Many people are interested in enhancing their appearance. While optimizing your lifestyle with dietary changes and exercise can help you realize this objective, there are often bodily imperfections that are only responsive to cosmetic treatments. This is especially true when trying to combat the common signs of aging. If you’re interested in treating lines, wrinkles and volume loss in your skin, you may have considered BOTOX® or dermal fillers. But, what’s the difference?
BOTOX®: The Basics
BOTOX® is a non-surgical procedure that temporarily eliminates or reduces the appearance of crow’s feet, forehead creases, and frown lines. The botulinum toxin used in the BOTOX® procedure blocks nerve impulses, and this will temporarily paralyze the muscles responsible for causing wrinkles. It will also give the skin a more youthful, smooth appearance.
Dermal Fillers: The Basics
Dermal fillers are used to restore fullness and volume to the face. They are also used to help decrease the appearance of facial lines. During the aging process, our faces start to lose subcutaneous fat. When this happens, our facial muscles begin working closer to the surface of the skin. This results in more visible crow’s feet and smile lines.
The skin of the face stretches a bit during the aging process. When this happens, the face loses a bit of its volume. Other factors that can adversely affect the skin of the face include lifestyle, heredity, and sun exposure.
What Can Dermal Fillers Do?
- Plump up thin lips
- Enhance the skin’s shallow contours
- Soften wrinkles and facial creases
- Diminish the appearance of recessed scars
The Best Candidates for Dermal Fillers
The best candidates for dermal fillers are those who:
- Do not smoke
- Are mentally and physically healthy
- Maintain a positive life outlook
- Have realistic goals and expectations regarding improvements to their physical appearance
Making the Decision
If you are attempting to decide whether BOTOX® or dermal fillers would be best for you, remember that dynamic wrinkles (those that result from facial movement) are most responsive to BOTOX®. On the other hand, dermal fillers can be used for both static wrinkles (those that become visible when your face relaxes) and dynamic wrinkles.
Determining whether BOTOX® or dermal fillers will be ideal for you is also contingent upon the kind of wrinkles you have as well as the positioning of the muscles on your face. Schedule a consultation with our team at MacMed Spa, Salon and Medical. We can recommend the safest and most effective treatments for your individual needs. Contact MacMed today to learn more.