With selfies and zoom calls, we have all become more focused on our faces, analyzing our skin and every line and wrinkle. In addition to all the anti-aging products on the market, welcome to the world of facial injectables.

Botox and Dermal Fillers are medical cosmetic procedures that are similar in that they are injected with a syringe and needle, but the products do completely different things.

Comparing Treatments

Botox addresses the lines of movement, meaning those you get from years of moving such as the 11’s you get from furrowing your brows, or the crow’s feet from smiling or squinting. Whereas

Fillers help to restore the natural volume loss that occurs with age, such as cheeks, lips, and the folds on the sides of your nose.

Botox is a brand name of a specific Botulinum toxin; however, we have four other FDA-approved Botulinum toxins in the U.S. (Dysport, Juveau, Xeomin, and Daxxify). Botox is the only one of the five approved to treat the 11’s, forehead lines, crow’s feet, migraines, and excessive sweating. Other uses, such as treating lip lines, neck lines, and the masseter muscles that can cause TMJ syndrome is considered off-label use.

Botox and the group of neuromodulators are injected with very small needles and feel like momentary pinches. It may take four to seven days to begin, and up to 14 days to see the full relaxation and softening of the lines.

The question always is how long does it last?

Botox is indicated to last 90-120 days, as are the other products in the group of neuromodulators, with the exception of Daxxify, the newest FDA product which is approved to last longer. How much longer depends on the person being injected, as they are all temporary and one person such as a runner or gym rat may metabolize faster than another person. Generally, people get their Botox every three to four months.

The side effects can be temporary redness, bruising, headache, and, in some cases, a droopy eye if the forehead over relaxes, but only temporary.

Fillers, on the other hand, are cosmetic gels commonly made of hyaluronic acid, which also naturally occurs in the body, which fills in deep wrinkles, and restores volume to the area where it is lost. The most popular fillers include Juvéderm, Restylane, RHA, Revanesse, and Belotero. They differ in how they are engineered to be thinner or thicker to fill in fine lines and wrinkles, or to have more lifting power such as needed in the cheeks.

Fillers help with the lines on the face at rest, or the folds such as the nasolabial folds, and marionette lines, as well as restoring structure and volume to the cheeks, jawline, chin, lips, nose, and the tear trough under the eyes.

The Juvéderm line of products presently has six different products to volumize every area on the face, and is used off-label on neck, earlobes, and décolleté, as well. Unlike Botox, the result can be seen immediately, and the products are FDA approved to last from nine to 24 months.

Other Injectable Products

There are other products such as Sculptra and Radiesse which are considered fillers, but are not made of hyaluronic acid and work by stimulating your own collagen.

If you are seeing a trained and qualified medical injector, the side effects are minimal which can include bruising, redness, and swelling. There is a possibility of an inadvertent injection into a blood vessel which can cause necrosis to the local tissue. An experienced medical injector can recognize and rapidly reverse this to cause no harm.

Which is right for you?

At Simply Skin Medical Spa, your trained medical professional will assess your concerns and assist you in deciding if you need muscle relaxation for the lines of movement, versus lifting and volume replacement. The two can be combined in the same treatment.

Dr. Cynthia Hoffmeier, is a certified master injector and has been injecting for 21 years. She has experience with every Botulinum toxin and filler on the U.S. market and has preferences which is best suited for each person’s concerns.

She has trained nurses and physician assistants to also perform these procedures in the Simply Skin Medical Spa, and elsewhere.

Whether it be Botox or Filler, only FDA-approved products purchased from distributors in the United States are used at Simply Skin.

Dr. Hoffmeier cautions that non-medical people are not permitted to inject in any state, and no one should allow non-FDA approved products to be used in their treatments.

You can schedule a complimentary consultation at Simply Skin and see which is right for you!

Call Simply Skin today at 814-227-2362 to schedule.