You’re all ready to sign up for a Botox treatment, when you start to see the results of another kind of injectable therapy: Others in your group have used dermal fillers to turn back the clock. How did they decide which treatment to use? And how should you decide?
When you’re overwhelmed by the number of choices you now have to make aesthetic improvements in your face, Farzin Kerendian, DO, FACOS, FAACS, and our team at Desired Beauty can help. At our offices in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, and Bakersfield, California, we take the time to go through your options, evaluate your needs, and help you choose.
The most appropriate treatment for you depends on a host of factors. Our team makes recommendations based on your skin, overall health, medical history, and your longer-term goals.
All wrinkles aren’t the same
Did you know that different wrinkles are caused by different factors? An important factor in choosing between a filler and Botox has to do with whether you want to treat dynamic or static wrinkles.
Dynamic wrinkles are formed when your facial muscles move your skin in certain ways. For example, you may notice crow’s-feet around your eyes when you smile. Crow’s-feet are dynamic wrinkles. So are frown lines, bunny lines, and forehead furrows.
Other wrinkles are caused by a breakdown and thinning of your skin, often due to sun damage and aging. When your skin loses collagen and elastin, it begins to sag and fold. This kind of wrinkle isn’t affected by your face’s dynamism. That’s why they’re called static wrinkles.
How Botox and fillers work
Even though both neuromodulators and fillers are injected into wrinkles to erase them, they work very differently. Botox is a neurotoxin. It works by blocking nerve signals that tell the muscles that cause your wrinkles to contract.
For example, Botox is often used to treat the two lines between your eyebrows that form a number 11. Neuromodulators prevent the muscles that cause those wrinkles from contracting. You can still move your eyebrows and don’t lose your expressiveness, but those wrinkles don’t appear between your eyes anymore.
Fillers, on the other hand, do just what their name implies: They fill in the wrinkles. Fillers plump your skin, smoothing away the wrinkles. There are different types of fillers, as well. Some use the active ingredient calcium hydroxylapatite to stimulate collagen production.
Other fillers contain hyaluronic acid, which immediately plumps up your skin and creates more volume. Some fillers last longer than others, and some are better for treating certain areas or kinds of wrinkles.
Of course, you may have a mixture of both dynamic and static wrinkles. If so, we may recommend combining both Botox and fillers.
Longevity, risks, and other considerations
Botox has been in use for decades. Botox is very safe, particularly when administered by qualified professionals like our staff. In fact, Botox injections are one of the most commonly performed cosmetic procedures in the world.
Similarly, All of the fillers we offer are FDA approved and safe. One reason it’s important to get an evaluation and customized treatment suggestions is that your medical history is unique. You deserve a plan designed for your individual circumstances.
The effects of neuromodulators usually last about 3-4 months. However, if you make them part of your regular beauty routine, you’re likely to need fewer over time. Fillers tend to last longer, but they also vary, so the exact amount of time you can enjoy the results depends on which one you choose.
Erase your wrinkles and boost your confidence by booking a Botox or filler treatment today. Contact our team by phoning the office nearest you, or booking an appointment online.
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