To someone who is new to the cosmetic injectable world, the terms ‘Botox’ and ‘dermal fillers’ can be slightly confusing in terms of how each type of product works. Read along and I will explain to you the basics when it comes to cosmetic injectables.
BOTOX/ DYSPORT/ XEOMIN:
Botox, Dysport, & Xeomin are all referred to as neuromodulators or neurotoxins. To make further reading more simple, we will refer to all of these neuromodulators as “Botox.” Botox is injected into facial muscles in an effort to soften or eliminate wrinkles by temporarily weakening/paralyzing them. It is important to keep in mind that Botox only works for dynamic wrinkles (wrinkles that are caused by repetitive facial expressions and movements) and that Botox does not work for static wrinkles (wrinkles that stay on your face even when you are not making facial expressions/movements). Botox, Dysport, & Xeomin all do the same thing, the only major difference in them is that they all come from different manufacturers. All of the neuromodulators on average last 3 months (and begin to last a little longer when you consistently get injected every 3 months for a couple of years consecutively). Botox is not instant, meaning it takes a few days to a week to kick in, and it will continue kicking in up until the 2-week mark—the results at the 2-week mark are considered your final results. Botox injections usually don’t cause any major type of bruising or swelling–that is, when done by a highly-specialized healthcare provider. The most common areas for Botox to be injected into are the forehead, frown lines (lines in between the eyebrows), and the crow’s feet. There are many areas on the face that cannot be injected with Botox due to the fact that is paralyzes/weakens the muscles. For example, should we inject Botox into a cheek muscle (for wrinkles on the cheek), you will end up with a crooked smile for a few months until the Botox wears off. So don’t assume Botox can be injected into every wrinkle on the face. Another important thing to know about Botox is that it cannot be purposely reversed, which is why you want to make sure to research your injector and make sure you go to someone who performs these treatments every day, not just once a week. You don’t want to end up with a droopy eyebrow or eyelid because you failed to research and find a competent and experienced injector. If you end up with an unwanted outcome such as a droopy eyelid, you have to wait for the neurotoxin to wear off before your eye looks normal again. Botox is charged by the unit since you have to first pay for your product (Botox) from the manufacturer, and also pay the injector for injecting the product . The amount of Botox units needed varies significantly between each person. The only way you will know how many units you will need is to have a face to face assessment done by a prescribing healthcare provider.
Hyaluronic Acid Dermal Fillers
Some examples of HA dermal fillers include brands such as Juvéderm, Restylane, Belotero, Versa, etc. In short, fillers work by “filling” and also adding/replacing facial volume. Fillers can not only add volume to the lips, but can also add shape. Fillers can be injected into other areas such as the cheeks, chin, jawline, undereye, nose, temples, hands, etc. Depending on the exact filler, they last anywhere from 6mo to 2 years. Unlike Botox, HA fillers can be reversed with an injectable medication called Hylenex. When contemplating getting a filler procedure done, one should always make sure that they are going to a qualified healthcare provider who always has lots of Hylenex on hand. Not only is Hylenex used to dissolve filler due to unwanted results, but should an injector accidentally inject filler into a blood vessel (vascular occlusion), this is a medical emergency and should be immediately dissolved to prevent unwanted outcomes such as tissue death leading to scarring, blindness, or even stroke. Filler is a little more dangerous than Botox which is why you definitely don’t want to settle for just any injector. Make sure that you go to an experienced injector who is a midlevel provider (nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant) or a physician, so that in the event problems arise, it can be fixed by a competent provider. Also, should you need prescription medication for adverse events, midlevel providers and physicians are the only individuals able to prescribe those needed medications. Results from filler are instant and seen immediately after treatment. When it comes to filler treatments, swelling and bruising are almost always part of the process, but don’t take that long to heal from. Filler is charged by the syringe due to the fact that you have to pay for your own filler product from the manufacturer, and then of course you have to also pay the provider a fee for performing the treatment itself. Specialists in the field may charge slightly more for the simple fact that they are experts in the field and always give you the safest experience and the best-looking results!
If you would like to learn more about our cosmetic injectable treatments, give us a call or go message us on our social media pages!
918-407-9058
Xoxo ~Align