Fillers VS Botox...What's The Difference?

I get asked this question a lot.

Whilst both fillers and Botox are injectables that can be used to make skin look younger, there is a big difference between the two.

Botox

Botox is technically a brand of Botulinum toxin but you'll probably hear the word Botox used to mean any brand of anti-wrinkle injections. Anti-wrinkle toxins come as a powder which is mixed with saline to create an injectable liquid. This liquid is injected into specific muscles, relaxing those muscles and causing temporary paralysis. The toxin works by blocking the nerve signals that tell those muscles to contract.

When certain muscles in your face contract, it creates

what we call dynamic wrinkles. The most common dynamic wrinkles that Botox can treat are lines on your upper face, such as the frown lines between your eyebrows, horizontal lines on your forehead, and crow’s feet around your eyes. These lines are caused by smiling, frowning, squinting, and other facial expressions.

By prohibiting these facial movements, anti-wrinkle injections are able to soften the appearance of existing wrinkles and prevent the formation of new ones. Botox will not work on wrinkles caused by sagging or loss of plumpness in the face as these are not caused by muscle movement. These are known as static wrinkles and include lines in the cheeks, neck, and jowl areas.

Botox can also be used for purposes that are not just cosmetic. The injections can be used to treat migraines, overactive bladders, excessive sweating and bruxism (teeth grinding/jaw clenching).

The injections are given using a fine needle and the pain is minimal. You will not see a change straight away. It takes about 3 or 4 days to start working, and around 2 weeks to see the full effect. The results usually last around 3 - 4 months. You will usually have a review after 2 weeks to check the results and a top up might be given if there is still some movement in the muscles. Contrary to what people often assume, topping up when it's not necessary will not make the Botox last any longer as 3 - 4 months is how long it takes your nerves to regenerate.

Fillers

Fillers on the other hand are injected beneath the surface skin to fill lines and wrinkles, plump up your skin and add volume and definition. Fillers can work on those static wrinkles that Botox cannot.

The main areas for fillers are your lips, chin, cheeks, nasolabial lines (nose to mouth), marionette lines (mouth to chin), smokers lines around the lips, jawline and tear troughs. You can also have what is known as a non-surgical nose job or liquid rhinoplasty to correct bumps in your nasal bridge.

Fillers are slightly more uncomfortable than Botox so you'll be given numbing cream before the treatment. You might experience some swelling, bruising and tenderness afterwards but this is easily managed with paracetamol.

The effects of fillers lasts a lot longer than Botox, typically between 6-12 months.

Both fillers and Botox are often used together to give the best results for anti-aging.

Book your appointment for fillers and Botox now or arrange a free consultation to chat about which treatments are suitable for you.

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