Many people are aware of the anti-aging abilities of BOTOX and dermal fillers. Both treatments are favorites of the men and women that travel from as far as the Dothan, AL, and Valdosta, GA, areas to our plastic surgery practice in Tallahassee, FL. However, while both BOTOX and fillers are powerful tools for restoring a youthful appearance in the face, they accomplish this in very different ways.
In this blog post, we’ll discuss the most misunderstood differences between these popular injectable treatments.
How do they work?
Neuromodulators (such as BOTOX, Dysport®, Jeuveau®, and XEOMIN®) work by relaxing the specific muscles that repeatedly contract to cause wrinkles. Relaxing these muscles prevents the resulting wrinkles from etching more deeply into the skin. Learn more about this process in our previous blog post.
Dermal fillers (such as JUVÉDERM®, Restylane®, and RADIESSE®) work by adding volume under the skin, effectively “filling in” depressions and smoothing out the skin. Many fillers are made of hyaluronic acid, a naturally hydrating substance found in the body that plumps up the skin and dissolves naturally over time
What do they treat?
Neuromodulators address dynamic wrinkles, often found in the upper face. This includes glabellar lines between the eyebrows, horizontal frown lines, and crow’s feet along the outer corners of the eyes.
Fillers address wrinkles caused by lost volume, often in the lower face. They can treat other issues related to insufficient volume as well, such as thin lips, fallen cheeks, and even aging hands.
What is the treatment experience like?
The treatment experience for both procedures is very similar. Both treatments are nonsurgical and brief, often regarded as “lunch break” procedures because they require so little downtime.
Your appointment will start with a consultation, where you’ll discuss your aesthetic goals to help your provider determine the best product and approach for you. He or she will then administer a short series of injections that typically lasts less than 30 minutes.
With neuromodulators, you may return to work and other daily activities right away. With dermal fillers, you may experience some redness, swelling, or bruising around your injection sites for up to a week.
When will I see results?
With dermal fillers, you will start to see results immediately. These results may last for as long as 6 months to 2 years before the product naturally dissolves.
Neuromodulators take a bit longer to work. Depending on the product, you may notice results after 2 to 14 days. These results usually last between 3 and 6 months.
To see examples of the BOTOX results you can expect at Southeastern Plastic Surgery, please visit our before-and-after photo gallery.
If you live near the Dothan, AL, Destin, FL, or Valdosta, GA, areas and would like to learn more about BOTOX at our Tallahassee, FL plastic surgery practice, please contact us online or call (850) 219-2000.
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