Baby anti-wrinkle injections A lighter dose of botulinum toxin for fine movement lines
“Baby” means a lighter dose of the same anti-wrinkle medicine, placed to soften movement rather than stop it. It suits fine lines and a first treatment; the effect builds over about two weeks and may wear off sooner than a standard dose.
Key facts
- Who you’ll see
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- Dr. Svetlana Tagaeva Medical Director
- Dr. Olga Seredina Trichology, cosmetology
- Dr. Olga Ibrakova Cosmetology
- Dr. Daria Banina Cosmetology
- Dr. Katerina Nikolaevskaya Cosmetology
- Dr. Tatiana Pospelova Cosmetology
- Where
- CREAMÉ, 350 Al Wasl Road, Jumeirah 1, Dubai
- Session
- A few minutes of injections, after the assessment
- Numbing
- Optional: numbing cream or ice
- Downtime
- Usually little or none
- Course
- One session; may need repeating sooner than a standard dose
What baby anti-wrinkle treatment is used for
Fine lines that show when you frown, raise your brows or smile, on skin that is still smooth at rest; or the wish to look a little fresher while keeping every expression.
Who baby anti-wrinkle treatment usually suits
- Fine movement lines on the forehead, between the brows or at the outer corners of the eyes, with skin that is smooth at rest.
- A first treatment, or anyone who wants to keep their expressions and look a little fresher.
- Lines that are light rather than deep, from muscles that don't need a strong effect.
- Lines that stay when your face is still, or come from lost volume, usually need something else, such as skin boosters or dermal fillers; if that is you, we'll say so.
Concerns it may help with
Related treatments
How baby anti-wrinkle treatment works
The same medicine as standard anti-wrinkle injections, botulinum toxin type A, a prescription medicine, given in smaller amounts at each point, sometimes over more points or placed more superficially. It quietens the muscle that folds the skin rather than stopping it, so lines soften while the face keeps moving. “Baby” is an informal name, not a different product, and no agreed dose defines it: the doctor sets it from the strength of your muscles.
What “baby” anti-wrinkle injections are, and how they differ from a standard dose
A standard dose relaxes a muscle enough that its line all but disappears for three to four months. A “baby” dose uses less medicine at each point, so the muscle still moves, just more gently: the line softens rather than vanishes. An international expert consensus describes the move towards lower doses for the upper face, and injecting forehead lines more superficially to soften them without the brows dropping.
The trade-off is how long it lasts. In a trial of 80 women treated for frown lines, the lines had come back at four months in about eight in ten of those on the lowest dose, against about three in ten on the higher doses. So a lighter dose can mean a lighter effect for a shorter time, which suits fine lines better than strong muscles.
Baby anti-wrinkle injections: which areas, from the forehead and frown lines to crow's feet and under the eyes
Lighter doses are used most on the upper face, where movement lines start: the lines across the forehead, the frown lines between the brows, the “11s”, and crow's feet at the outer corners of the eyes. On the forehead, small doses help keep the brows from dropping, the side effect people most want to avoid there. Under the eyes, only low doses are used, if any, because the lower eyelid can swell.
The dose is set area by area, from how strongly each muscle pulls, so the doctor watches you frown, raise your brows and smile before choosing the points, and may treat one side a little differently from the other.
How many units in a baby dose?
There is no set number. Units measure the dose of one product, and the units of different products are not directly comparable, so a figure quoted for one product doesn't carry over to another. A lighter dose simply means fewer units at each point than the doctor would use for a full effect on your muscles; a first treatment often starts there, with more added at the review if you want a stronger effect.
Baby anti-wrinkle injections as prevention: are they worth it in your twenties or thirties?
Lighter doses are often asked about by people who want to stop lines from deepening. The idea is that a muscle that folds the skin less leaves a shallower line over time, but evidence that starting early prevents lines in the long term is limited, and an expert consensus cautions that repeated high doses can thin a muscle. If a line shows only when you move and doesn't bother you, waiting is a sound choice too; if there is nothing yet to treat, the doctor will say so.
A session, step by step
- We start with the lines that bother you, your face at rest and as you frown, raise your brows and smile, and photographs in the same light.
- Then your health, medicines and past treatments, and the plan: which areas, a lighter dose, and what it can and can't do. You sign a written consent, and make-up is cleansed off.
- A few small injections with a fine needle at the points chosen, with numbing cream or ice first if you like. It takes a few minutes.
- We go through aftercare and book a review at about two weeks, when the effect has fully developed and a little can be added where a line still shows.
What to expect
How it feels
Quick: a few minutes of injections after the assessment. A fine needle and a brief sting at each point; numbing cream or ice can be used first.
Downtime and recovery
Usually little or none. Small bruises at the injection points are common, and a mild headache for a day or two is not unusual. Normal activities can usually resume after about four hours.
How many sessions, and how often
One session, with a review at about two weeks the first time. The effect builds over about two weeks; because the dose is lighter, it may wear off sooner than the usual three to four months, so some people repeat it a little more often.
