Should I Go For Botox Or Fillers For Smoother Skin?

Facial rejuvenation is a series of cosmetic treatments that are aimed at restoring the youthful look of the facial skin. Different methods can be used for facial rejuvenation, but two of the most common types of these cosmetic treatments are Botox and dermal fillers.

Signs that you need a Botox or a dermal filler treatment

There are many signs that one may want Botox or dermal fillers, but the most common ones are:

• Fine lines on your forehead
• Lines found on the sides of your mouth and around your eyes
• Eyebrows and eyelids are droopy
• Hollow or saggy cheeks

These signs and others making you look older or tired may lead you to explore your options for younger-looking skin. Before you decide on which skin treatment is right for you, you should know what both treatments are and what they entail.

Find more details below on what exactly Botox and dermal fillers are, how they work and the advantages of using either of them.

What is Botox?

Botox is simply a form of purified botulinum toxin which is obtained from bacteria. This neurotoxic protein is harmful when used in larger amounts. The same protein is very beneficial when used in the right measures to reduce facial wrinkles and fine lines. Botox has been used safely as a facial rejuvenation treatment botulinum toxin for decades. It works by temporarily neutralizing or paralyzing muscles through needle injections in the targeted areas.

Apart from being used for facial rejuvenation, Botox has also been used by some people to reduce sweating, migraines, some bowel issues and muscular disorders.

When used in high concentrations, botulinum toxin could cause a disease known as botulism, a hazardous illness that if left untreated, can cause respiratory failure and eventually death. Despite this fact, Botox is currently in high demand with over 6 million treatments worldwide in a year.

Botox is used primarily to treat wrinkles and facial fine lines. It is administered in tiny amounts and then injected into the affected areas. Because of its toxic properties, it is highly recommended to only have this treatment done by experts who are trained and qualified.

How Botox works

Botox can only work on wrinkles, sometimes referred to as expression lines often caused by facial muscle movements. The expression lines that Botox can treat are the lines on the forehead, the ones that are found between the eyebrows and also crow’s feet found around your eyes.

For wrinkles to occur, muscles must contract. For muscles to contract, the nerves release acetylcholine at the meeting point of the muscle cells and the nerve endings. Acetylcholine then causes the muscles to either shorten or contract. When Botox is injected in the areas with wrinkles in minimal amounts, it inhibits the release of this neurotransmitter.

Botox is not a one-time treatment; one must do regular injections for Botox to maintain a firm and smooth skin appearance.

Botox side effects

Along with the intended benefits of this treatment, Botox may also cause some unwanted side effects that may or may not affect the Botox user. Below are some of the side effects associated with the treatment.

• Mild pain and reddening of the skin where the injection was administered
• Mild nausea
• Mild headache
• Flu-like feeling
• Dry mouth
• Rashes or allergic reactions

What are dermal fillers?

Dermal fillers are commonly referred to as soft tissue fillers. They are small injections with gel consisting of hyaluronic acid. Dermal fillers are designed to fill up wrinkles on the face and add some volume to the soft tissue on the skin.

Dermal fillers are administered to areas around the eyes, mouth, jawline and cheeks. Dermal lip fillers are also administered directly into the lip tissue to add volume to the size of the lips.

How dermal fillers work

Dermal fillers tend to add volume to the skin for a smoother and younger appearance, when injected into your facial skin. Dermal fillers may hurt when they are being injected, but some anesthetic may be applied on the face before the treatment to reduce pain or discomfort.

Dermal filler side effects

You may experience some minimal mild side effects after the fillers have been injected. Below are the side effects that you may experience:

• Skin rashes
• Skin redness
• Mild skin itching

Advantages of Botox vs. Dermal Fillers

Botox vs fillers – which one is the best? Both perform similar effects on the skin, but they both deliver slightly different results. Below are some of the advantages that both have on your skin:

• The effects of Botox or fillers for frown lines are immediate, unlike anti-ageing creams.
• The results of using these cosmetic treatments are both subtle on the face, however, dermal fillers tend to be more visible.
• These two complement each other – Botox works on dynamic wrinkles while fillers work on static wrinkles.
• They are less invasive in that they are not surgical.
• The effects of using both of the cosmetic treatments are quite intermediate lasting.

Other skin rejuvenation treatments

Apart from Botox or fillers, other skin rejuvenation treatments can be administered to your skin and improve the overall look of it:

1. Eyelid surgery
2. Facelifts
3. Non-invasive skin tightening
4. Anti-wrinkle injections
5. Neck lift

Those are just a few of the treatments currently used for skin rejuvenation, but Botox and dermal fillers are the most popular in the cosmetic industry. Both are known to be safer and more effective than any other skin rejuvenation treatments available on the market.

To identify which of the two works better for you, you should consult a plastic surgeon or a professional trained and qualified in this area of cosmetic treatments.

At Muswell Hill Smile you can get an initial consultation with our expert plastic surgeon Dr Ali Esmaeili, who is specialized in Botox and dermal filler treatments. He will be able to advise you on the best course of action, identifying your skin’s requirements and your ideal look.