Is There a Difference Between Botox and Fillers?

When it comes to skincare and relying on medical procedures to help your skin appear younger and more youthful, you have a wide variety of options to help you achieve your goals. While you can always go the way of traditional surgical procedures, more and more “instant facelift” type procedures are cropping up on the market. These procedures give you the option to reach many of the same goals, only without going under the knife as you would in a traditional cosmetic surgery procedure. These are often referred to as injectables, and they come in a variety of different kinds – all with different purposes. Two of the most popular categories of these injectables include Botox and fillers.

What is Botox?

Botox is a popular injectable that works by relaxing the muscles in the face, head, neck, and even other areas. It blocks the area’s nerve impulses. Botox is one of the first injectables to gain a lot of traction in the beauty industry, as well as the medical industry, and is completely FDA approved for both reasons. It is a very sought-after procedure that has gained more and more popularity around the world, and for good reason – Botox is a fairly simple procedure that involves very little downtime and does not take long at all – typically only twenty to thirty minutes. This makes it ideal as a lunch break treatment because you can easily get back to the rest of your daily routine after getting the Botox injections.

What is Botox Used For?

Botox is typically used to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on the head, face, neck, and other areas. It allows your muscles to relax so that the area receiving the Botox treatment does not have as clearly visible lines when contracting the muscles. Botox has also been approved to treat migraines in those who suffer from chronic migraines, as well as can help control excessive sweating or bladder control issues.

What are Fillers?

Fillers, such as Voluma and Juvederm, are more options to consider when looking to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Unlike Botox, fillers do not help to relax areas of the face, neck, and other areas, helping to decrease the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Instead, fillers are made out of body safe materials (such as hyaluronic acid) and are effective for filling out the cheeks and other areas of the face. Once the area of the face has been filled in with these fillers, lines and wrinkles become less obvious, and can even disappear altogether. Fillers are good for bringing a more youthful appearance to the skin, reducing the appearance of acne scars or other scars, and even making areas of the face, such as lips, appear fuller. Fillers are not intended to be used for medical purposes, such as excessive sweating. For medical conditions, Botox is the right call.

How Long Do Injectables Last?

While all injectables have their own timetables for how long they will last and when touch-ups will be needed, it is hard to give a definite answer. Most injectables will last anywhere from three months to a year, either with or without touch-ups in between. Botox tends to last between three and five months before needing another set of injections, whereas some fillers can last longer. At the sign of needing a touch-up, making another appointment will be the way to go in order to prolong your results and make them last. 

Which is Right for Me?

When it comes to figuring out what is right for you, it is best to ask your doctor or other healthcare professionals, especially if you aren’t sure. Depending on your goals, your doctor may suggest leaning more towards one way or the other. For example, if you are looking for an FDA-approved solution to a medical problem, you would want to go for Botox. For fuller-looking lips, however, you would want to look into the different assortment of fillers that are available to you. 

If you would like to learn more about Botox, other fillers, or even to discuss your options to find out which injectable is right for you, call the office of Dr. Ghozland today at 310-393-9359!