Botox® is one of the most common and effective cosmetic treatments for wrinkles. But for some signs of aging, dermal fillers are another cosmetic option you may want to consider. Dermal fillers can be used to restore thinning lips, replace lost facial volume, and even fill in the shadows commonly found underneath lower eyelids.
Read on to explore how the team at Cascade Facial Surgery & Aesthetics uses Botox® and dermal fillers to reverse the signs of aging.
What Is Botox®?
Botox® — short for botulinum toxin — is a drug used to treat wrinkles. It is most often used as an injectable solution. When injected into the face, Botox® forcibly relaxes the underlying facial muscles that cause wrinkles. This effect is temporary and lasts anywhere from three to six months.
Botox® is best used for wrinkles caused by age. As a treatment option, it is generally not considered to be effective for treating wrinkles caused by sun damage, facial volume loss or smoking.
What Are Dermal Fillers?
Like Botox®, dermal fillers are another common way of treating wrinkles and turning back the clock. Dermal fillers are compounds injected beneath the skin that restore lost volume. As you age, your face naturally begins to lose volume — dermal fillers help treat that problem.
Dermal fillers may also be used to restore plumpness to your lips, fill out creases or wrinkles, and smooth out lines near the mouth and nose.
What Causes Wrinkles?
Many wrinkles — particularly forehead, eye, and frown lines — are caused by contractions in facial muscles. Botox® blocks the chemical signals sent from your nerves to your facial muscles, allowing the muscles to relax.
Wrinkles around the nose and mouth are treated with dermal fillers. In many cases, wrinkles in these areas are caused by a loss of collagen and volume in the skin. A dermal filler injection is a fast and easy treatment that can fill in those areas.
What Are the Benefits of Botox® and Dermal Fillers?
Both Botox® and dermal fillers are fast, affordable, and effective cosmetic treatments. Injecting either compound takes a matter of minutes, and results are immediate. Neither Botox® nor dermal fillers require extensive patient preparation, and the injections generally carry very little risk.
Botox® typically last upwards of three to four months before the effects fade. Given how quick Botox® treatments are — just a few minutes — it’s no wonder that Botox® is such a popular anti-wrinkle treatment.
Dermal fillers, on the other hand, can last even longer: Some filler products can last six to 12 months or even longer, depending on the compound and where it is used in the face.
Contact Us Today for a Consultation
To learn more about Botox® and dermal fillers, contact the team at Cascade Facial Surgery & Aesthetics. An appointment with our board-certified facial plastic surgeon is the best way to explore the services we offer.
