Not sure about Botox? I tried Relfydess, which works faster and lasts longer
Move over Botox, there’s a new wrinkle-smoothing injectable on the block. It’s faster and more cost effective – but is it any good? Our beauty director finds out
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When it comes to making wrinkles magically disappear (temporarily at least) and preventing them from becoming deeper set, toxin injections such as Botox have always been your best bet. However, they take 10 days to two weeks to settle in and work, plus they only last around three to four months. But now there’s a new toxin injection on the tweakment block that tackles both those issues: Relfydess.
Relfydess freezes your facial muscles in hours rather than days, and clinical trials have shown that the results last around five to six months, so around two months longer than Botox.
Its credentials are excellent. Manufactured by Galderma, the leading Swiss-based dermatology company that makes other well-known injectables such as Sculptra and filler Restylane, as well as high street skincare brand, Cetaphil, Relfydess has a substantial research and development behind it, not to mention adherance to safety standards.
When I heard that Dr Ahmed El Muntasar has switched to Relfydess, I was curious. The GP, aesthetics practioner and owner of The Aesthetics Doctor clinic has previously given me toxin injections and I’ve always been happy with the results. So I booked an appointment at his London clinic to try it out.
SJ with Dr Ahmed El Muntasar
What is Relfydess?
Relfydess, like Botox, is a toxin that is injected into the skin, straight into facial muscles. It then attaches itself to the nerve endings, connected to the muscle, blocking the messages between the nerve endings and muscle fibres, causing the muscles to freeze and stay smooth and unwrinkled.
So how does Relfydess work faster than other toxin injections? “It’s unique because it comes in a ready-to-use liquid format, whereas most other botulinum toxin brands come as a powder that needs to be mixed with saline before treatment,” explains Muntasar. If you’ve had toxin injections before, you probably weren’t aware of this, as it’s usually mixed up and prepared as you’re sitting in the chair.
“Galderma have used a patented Pearl Technology for Relfydess, which is a specialised purification and manufacturing process,” he says. “It makes it very stable but also a much more consistent product. Because, with other toxin injections, you have to mix the powder with saline, you cannot control the level of potency in every single drop, it is beyond what even the most skilled practitioner can do. However, because Relfydess has gone through this amazing purification process, every drop of Relfydess is at the same concentration, and that’s why it works so much quicker.”
Galderma has put it through clinical trials and report that 40% of patients can see results within 24 hours. A stat that Muntasar tells me has seen with his own clients.
What’s it like having Relfydess?
The experience is identical to any other toxin injection. My appointment with Muntasar starts with me excessively frowning and smiling so he can see where my strongest lines and wrinkles are. And then he starts injecting.
It feels the same as any injectable albeit a bit more scratchy and ‘ouchy’ in areas where there’s less fat on your face. I take a few deep breaths, and it’s all over in seconds.
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Results and downtime
As with any other toxin injection, there is zero downtime. You leave the clinic looking exactly as you did walking in – no redness, bruising or swelling.
It’s what happens in the next day or so that marks the real difference. With previous toxin injections I’ve had, it has taken me about 10 days to feel the first signs of ‘tightening’, which is the sensation you feel when your muscles start to freeze (similar to the feeling you get with the start of a headache), and two weeks for it to take full effect.
With Relfydess, it took 36 hours. By day 3, I had the look I was after – about 80 per cent muscle freezing on my forehead with just a little bit of movement left (but that is down to Dr Ahmed’s expert injecting skills rather than the product itself). This is revolutionary, especially if you are a personality type that craves results as quickly as possible (aren’t we all that nowadays?), but also if you want to look fresh-faced for an event or special occasion but haven’t had the foresight to book an appointment weeks in advance.
It has only been a few weeks since I’ve had the injections, so I can’t report on its long-term staying power but trials by Galderma have shown that 75 per cent of patients have results lasting up to six months. Anecdotally, Dr Ahmed is hearing from clients that this is the case too. Three to four months is the typical timeline for toxin injections to last for me, so if it’s any longer, I will be thrilled as it means fewer trips to plan into a busy schedule. Currently, Muntasar is charging the same for Reflydess as his previous toxin injection, but even if the price increases slightly, with the need for fewer appointments it becomes more cost-effective.
If, however, you’ve never tried toxin injections before but are keen to dip in a toe, I’d recommend starting with Botox rather than Relfydess. This is simply because if you don’t like the result, it will wear off more quickly. If a tweakment is going to last six months, it’s important to go with a practitioner whose work you like.
Relfydess is available at selected clinics in the UK. To find a reputable practioner visit the British College of Aesthetic Medicine.
Relfydess with Dr Ahmed at The Aesthetics Doctor costs £295 for one area, £345 for two areas and £395 for three areas.
