If you want a subtle refresh to your face and to bask in the glow of a more youthful you, BOTOX and dermal fillers are two minimally invasive options. These two procedures may work in different ways, but they achieve similar goals for your face and lips.
Men and women interested in rejuvenating their faces with dermal fillers and BOTOX® in the Charleston, SC, area often ask us which of the two is best for their needs. The answer often depends on what concerns they want to address. Here is what you should know about BOTOX and dermal fillers before you decide on a procedure.
Expression Lines and Wrinkles: BOTOX
If you have crow’s feet or other pesky fine lines and wrinkles that age your face, BOTOX can work wonders. Your provider will inject BOTOX to relax the muscles causing those expression lines, making them less prominent. BOTOX can work on many areas of facial expression, such as frown lines on the forehead and between the eyebrows and bunny lines around your nose.
Fine Lines, Deeper Wrinkles & Volume Loss: Dermal Fillers
Dermal fillers are injectable gels that work great on fine lines and deeper wrinkles, such as marionette lines. Dermal fillers are usually introduced underneath the skin to restore fullness and volume. You lose subcutaneous fat on your face over the years, which can highlight fine lines and wrinkles.
Dermal fillers plump up areas in your face where volume loss is most apparent, including:
- Under the eyes
- In the temples
- On the cheekbones
This additional volume adds fullness underneath slightly loose skin, making it appear firmer and more youthful.
Laugh Lines: Dermal Fillers & BOTOX
Dermal fillers are a go-to for laugh lines or nasolabial folds that can age your face. Whether your nasolabial folds are barely there or settled deeper in your face, dermal fillers can restore volume to these areas. To improve laugh lines, dermal fillers are placed in the cheek area where nasolabial folds tend to develop.
While dermal fillers have been the standard for laugh lines, new research shows that BOTOX can be just as effective. That’s because laugh lines are caused by both volume loss and muscle movement. BOTOX can address this muscle movement while dermal fillers cannot.
If you are trying to decide on either dermal fillers or BOTOX specifically for laugh lines, you will need your provider’s guidance. They will recommend the best procedure for you based on your facial anatomy and the severity of your nasolabial folds.
Dermal Fillers Can Add Volume to Lips
If you ever wanted plump, pouty, and beautifully shaped lips, dermal fillers can help. Dermal fillers consist of hyaluronic acid (HA), which is a naturally occurring substance in your body. When injected into the lips, HA can add fullness for a more youthful look. Dermal fillers can also be used to smooth out the vertical lines above the lips.
Are BOTOX and Dermal Fillers Safe?
According to the Mayo Clinic, BOTOX procedures have a good safety track record when performed by a qualified injector, although the procedure is not completely risk-free. When choosing an injector, you should review their experience and qualifications and disclose your own medical history, including any medications you are taking and if you are pregnant.
Dermal fillers are also considered safe, but side effects can occasionally occur. An experienced injector should perform your procedure with the use of FDA-approved fillers only. You may experience some minor redness and bruising at the injection site, but these side effects usually resolve within a few days.
You should not have BOTOX or dermal filler injections if you are pregnant or breastfeeding or have bleeding problems, an active infection, or allergies to any of the products’ ingredients.
Can You Combine Dermal Fillers and BOTOX?
You can easily combine these two procedures if you want to smooth out facial lines as well as restore volume to the face. You can opt for BOTOX for fine lines and wrinkles on the upper face and dermal fillers to fill out lines around the mouth. Pairing BOTOX with dermal fillers is so effective for facial rejuvenation that the combination is often called a “liquid facelift.”
It’s important to remember that BOTOX lasts up to 3 to 4 months, so you will need touch-up sessions to maintain your results. Dermal fillers may last up to a year or more, depending on the type of filler used and the facial areas treated.
Should I Choose BOTOX, Dermal Fillers, or Both?
Your facial rejuvenation goals and anatomy will determine whether BOTOX, dermal fillers, or a combination of both will be right for you. If you are mainly concerned about fine lines, wrinkles, and nasolabial folds, BOTOX is an excellent option to improve these issues. If you want to restore lost volume to your face and lips, you need dermal fillers.
Not everyone is a good candidate for a combination of procedures. You should discuss your concerns and goals with your plastic surgeon, and they can advise you on combining BOTOX and dermal fillers.
Rejuvenating your face can be fast, simple, and minimally invasive with BOTOX and dermal fillers. If you are ready to refresh and reset your look with one or both facial procedures, request a consultation or call us at (843) 722-5904 to schedule an appointment.
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