The Difference between Botox and Fillers

If you’re considering a cosmetic procedure, you may wonder about Botox and dermal fillers. Both procedures are popular, together accounting for about 9 million treatments annually. They’re minimally invasive and given through injections in a doctor’s office. Even though their administration is similar, though, the treatments are very different.

• Botox contains purified bacteria. This purified form of botulinum toxin, obtained from bacteria, is deadly in larger amounts but safe when used in tiny, regulated doses. Botox blocks nerve signals in the muscles where it’s injected, causing them to be temporarily frozen or paralyzed. By freezing the muscles in the face, Botox can soften, reduce, or even remove wrinkles, including crow’s feet around the eyes and horizontal lines on the forehead. It won’t work on wrinkles caused by sagging or loss of plumpness in the face, known as static wrinkles, but only treats those lines caused by facial expressions. It’s not a permanent treatment and is typically repeated every 3-4 months. In addition to wrinkles, Botox is used to treat hyperhidrosis (severe underarm sweating), muscle spasms or stiffness, migraines, overactive bladder, uncontrolled blinking, and certain eye and movement disorders.
• Dermal fillers add fullness to areas thinned by age. They’re often used to restore plumpness to lips, cheeks, and around the mouth. Dermal fillers use different substances, including hyaluronic acid, which is found in some fluids and tissues in the body, polylactic acid, which stimulates the skin to make collagen, calcium hydroxylapatite, a mineral-like compound found in bones, and polymethyl-methacrylate microspheres (PMMA), a semi-permanent filler. These substances are used to treat different cosmetic issues. In addition to plumping up lips and shallow areas of the face, dermal fillers are used to fill in recessed scars, decrease or remove shadows or wrinkles under the eyes, and fill in or soften static wrinkles.
• Swinyer-Woseth Dermatology offers Botox, as well as several different types of dermal fillers, including:
  • Belotero: An ultra-fine filler used to smooth wrinkles and lines, especially around the lips.
  • Bellafill: The only dermal filler approved for the correction of moderate to severe acne scars on cheeks.
  • Juvederm XC: Typically used on cheeks, lines, wrinkles, and lips.
  • Juvéderm Voluma™ XC: Specifically formulated for deep injection in the cheek area.
  • Radiesse: Especially effective for sunken nasolabial folds and marionette lines.
  • Restalyne: Used to add volume and fullness to correct moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds.

If you’re looking for the best care and most up-to-date cosmetic treatments, Swinyer-Woseth Dermatology is committed to providing superior, professional care that’s practical, efficient, and compassionate. With over 30 years of experience providing dermatological services in Salt Lake City, we provide a variety of services, from cosmetic skincare to treatment for skin cancer. Our team of board-certified dermatologists, licensed cosmetic service providers, and friendly staff members is here to provide you the care you need in a comfortable, professional atmosphere. For more information, contact us through our website or call (801) 682-4715 today.