What's the Difference Between Botox and Derma Fillers?

We all want to look our best, and there are many options when it comes to improving the appearance of your face. Many individuals seek different treatments, and on top of the list are Botox and derma fillers. Both of these treatments involve injections and are minimally invasive.

But is there a difference between Botox and fillers and which one should you choose? Here is a guide to help you out!

What Is Botox?

Botox, also known as purified botulinum toxin type A, is an FDA-approved prescription treatment. The injectable temporarily blocks nerve signals that cause muscles to contract. It reduces muscle activity in the treated area, which diminishes the appearance of lines and wrinkles.

Your dermatologist or aesthetician usually administers the injections in a series of three to five treatments spaced four weeks apart. Although, one treatment may be sufficient for some patients.

Botox are injected using a very fine needle into specific muscles in your face to relax them, temporarily eliminating the movement that causes the fine lines. Many doctors also use different types of Botox for other conditions like excessive sweating, uncontrolled blinking, and muscle spasms of selected facial areas.

In particular, Botox works to reduce expression lines or types of wrinkles due to excessive or repetitive facial movements. This neurotoxin can improve several areas of the face, including

• Frown lines between your eyebrows 
• Crow's feet around your eyes 
• Forehead lines or furrows

Botox, Xeomin, Jeuveau, and Dysport are the most popular botulinum toxin injectables. 

What Are Dermal Fillers?

Dermal fillers are soft, gel-like, and pliable substances that can be injected into the skin. Filler injections can correct signs of aging by adding volume back or into thinning tissues on your face. But you can also opt for it for other aesthetic concerns, including wrinkles, acne scars, creases, and folds. Some may even choose it for adding definition or contours to facial features. Dermal fillers can also stimulate your body's natural production of hyaluronic acid and collagen, helping to smooth out fine lines on your face and plump up your skin.

They are available in several different formulations that vary in price and results. Different substances go into making them, such as

• Collagen
• Hyaluronic acid
• Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)
• Poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA)
• Calcium hydroxylapatite

Although each type of filler has its own characteristics and benefits, all are designed to help restore volume lost due to aging or sun damage. Most fillers in the face are made of hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring substance in your body. It's necessary to maintain the elasticity of your skin and keep your body hydrated. In addition, it also helps lubricate your joints and protect them from wear and tear. Hyaluronic acid is also present at tissue regeneration sites, such as wounds or damaged joints. Dermal filler products contain purified forms of hyaluronic acid or a synthetic version of the acid.

Treatment Areas of Dermal Fillers

Dermal fillers can fill out wrinkles and fine lines, similar to Botox, but they smooth out the static type - the ones that remain even without facial movement. Below is a list of the most common areas in which to use dermal fillers:

• Wrinkles around the eyes, mouth, and nose
• Lines on the forehead
• Wrinkles on the neck
• Lines around the mouth corners (nasolabial folds)
• Lip volume loss and lines around the lips
• Cheek area
• Under eye hollows (tear troughs)
• Deep, vertical wrinkles around the chin and jawline (jowls)

Types of Dermal Fillers

We'll now go over the most popular types of dermal fillers and what they can do for you:

Juvederm

Juvederm is a hyaluronic acid-based dermal filler with a smooth, gel-like consistency. Their product line features a variety of concentrations of hyaluronic acid. Each type of filler targets different types of problems depending on the location and depth of injection. 

The following types of Juvederm are available:

• For adding volume and plumpness to lips: Juvederm Volbella XC and Ultra XC 
• To increase and balance out the volume of your cheeks to add contour and lessen sagging: Juvederm Voluma XC 
• To restore elasticity to the skin and fill in lines around the nose and mouth: Juvederm Vollure XC and Juvederm XC 

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Radiesse

As a naturally occurring mineral, calcium hydroxylapatite is a key ingredient in Radiesse. The filler targets to fill deep wrinkles, as well as to restore volume and contour in areas such as the cheekbones or lips. But apart from that, Radiesse also stimulates collagen production in the area where they inject it so that more collagen develops naturally over time.

Restylane

Restylane provides hyaluronic acid-based fillers for different aesthetic applications, including lip augmentation, addressing wrinkles around the mouth, volumizing cheeks, and reducing dark under-eye circles.

Belotero

Belotero is a hyaluronic-acid-based prescription injectable that provides temporary smoothing and filling of moderate to severe nasolabial folds (creases between the corner of your mouth and the side of your nose).

Fillers or Botox: Which One Is Right for You?

Botox and dermal fillers are both great cosmetic treatments that can reduce signs of aging, but each works differently. Your choice between these two procedures will depend on your goal. For those looking to treat wrinkles and lines on the top part of the face, the go-to treatment is usually Botox. Botox is not a facial filler which means they are not the choice if your goal is to bring volume back to sagging areas of the face. 

The image below shows fillers and Botox's most common treatment areas.