It can be confusing to determine which treatment is most appropriate if you’re considering using Botox® or dermal fillers to correct age-related wrinkles, lines, and creases. While each option can deliver safe and effective correction of common cosmetic flaws, the good news is you may not have to choose between them. Patients often find they can achieve longer-lasting, dramatic results by combining Botox with fillers in one treatment session.
Consulting with an experienced professional is the best way to determine whether pairing Botox with a dermal filler is right for you. Botox and dermal fillers specialist Winnie King, MD, a board-certified physician who maintains a private aesthetics and wellness practice in Houston, Texas, combines professional and aesthetic expertise to help patients use injectables to look as young as they feel.
With extensive experience using injectables to help individuals reverse age-related cosmetic flaws, Dr. King creates an individualized plan that includes the treatments most appropriate for you. Factors such as the condition of your skin and your desired results help determine the products that are likely to deliver optimal results.
In this post, we discuss how Botox and dermal fillers work and the benefits you can achieve by combining them in one treatment.
Botox
Botox is the brand name of a cosmetic injectable that uses botulinum toxin, a byproduct of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. It is the only treatment that is FDA-approved for the temporary correction of moderate-to-severe crow’s feet, forehead lines, and frown lines.
Botox works by preventing nerve signals from communicating with the muscles at the injection site. The effect temporarily paralyzes the treated muscles and prevents them from contracting during facial movements. As a result, the targeted muscles remain relaxed and your skin looks smoother.
Botox is typically used to correct dynamic wrinkles, which develop as a result of repetitive movements like frowning, smiling, and squinting. Botox can often help to improve the following conditions:
- Forehead furrows
- Crow’s feet around your eyes
- Deep lines between your eyebrows
- “Orange peel” chin
- Smokers’ lines on your upper lips
Dermal fillers
Dermal fillers include a group of cosmetic injectables that use different substances to add volume and fullness to your skin. The effect restores facial definition and structure that is often lost with aging.
Dr. King offers products by Juvéderm® and Restylane®, two brands of dermal fillers that contain hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance that attracts and retains moisture, acting as a cushioning agent for your skin. As levels of hyaluronic acid decrease with age, you experience a loss of skin volume.
When Juvéderm or Restylane is injected under the skin, it replenishes the cushioning effect in the treated areas, softening the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Dermal fillers like Juvéderm and Restylane can often help to improve the following conditions:
- Nasolabial folds (lines that extend from the corners of your mouth to the sides of your nose)
- Thinning lips
- Sagging skin
- Static wrinkles on the lower face
How Botox and dermal fillers work together
Since Botox and dermal fillers treat different types of wrinkles, it’s safe to use Botox and dermal fillers to correct different facial areas at the same time. Botox releases dynamic wrinkles, which are caused by repetitive movements. Dermal fillers correct static wrinkles, which are noticeable when your face is at rest.
It’s also possible to use these two treatments together safely and effectively in the same area to achieve optimal results.
The duration of hyaluronic acid is affected by the contraction of nearby muscles. As a result, dermal fillers don’t always last as long as possible when used in areas of your face that are in constant motion. This impacts the length of effectiveness for fillers in areas like your mouth, which is in continuous movement for actions like speaking and chewing.
Research indicates that Botox can help slow the deterioration of hyaluronic acid and retain volume longer in treated areas. By inhibiting muscle movement in treated areas, the addition of Botox can help the hyaluronic acid last longer and extend the length of time that increased volume is visible.
While Botox can prolong the average duration of your dermal filler results, it’s important to remember that both types of injectables provide temporary results. When used alone, Botox generally lasts between 3-4 months, while hyaluronic acid fillers average between 9-12 months. However, achieving optimal duration may help you reduce the amount of time between treatments and require fewer treatments overall.
Find out more about the ways that Botox and dermal fillers can help you achieve the results you desire. Call our Houston office today to schedule a consultation.