you have deep fixed lines that will not be treated with toxin
• · you are over 65 years of age
• · you have an active infection
• · you are unwell

Caution must be taken if you are on blood thinners or certain antibiotics.

The term “Dermal Fillers” is used to describe a sterile gel that is injected under the skin to provide volume, lift and/or contouring. Dermal fillers are usually cross-linked to give a more structural effect. “Skin Boosters” are dermal fillers with less, or no, cross linking. This leads to enhancement of the skin’s own collagen and elastin without the structural changes associated with dermal fillers.

Most dermal fillers and skin boosters are made of hyaluronic acid which is a naturally occurring sugar found in your own skin. This makes them safe to inject (as the body doesn’t reject them) and reversible (with a product called hyaluronidase). A few contain calcium (HarmoniCaTM, RadiesseTM) or amino acids (JaluproTM) which work in a similar way to enhance collagen and elastin production.

Dermal fillers are injected into the body at various depths and provide structural changes that are visible instantly. There are thin dermal fillers, which are suitable for rejuvenation of sensitive areas such as under the eyes or in the lips. There are also thicker dermal fillers that can be used to enhance the cheeks or correct irregularities in the nose. Skin boosters are not structural in nature. Instead, they act to replace the hyaluronic acid lost from our skin with aging. They are placed just under the skin to attract water and boost your body’s own collagen and elastin.

There are several brands of dermal filler including JuvedermTM, RestylaneTM, BeloteroTM, TeosyalTM and Intraline. Brands of skin boosters include ProfhiloTM, HarmonyCaTM and JaluproTM. Dermal fillers and skin boosters do not require a prescription but should only be administered by a trained professional.

Dermal fillers can be used for a variety of purposes. As our knowledge and confidence using these products grows so do the clinical applications. Currently we use dermal fillers to: 

• · enhance, define, shape, and rejuvenate the lips
• · fill deep lines around the mouth such as nasolabial, marionette and barcode lines
• · contour and enhance the temples, cheeks, nose, chin, and jawline
• · soften wrinkles and lines in the forehead and frown area
• · rejuvenate and soften the hollows under the eyes (tear troughs)
• · restore volume in the hands to reduce the appearance of veins and tendons
• · relax some muscles in the face to treat conditions such as a gummy smile

Dermal fillers and skin boosters improve the tone, texture, and hydration of the skin. Skin boosters can be used anywhere but are particularly good at treating:

• · the face, in particular barcode lines around the lips
• · the neck and the décolletage area on the chest
• · the hands and arms
• · the buttocks and thighs

Prior to your treatment, you will be assessed by our practitioner. You will be asked to complete a medical history and consent form. You will also be asked permission to share your photos. This is not compulsory but since aesthetics is such a visual specialty, we rely on using photos to advertise our work and hope you will help us with this. We endeavour to run on time, but we also don’t like any of our patients to feel rushed so please accept our apologies if we are running behind. 

When it is your time, you will be brought into the treatment area. You will get settled onto a treatment couch and your medical history will be checked. You will then have the opportunity to discuss any specific concerns you have with your practitioner, and, with them, you will formulate a treatment plan. Once the treatment plan is agreed your skin will be cleaned using a cleansing solution. Please inform us if you have any allergies prior to this point. Your skin may be marked with a non-permanent skin pencil and the injections will be performed. A little pain is not uncommon and depends on several factors including hormones, tiredness, stress, and distraction and vary from treatment to treatment and person to person. You can request to have numbing cream applied before the treatment and some dermal fillers include a local anaesthetic which will help to numb the area as the treatment progresses. Skin boosters do not have local anaesthetic and can therefore feel a little more painful. 

You may notice a small amount of bleeding at the injection sites which tends to settle within 15 minutes. Bruising is common but not normally extensive and you should be able to cover this with make-up from the day after your treatment. You are encouraged to sit upright for the first hour after treatment. For 24 hours after the procedure, we recommend avoiding makeup, exercise, alcohol, hot drinks, and hot environments and to not touch the injection sites. You should also avoid anything that may displace the filler such as wearing glasses after nose filler. You will see an effect immediately, but it takes 2 weeks for the swelling to go down, the filler to stabilise and for the final result to be visible. For skin booster treatments you will be able to feel lumps of gel under the skin, which spreads under the skin after a few days. Depending on the filler used, the effect normally lasts for 6-12 months.

