Both botox and dermal fillers are administered through injections and are classified as cosmetic treatments. Besides both being minimally invasive, they are very different in nature and the results they provide.
What is Botox?
Botox freezes muscles using purified bacteria, reducing the appearance of lines and wrinkles brought on by facial expressions. Without movement in these areas, wrinkles become softened or even removed. It is commonly used to correct dynamic wrinkles such as lines on your forehead and crow’s feet.
Botox will not correct wrinkles and fine lines caused by sagging, known as static wrinkles. Static wrinkles include lines in cheeks, jowl, and neck. It is not a permanent solution, requiring repeated treatments every 3 to 4 months to continue experiencing wrinkle-reducing effects.
Sometimes referred to as soft tissue fillers, dermal fillers restore fullness to areas that have thinned due to aging, mainly around the cheeks, mouth, and lips. Products vary wildly with how long it takes to work and how long the filler lasts. Some fillers can last up to 2 years or longer with others falling short at 6 months.
Different dermal fillers products are designed to treat varying signs of aging. They can:
Differences include:
Botox: freezes muscle groups to prevent wrinkles caused by facial expressions, and is mainly used in the upper face, forehead, and eyes. Botox treatments generally last three to four months.
Dermal fillers: use hyaluronic acid (and similar chemicals) to plump areas that have lost natural contours and smoothness. It is used to reduce the severity of wrinkles around the cheeks, mouth, and lips, and anywhere else where people have lost fullness. Dermal fillers can also be used to flatten out scars and forehead wrinkles. Dermal fillers can last up to and beyond two years depending on the product.