Botox or fillers? Which will work best for you?

Before figuring out which treatment is best for you, it's important to understand the purpose of them. One is primarily preventative while the other is great for correction, and sometimes patients need a combination of both depending on the aging concerns they need addressed. In general, botox is used to treat expression lines in areas such as:

• Forehead
• Eyebrows
• Around the lips
• Crow's feet around the eyes

Filler, on the other hand, is primarily used to treat moderate to severe wrinkles, volume loss, or to create better facial contour and reduce the appearance of crepey skin in the hands, face, or other parts of the body. Unlike botox, fillers add volume to the areas they treat, which usually include:

• Lip lines
• Laugh lines
• Loss of volume in the cheeks
• Chin or jawline augmentation
• Sunken scars
• Aging skin on the hands

Should you get botox?

You know better than anyone what issues you're dealing with when it comes to your skin, and now that you have a clearer understanding of the difference between the two treatments, it's best to explain your skin concerns during your appointment so we can help you decide where you'll get the best results. For example, if you're fretting about horizontal lines across your forehead, more pronounced crow's feet, or a deep frown line that always seems to be visible, you'll be thrilled with how much botox can help. The lines are caused almost entirely by your facial expressions, and once you stop that muscle movement the lines should smooth out soon after. And if you're dealing with a drooping eyebrow, botox injected into the forehead in the right places will help give you a slight lift without hindering your ability to make natural facial expressions. 

What if you only want a little less muscle movement?

Some patients come in with very mild expression lines, and they aren't quite ready to freeze all movement in certain areas. For patients like this, we sometimes recommend a treatment called "Baby Botox" (aka microbotox), and it's exactly what it sounds like. Very tiny amounts of botox are used across the face in a pattern that simply limits your facial movements instead of freezing them all the way. It can be a great way to maintain your natural expressions without allowing enough movement for lines to form. Baby botox can also improve your skin's quality tremendously, including diminishing pore size, reducing rosacea, and improving texture. 

Should you try filler?

If your face still shows deep lines even when you aren't making any expression, it might mean that your skin has gotten so accustomed to the lines that they no longer fade away when your smiles or frowns do. Botox is a great start to getting rid of them, but if they don't fade completely it may be a sign that your skin needs extra help in the area. And there are certain things botox simply can't do, such as changing the contour of your cheeks, filling in any hollow areas around the eyes, or adding fullness to your lips. Fillers are going to provide a fast result for all of these issues, and will add nourishing hyaluronic acid to areas where your skin needs it most.

Some important things to remember...

Both forms of injectables are highly effective at what they do, but it's important to remember a few things about the treatments you choose to do so you're happy with your result and your expectations are met. It's important to remember:

• Botox and fillers do not provide results instantly. Botox can take anywhere from 2-7 days to reach full effect, so don't fret if you are still seeing muscle movement before then. Fillers will show an increase in volume instantly, but it's important that you remember that the treated area is swollen immediately after your treatment, and your REAL result is usually only visible after about 4 or 5 days. 
• You might need a combination of both treatments. Sometimes a combination of lifestyle, sun damage, and other skin conditions can accelerate the signs of aging, and a dual approach is going to give you the best result.
• Injectables aren't just for older patients. In fact, starting botox in your thirties will give you a strong head start to preventing the signs of aging for much longer than usual.
• Fillers aren't just for lips. Many patients associate fillers with a plumper pout, but as you can see they have many uses that go beyond fuller lips. You can get rid of old acne scars, fill in wrinkles, give yourself a more defined jawline or cheek bone, and give aging hands a refreshed appearance.
• Both treatments are temporary. If for some reason you decide that injectables aren't your thing, it will be gone within a few months. And fillers can be dissolved if you feel like you have too much. 

Interested in trying botox? Give us a call at 561-805-9399 or email us at info@supriyamd.com to schedule an appointment.