Dear friends, lately we have been assaulted with the question: What Is Better, Botox or Fillers? We recommend below a very useful material, which will help you determine for yourself which treatment best suits your needs.
Is It Better To Get Botox Or Fillers?
(Posted by: KHTS Articles in News Articles December 9, 2021)
Nowadays, the sphere of aesthetic medicine is full of cosmetic procedures that allow patients to prolong their youthful appearance and boost the way they look to a great extent. While Botox and dermal filler injections, in their turn, belong to the most extensively used and beloved treatments.
Therefore, a very logical question that might appear in your head is: What cosmetic procedure is it better to get, a Botox or dermal filler injection? Well, let’s find an answer to this question together by means of putting Botox and dermal fillers head-to-head!
A Few Words on Botox and Dermal Fillers
In order to compare and contrast Botox and dermal filler injections, it is essential to take a closer look at both notions beforehand. So. let’s define exactly what they are, touch upon their main implications, and peculiarities.
What Is Botox?
Botox is a brand name of a product that is based on a purified form of botulinum toxin type A, a substance that has the power to paralyze or relax certain muscles. It is oftentimes employed for both medical and aesthetic purposes.
A side note: Apart from being substances that are useful for medical and aesthetic reasons, botulinum toxins might at the same time be dangerous, or, when being more precise, life-threatening. Namely, they might serve as a cause for rare but serious disease botulism.
Among primary medical implications of Botox injections are the treatments of the following health issues:
- Muscle spasm;
- Excessive sweating;
- Overactive bladder;
- Lazy eye;
- Teeth grinding;
- Some health issues caused by neurological disorders;
- And so on.
At the same time, the main aesthetic implication of Botox is to rejuvenate and enhance a patient’s face. Its power to weaken facial muscles leads to the reduction of dynamic wrinkles, fine lines, and folds (especially the ones that appeared as a result of overactive facial expressions and aging).
In most cases, Botox treatment is a minimally invasive procedure that costs about $500. Once being administered into the muscular layer of a patient’s skin, the muscle relaxer blocks certain nerve signals around the injection site and, therefore, stops muscle movement. On average, the result of the treatment lasts up to 6 months, however, everything depends on such individual peculiarities of each patient as age, skin type, and lifestyle.
In some cases, a Botox injection might lead to the following side effects:
- Swelling;
- Bruising;
- Flu-like symptoms;
- Pain;
- Etc.
Under normal circumstances, these symptoms disappear within a couple of days after the treatment without any special treatment. However, if a patient experiences drooping eyelids, trouble swallowing, or other severe medical conditions, they should contact a doctor as soon as possible.
A side note: Botox is not the only brand that involves botulinum toxin. Other treatments that are based on this substance are Dysport, Xeomin, or Jeuveau. All these brands are FDA-approved.
What Is a Dermal Filler?
A dermal filler is a cosmetic injectable that is applied for a number of aesthetic purposes. Depending on their main active substance, dermal fillers might be divided into the following types:
- Hyaluronic acid-based (Juvederm, Belotero, Saypha, etc.);
- Calcium hydroxyapatite-based (Radiesse);
- Poly-L-lactic acid-based (Sculptra);
- And so on.
A side note: While such active substances as hyaluronic acid or calcium hydroxyapatite are the natural ones, poly-L-lactic acid is synthetic. As well, while some dermal fillers are FDA-approved, others are not. It is recommendable to have only FDA-approved fillers injected.
Similar to Botox treatments, dermal filler procedures are implied to provide a patient with the rejuvenation and enhancement of their overall appearance. The main active substance of a dermal filler has the power to “fill in” skin tissues, and, therefore, leads to:
- Reduction of facial lines (especially static wrinkles);
- Elimination of other skin issues (including deep scars and pigmentation);
- Restoration of lost volume;
- Augmentation of lips;
- Etc.
An injection of a dermal filler is a minimally invasive procedure that involves the administration of the preparation into the soft tissue of a patient’s skin (therefore, dermal fillers are sometimes referred to as soft tissue fillers). Its average cost equals $700. Depending on the complexity of an issue that has to be treated, dermal fillers might be injected into different dermal layers (starting from a superficial and ending with the deep one). In most cases, fillers wear off within a time period that lasts from several months to a couple of years.
The most widely-spread side effects of cosmetic treatments that involve dermal fillers are:
- Swelling;
- Bruising;
- Numbness;
- Redness;
- Pain;
- Etc.
Usually, they disappear on their own within a couple of days after the procedure. However, a patient should contact a doctor in case of having other, more severe side effects.
Botox vs Dermal Fillers
Based on the above-mentioned information, we might highlight certain similarities and differences between Botox and fillers. So, let’s compare and contrast them.
What Are the Similarities Between Botox and Dermal Fillers?
Below, you will find the list of the main similarities between Botox & dermal fillers. They both are:
- Efficient beauty products. Both Botox and dermal fillers are used for rejuvenation and enhancement of a patient’s appearance and provide noticeable effects;
- Durable, but not permanent result. Neither Botox nor fillers last forever. So, if a patient wants to achieve a permanent result, additional treatments provided by plastic surgeons might be required;
- Safe procedures with similar side effects. Pain, swelling, and bruising are the most widely-spread symptoms a patient might feel after Botox and dermal filler treatments. They both have FDA certifications;
As well, neither Botox nor dermal filler injections are covered by insurance. However, a couple of financing or payment options might still be provider by some healthcare providers.
How Far Do Botox and Dermal Fillers Differ?
At the same time, there exists a number of differences between treatments that involve Botox and dermal fillers. Namely, here is the list of the main ones:
- Spheres of usage. While Botox is used in both aesthetic and medical procedures, a filler belongs to cosmetic treatments primarily;
- Indications. Despite the fact that both treatments might treat smile lines, crow’s feet, horizontal lines on the forehead, and other mild and deep wrinkles, Botox injections work best with dynamic wrinkles and a filler – with static ones. As well, only fillers might be applied to reduce under-eye wrinkles;
- Working principle. Botox injections relax muscles, and, thus, treat wrinkles. While fillers, in their turn, fill in skin imperfections;
- Duration of the result. On average, effects of Botox last up to 6 months, while the ones of fillers might have a duration of several years;
- Price. In most cases, Botox costs a little bit less than a filler.
Thus, both Botox and filler treatments are similar but, at the same time, far away from identical.
Where to Buy Botox & Dermal Fillers Online?
When discussing purchasing options of Botox and fillers, it is essential to mention that ONLY a licensed healthcare professional is eligible to buy them in most cases. Apart from the possibility to order cosmetic injectables locally, you might also place your order online.
There exists a number of reliable suppliers of Botox, fillers, mesotherapy products on the web. While offering a wide assortment of original products, fast worldwide delivery, and reasonable prices, online stores are solid competitors to offline resellers.
A side note: Make sure to rely on trustworthy online suppliers ONLY to avoid fake products or fraud.
Final Words: So, What Is Better, Botox or Fillers?
All in all, there exists no clear answer to the question of what is better, Botox or fillers. While each treatment has its own strong and weak points, it is up to a health care practitioner to define which one will be more beneficial in a patient’s individual case. No matter what option you choose, remember: you are beautiful at all times!