While both treatments are delivered via syringe, Botox and fillers are 100% different. Botox works by relaxing the nerve from muscles to smooth out wrinkles caused by repetitive facial expressions. It works best for lines in the forehead, in between the brows and in the corners of the eye.
Fillers can be used in combination with Botox to treat your wrinkles. Botox can be injected to the upper third of the face because to treat ‘angry 11’ lines and crow’s feet, while dermal fillers can be used to treat the lower two-thirds of the face where most deep wrinkles reside.
Injecting dermal filler is not only a science but also an art. This only makes it important to find a skilled and trained injector or aesthetic doctor with a good reputation and extensive experience.
Dermal filler treatments today are on the rise and it is easy to understand why. Apart from filling in volume loss, these injectables can also plump the skin and give it a youthful look. Fillers, furthermore, can be used on different parts of the face (around the eyes, cheeks, nose, mouth, and jawline) for overall facial rejuvenation.
Fillers are mostly used for restoring lost volume and adding lift, but they can do more than that. Before we dive into the other things that fillers can do, it is important to understand first what facial fillers are and what they are usually made of.
What exactly are dermal fillers?
As mentioned before, dermal fillers are gel-like substances used to fill in and restore lost volume in the face. Most fillers today are made of naturally occurring substances in the body like hyaluronic acid (Juvederm) and calcium (Radiesse), which makes the procedure safe with low risk of allergy.
The fillers are metabolized by the body and gradually disappear over time. Results can be seen almost immediately and can last from at least six months to two years, depending on the type of fillers used. Just take note that it can take about two weeks for the fillers to completely blend with the surrounding tissues.
Hyaluronic Acid or HA Fillers
Hyaluronic acid, a substance naturally produced by the body, is responsible for retaining water to keep the skin tissues moist and well lubricated. Dermal fillers made from HA can replenish the body’s production of the substance, which then helps restore lost skin volume and structure. HA dermal filler that can make the skin look firm and restored. It can be safely used to:
– Restore volume to sunken cheeks
– Reduce dark circles and eye bags
– Improve fine lines and nasolabial folds
– Fill and plump the lips
– Increase the height of the nose bridge