Baby anti-wrinkle treatment results: what changes, and when
- On the day Nothing changes yet: small marks at the injection points, and sometimes a small bruise, are all that show. Normal activities can usually resume after about four hours.
- The first week The effect builds gradually and movement softens. If a brow or eyelid is going to droop, which is uncommon, it usually shows within the first ten days and settles on its own.
- About two weeks The effect is fully developed. The review: a little can be added where a line still shows.
- Three to four months A lighter dose has usually worn off by now, often sooner than a standard one. Movement returns gradually; you can repeat it or let it go.
Who it may not suit
We go through your health and medicines first, because baby anti-wrinkle treatment may not suit you, or may need to wait, if any of these apply:
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding: treatment waits, whatever the dose.
- You have a condition of the nerves or muscles, such as myasthenia gravis, or take aminoglycoside antibiotics or other medicines that can strengthen the effect.
- You are allergic to an ingredient of the medicine, or there is an infection or rash in the area.
- You take blood thinners, anti-inflammatory painkillers, fish oil or ginkgo: bruising is more likely, and the doctor decides whether to go ahead.
- Your lines are deep or etched at rest, or your muscles are strong: a lighter dose may do too little, and a standard dose or another treatment may suit you better.
Risks and side effects of baby anti-wrinkle treatment
Common and short-lived: small bruises at the injection points, in roughly one in ten to one in four people, slight swelling, and a headache that usually passes within a day or two. A lighter dose has the same kind of side effects as any dose.
Less common: the medicine reaches a nearby muscle. In a systematic review of 31 studies of upper-face treatment, an eyelid drooped in 2.5 in 100 people and a brow in 3.1 in 100, settling on their own, usually within a few weeks. Lighter, more superficial doses on the forehead are one of the ways doctors lower the risk of a dropped brow.
The commonest disappointment is simply too little effect, or one that fades quickly: that is the trade-off of a lighter dose, and a little more can be added at the review.
Rare, but important to know: an allergic reaction, blurred or double vision, or the effect spreading, with weakness or difficulty swallowing or breathing, days or weeks later, which needs urgent medical care.
Aftercare
- Leave make-up off and don't rub or press the area for about six hours.
- There's no need to keep the muscles still or to exercise them, and an expert consensus found no evidence for avoiding exercise or flying.
- A cold pack helps with any small bruise.
- Daily sunscreen and sunglasses outdoors: Dubai's sun and squinting deepen the lines around the eyes.
- Come back at about two weeks the first time, when a little can be added where a line still shows.
- Get urgent medical help for difficulty swallowing or breathing, or weakness beyond the treated area; message us if a brow or eyelid droops.
How pricing works
We don't publish prices. The cost depends on the areas treated and the dose, which the doctor sets at the consultation; a lighter dose may need repeating a little more often, which is worth weighing. You know the full plan and its cost before you start.
Doctors who do baby anti-wrinkle treatment
Each doctor below gives anti-wrinkle injections and sets the dose after watching how your face moves. They are Dr. Olga Ibrakova's focus, and Dr. Svetlana Tagaeva, the Medical Director, trains doctors in botulinum toxin injections.
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Dr. Svetlana Tagaeva
Medical Director · Practising since 2008
Neuromodulators: Including her lifting technique
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Dr. Olga Seredina
Trichology, cosmetology · More than 15 years in practice
Neuromodulators: Botulinum toxin injections, including full-face treatment
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Dr. Olga Ibrakova
Cosmetology · In cosmetology since 2006
Neuromodulators: Botulinum toxin injections
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Dr. Daria Banina
Cosmetology · In cosmetology since 2014
Neuromodulators: Upper face, full face and neck
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Dr. Katerina Nikolaevskaya
Cosmetology · In cosmetology since 2001
Neuromodulators: Botulinum toxin injections, including full-face treatment
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Dr. Tatiana Pospelova
Cosmetology · 20 years in practice
Neuromodulators: Botulinum toxin injections
Our take
A lighter dose is often the right place to start: more can be added at the review, but a dose can't be taken back.
“Baby” is not a product or a promise, only a smaller dose placed with care. It suits fine lines and people who want to keep their expressions; for deep lines or strong muscles it may simply be too little, and we'll tell you that rather than offer a dose that fades in weeks.
Questions people ask
What are baby anti-wrinkle injections, and what is the meaning of “baby”?
“Baby” is an informal name for a lighter dose of the same anti-wrinkle medicine, botulinum toxin type A, placed to soften movement rather than stop it. It is not a different product, and no agreed dose defines it: the doctor sets it from your muscles.
Where can I get baby anti-wrinkle injections in Dubai, and at which clinic?
At CREAMÉ, 350 Al Wasl Road, Jumeirah 1, open every day from 9:00 to 21:00. Anti-wrinkle injections are Dr. Olga Ibrakova's focus, and every doctor who gives them here starts with the smallest dose that does the job and reviews it at about two weeks. Wherever you go, look for a doctor licensed by the Dubai Health Authority who watches your face move before suggesting a dose.
How much do baby anti-wrinkle injections cost?
