BOTOX® Cosmeticand dermal fillersare a proven non-surgical way to soften and reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines along the face to provide you with a more youthful look. However, while BOTOX® Cosmetic and fillers may appear to do the same thing cosmetically, they have different ways of functioning, and interested patients may be better suited for one or the other. The best way to determine which would be right for you is to understand what they are and how they work.
RELAXING VERSUS FILLING
For years, BOTOX® Cosmetic has been the gold standard for non-invasive wrinkle reduction. BOTOX® Cosmetic is made up of botulinum toxin type A that, when injected, temporarily paralyzes the muscles, forcing them to relax and smooth. As many of the treatable areas are a result of repeated muscle movements and contractions (such as fine lines and wrinkles along the forehead and around the eyes and mouth), the relaxing of these muscles are all that may be needed to give your face a refreshed and youthful look.
A youthful appearance is more than just smooth and tight skin; it also means having fullness and plumpness in the right areas. As we age, our faces lose some of the fat that gives us that youthful glow, and we are left with contours that look hollow and tired. Unlike BOTOX® Cosmetic, dermal fillers do not affect the muscles. Instead, fillers are designed to add volume to areas of the face that have lost it, such as the cheek area and around the lips. By adding volume to the right places, sunken areas in the face will be a thing of the past, and wrinkles will be diminished to give you subtle improvement and a natural look.
WHAT DO SPECIFIC INJECTABLES TREAT?
- BOTOX® Cosmetic softens lines on the forehead, between the eyebrows, around the eyes, and around the mouth. Additionally, BOTOX® can be used to help aid those who suffer from chronic migraines or excessive sweating.
- JUVÉDERM Ultra® adds volume to hollowed cheeks, severe facial wrinkles, and the lips.
- JUVÉDERM VOLBELLA® augments the lips, corrects dark circles under the eyes, and can lessen the appearance of vertical lip lines.
- JUVÉDERM VOLUMA® adds volume to the cheeks while diminishing the appearance of wrinkles in the midface.
- Restylane® augments the lips and fills facial hollows. This improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
- Sculptra® Aesthetic works to gradually add fullness and minimize wrinkles. This works by stimulating your body’s natural collagen production.
- Radiesse® also stimulates collagen production while restoring volume to the lower part of the face such as nasolabial folds.
ALL ARE TEMPORARY
While BOTOX® Cosmetic and dermal fillers treat different areas in different ways, the one thing they have in common is they are temporary solutions, lasting from a few months to one year. Although these are gradually absorbed by the body, these injectables can be repeated as needed and can give you noticeable, natural improvements without having to consider surgery. No matter which you choose, both BOTOX® Cosmetic and dermal fillers will leave you feeling rejuvenated.
