The Battle of Derma Fillers and Botox Continues

The Battle of Derma Fillers and Botox Continues

We all desire that youthful and vibrant feeling, for there’s way too much beauty in the world to miss out on. And yet, no matter how fast -or how long- we try to run away, aging always catches us with us eventually. It starts with one laugh line, and then it seems there’s a new line showing up with every passing day.

Luckily for us, aesthetic medicine has got us covered. There are many cosmetic treatments available for every wrinkle, line, sagging or just plain old thin lips that you want to fill up a little more. You might have heard your friend talking about how the Botox injection she got changes her life completely, and then another one telling you how amazing derma fillers are! To this day, the battle between dermafillers and Botox is still ongoing, and it’s becoming a little too confusing for you to decide on what you really want.

Derma Fillers Vs. Botox: Similarities and Differences

Simply put, derma fillers and Botox have only one thing in common: they’re both non-invasive cosmetic treatments delivered by injections, to give instant results. Everything else about them is different.

What Are Derma Fillers?

Derma fillers refer to a variety of synthetic substances that can be injected under the skin to give a fuller or a plumbier look, the most commonly used of which is hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic derma fillers can be injected to fill in the sagging skin resulting from aging, the laugh lines around the mouth and lips, crow lines around the eyes, or into thin lips to make them fuller.

Depending on the kind of filler you use, the effects may last 4 months, or (in case of hyaluronic derma fillers) up to a year. It’s not permanent, however, so if you want to maintain the effects of the fillers, you’ll have to have repeated sessions with your board-certified plastic surgeon or dermatologist.

What About Botox?

Botox, short for Botulinum Toxin, is a neurotoxic protein produced from a bacterium known as Clostridium Botulinum. Botox works in such a way that paralyzes the muscles it’s injected into, so the muscle becomes relaxed and almost wrinkle free.

Did that sound scary? It is, actually, as high levels of this toxin is fatal. In very little amounts, however, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) marks it to be completely safe. It’s too safe that as of 2015, there were over 6.7 million botox procedures performed.

What botox doesn’t fix though, is the static wrinkles. It won’t do any work in case you want to fill in your sagging cheeks or neck lines. It only works with dynamic wrinkles, namely those produced by the moving muscles in the upper face: in the forehead and around the eyes. As with the derma fillers, botox injections aren’t permanent treatment either, usually lasting 3 to 4 months on average.

Derma Fillers Vs. Botox: When To Choose What

While they’re both usually associated together when speaking of aesthetic procedures, and while there’s a lot of confusion around which is better, derma fillers and botox are two completely different treatments. In fact, some plastic surgeons recommend a combined treatment using both of them.

If you want a cosmetic treatment to regain back your youthful and vibrant look, it will be best if you decide on what exactly you want fixed. Which area in your face, and what kind of aging has hit it. Is it wrinkles because of too much frowning, laughter, or squinting? Is it your forehead lines, the 11-frown-lines between your eyebrows, or the crow lines around your eyes? If that’s the case, then botox is your go to choice.

If you’re complaining from the hollowness of sagging cheeks resulting from aging, or under-eye shadows and wrinkles, recessed scars or general, lower-face static wrinkles, then you go with derma fillers.

Bottom Line In Settling The Argument

Now that we’ve figured out that they’re both variables of different equations, we can put the arguments to rest. As it is with any procedure, there are definitely some risks associated with both derma filler and botox injections. That is very rare, however, and the key is to do your research well in choosing a well-reputed, board-certified plastic surgeon or dermatologist to do any of the procedures, or both together. There’s no need for confusion or fear, it’s time to get your beauty and live what life has to offer you to the max!