We don't publish prices. The cost depends on the areas treated and the dose, which the doctor sets at the consultation. A lighter dose may wear off sooner, so it can mean more frequent sessions; you know the plan and its cost before you start.
How long do baby anti-wrinkle injections last?
Often a little less than the usual three to four months, because the dose is lighter. In a trial of 80 women treated for frown lines, the lines had come back at four months in about eight in ten on the lowest dose, against about three in ten on the higher doses. Movement returns gradually, and you can repeat it or let it go.
Baby vs full or standard anti-wrinkle injections: which should I choose?
A lighter dose suits fine lines, a first treatment and people who want to keep their expressions; a standard dose suits deeper lines and stronger muscles, and lasts longer. Many plans start light and add at the review. The doctor watches your face move and suggests one.
Baby anti-wrinkle injections on the forehead: side effects, and will my brows drop?
It is less likely with a light touch: small, carefully placed doses on the forehead help keep the brows from dropping, one reason lower doses have become common there. Across studies of upper-face treatment, a lowered brow happened in about 3 in 100 people and settled on its own within a few weeks.
Do baby anti-wrinkle injections work for crow's feet and frown lines?
For fine lines, often: they soften while you can still smile and frown. For deep frown lines or strong muscles, a lighter dose may do too little; in the trial of 80 women, the lowest dose was clearly less effective for frown lines than the higher ones. The doctor tells you which areas a light dose suits.
Are baby anti-wrinkle injections worth it in your twenties, as prevention?
Sometimes, if a line already shows and bothers you. The idea behind starting early is that a muscle that folds the skin less leaves a shallower line, but evidence that it prevents lines in the long term is limited, and repeated high doses can thin a muscle, an expert consensus cautions. If there is nothing yet to treat, the doctor will say so.
How many units are in baby anti-wrinkle injections?
There is no set number. Units measure one product's dose and are not comparable between products, so a figure quoted elsewhere doesn't carry over. A baby dose simply means fewer units at each point than a full effect on your muscles would need.
Baby anti-wrinkle injections before and after: what changes, and when?
We describe results rather than show photographs. Fine lines soften gradually over about two weeks, and the face keeps its movement, a little more gently. The review at two weeks is where a little can be added. Lines etched at rest change less.
Are baby anti-wrinkle injections good or bad, and are the side effects milder?
The side effects are the same kind as with any dose: small bruises and a passing headache are common, and less often a brow or eyelid droops for a few weeks. What a lighter dose changes is the effect: lighter, and often shorter.
Do baby anti-wrinkle injections work for men, on the forehead too?
They can, but men's facial muscles are, on average, larger, and in a trial of 80 men treated for frown lines, the higher doses worked better and lasted longer than the lowest one, so a light dose may fade sooner. Anti-wrinkle injections for men have their own page.
How long before a wedding should I have baby anti-wrinkle injections?
At least two weeks before, so the effect has fully developed and there is time for the review; three to four weeks gives more room. A lighter dose suits people who want to look rested and still show every expression.
What aftercare do baby anti-wrinkle injections need?
Very little. Leave make-up off and don't rub or press the area for about six hours; normal activities can usually resume after about four. There's no need to keep the muscles still or to exercise them, and an expert consensus found no evidence for avoiding exercise or flying. A cold pack helps with a small bruise, and the review is at about two weeks.
Baby anti-wrinkle injections benefits and reviews: what does the research show?
We don't publish testimonials, so here is what the research shows. Lower doses soften movement lines while keeping expression, which an expert consensus describes as the trend for the upper face. The trade-off is how long it lasts: in a trial of 80 women, the lowest dose had worn off by four months in about eight in ten. Across studies of upper-face treatment, a drooping eyelid or brow affected about 3 in 100 people and settled on its own.
Baby anti-wrinkle injections and pregnancy: can I have them when pregnant or breastfeeding?
No: treatment waits, whatever the dose, because the medicine's safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding has not been adequately studied. If you find you are pregnant after a treatment, tell your doctor.
Sources
- Sundaram H, Signorini M, Liew S, et al. Global Aesthetics Consensus: botulinum toxin type A—evidence-based review, emerging concepts, and consensus recommendations for aesthetic use, including updates on complications. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2016;137(3):518e–529e.
- Carruthers A, Carruthers J, Said S. Dose-ranging study of botulinum toxin type A in the treatment of glabellar rhytids in females. Dermatol Surg. 2005;31(4):414–422.
- Carruthers A, Carruthers J. Prospective, double-blind, randomized, parallel-group, dose-ranging study of botulinum toxin type A in men with glabellar rhytids. Dermatol Surg. 2005;31(10):1297–1303.
- Keaney TC, Alster TS. Botulinum toxin in men: review of relevant anatomy and clinical trial data. Dermatol Surg. 2013;39(10):1434–1443.
- Goodman GJ, Liew S, Callan P, Hart S. Facial aesthetic injections in clinical practice: pretreatment and posttreatment consensus recommendations to minimise adverse outcomes. Australas J Dermatol. 2020;61(3):217–225.
Updated 31 October 2026