You may notice a small amount of bleeding at the injection sites which tends to settle within 15 minutes. Bruising is common but not normally extensive and you should be able to cover this with make-up from the day after your treatment. You are encouraged to sit upright for the first hour after treatment. For 24 hours after the procedure, we recommend avoiding makeup, exercise, alcohol, hot drinks, and hot environments and to not touch the injection sites. You should also avoid anything that may displace the filler such as wearing glasses after nose filler. You will see an effect immediately, but it takes 2 weeks for the swelling to go down, the filler to stabilise and for the final result to be visible. For skin booster treatments you will be able to feel lumps of gel under the skin, which spreads under the skin after a few days. Depending on the filler used, the effect normally lasts for 6-12 months.

Most dermal filler and skin booster treatments are carried out with no problems. However, all treatments have side effects that can occur. Swelling, redness, bleeding and bruising are common with these treatments and are considered part of the normal recovery process rather than true side effects. The side effects that can occur are as follows:

Lumpiness: Most filler treatments shouldn’t leave lumps and your practitioner may massage after the treatment to ensure everything is smooth. If you can feel something that they haven’t identified, then please highlight this as it is easier to treat the earlier it is picked up. If picked up later then they can be treated with heat and massage, needle puncture and/or dissolving. Some treatments, such as corner of the mouth filler, require a lump to be left to provide a lifting effect. In these cases, lumps should be felt but not seen. Skin boosters are injected in small “lumps” under the skin which spread after a few days.

Asymmetry: No face is completely symmetrical, and it is impossible to make a face completely symmetrical, but we do aim to deliver dermal fillers in a symmetrical manner. Unfortunately, sometimes the swelling will be more on one side of our face, or the filler can spread in an unexpected direction, which can lead to asymmetrical results. If minor asymmetry, then this will be left to wear off naturally but if it’s more significant we can dissolve or add filler as required. There may be an additional cost associated with this.

Over- or under-treatment: The response to dermal filler and skin boosters can vary and for this reason we cannot guarantee the results you will see. Whilst we aim to give you the results you desire sometimes you may see more or less of a response. If there’s more filler than expected then this can be dissolved, if you want more filler then this can be provided. Normally these adjustments come at a cost so please ensure you are happy with the volumes used during your treatment.

Bacterial Infection: All treatments are provided in very clean environments, but infection can still occur. Bacterial infection is more likely if you touch the injected areas or apply makeup within 24 hours of treatment and you may be more prone to infection if you have other medical conditions such as diabetes or take medications such as steroids. Bacterial infection can be treated with antibiotics in the early stages but may require debridement and drainage of any abscesses if it progresses.

Herpes outbreak: Please mention to your practitioner if you have a history of cold sores as this will increase your risk of having a herpes outbreak. In some circumstances you will be asked to take a medication before and after treatment to prevent an outbreak from occurring. If an outbreak does occur this will be treated with the same medication.

Vascular occlusion: If filler is injected into or around a blood vessel then this can reduce the blood supply to the skin. This is extremely rare and presents with pain and signs of poor blood supply in the affected area. You should always be comfortable and pain-free at the end of your appointment so please inform your practitioner if this is not the case. If you are found to have a vascular occlusion you will have emergency doses of hyaluronidase administered and given some mediation to help the blood flow. If vascular occlusion remains undetected it can lead to a small part of the skin scabbing over (avascular necrosis) and this may leave a scar when healed.

Blindness: There have been reported cases of blindness in the literature due to injection of filler into a vessel near the eye. This is incredibly rare.

Hyaluronidase is an enzyme that can dissolve hyaluronic acid fillers and skin boosters. It can be used to treat lumps, asymmetry, or overcorrection in a non-urgent setting, but it can also be used in an emergency setting to treat vascular occlusion.

You will be asked a series of medical questions and the target area(s) will be examined prior to treatment to assess your suitability. Dermal fillers and skin boosters cannot be given if:

• · you have had a pervious allergic or hypersensitivity reaction to fillers or skin boosters 
• · you are under 18 years of age
• · you are pregnant or Breastfeeding
• · you are on certain medications
• · you have certain medical problems
• · You may not be suitable for treatment with dermal fillers or skin boosters if
• · you have an active infection
• · you are unwell

Caution must be taken if you are on blood thinners or certain antibiotics.

We do everything we can to give you the best result possible but in the rare situation you are not happy with your result please get in touch and we will do everything we can to fix the issue.

Photographs are a vital part of documentation and are always taken before and after treatment. These will be kept secure within your medical records.

Since we work in a very visual field of medicine, the success of our business relies on advertising the treatments we offer through photographs. Online usage includes website, email, blogs, and social media. Offline usage is the use of photos to be shown to patients in clinic. We would be very grateful if you would allow us to share your photographs in a manner you feel comfortable with.