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The Beginners Guide to Botox & Fillers — You’re Putting What in My Face?

Beauty woman giving botox injections on forehead.

Everyone ages and, unfortunately, we haven’t yet discovered a magic pill that will halt the aging process — but there are certainly many things we can do to slow down and even reverse the signs of aging. Every day of our lives we smile, frown, furrow our brow and make a million other tiny muscle movements, all by instinct. After many years, the muscles that control these unconscious movements can create deep wrinkles and lines in the skin of the face.

Many people who come to our office are looking for a way to restore their youthful, radiant skin, but just don’t feel ready yet for a facelift or other, more intensive surgical procedures. They ask us whether there is anything else they can do to reduce wrinkles and help the reflection in the mirror be the person they remember seeing not so long ago. Of course, we reply — there is! Our offices provide Botox treatments and a variety of dermal fillers that can smooth wrinkles, soften laugh and smile lines and help you rediscover your youthful appearance in no time. Today we’d like to give you a little more information on the options for non-surgical facial rejuvenation treatments. Hopefully after reading, you’ll feel more knowledgeable and confident about these procedures and ready to decide which might be right for you.

BOTOX® Cosmetic

Probably the best known method of non-surgical facial restoration is what people generally refer to simply as Botox. This simple procedure can be conducted in-office, and only takes a few minutes, with only topical anesthetic required. Because there is no recovery time needed, you can be out and back to your normal activities immediately afterward.

The biggest concern we hear from our patients is about the active ingredient, botulinum toxin type A, used for the procedure. You may have heard that the toxin used is the same type that causes botulism, better known as food poisoning. However, large doses of the toxin are required to cause this kind of reaction, and they must be consumed and pass into the digestive system to cause that sort of effect. For Botox treatments, we only inject small, heavily diluted amounts of the toxin directly into treatment areas, to specifically target and weaken the facial muscles that cause wrinkles. The result you see is the muscles that cause crow’s feet and forehead lines relax and soften, reducing the appearance of deep lines. Within one week of treatment, you will start to notice that the lines and wrinkles on your face fade away. As for side effects, you might see some minor bruising at the injection sites, but these quickly fade.

The primary drawback to this form of facial rejuvenation is that it is not permanent. As the weakened muscles regain strength, wrinkles will slowly start to reappear. Botox treatment usually lasts anywhere from three to four months, depending on the person and what their facial structure and muscle composition are like. We recommend regular appointments to keep these areas wrinkle-free in the long term. Another drawback is that this technique is only useful for reducing wrinkles caused by muscle movement. Wrinkles caused by simple wear and tear on the skin will not be affected.

This is why Botox treatment is best used alongside some of our other non-surgical procedures such as…

Dermal Fillers

Unlike Botox, which reduces wrinkles through the weakening of facial muscles, dermal fillers actually fill in wrinkles and soften your facial features. This is a slightly more involved procedure than Botox, it takes a little longer to perform, and can involve some topical anesthetic. That said, it is still a simple treatment with almost no recovery time needed. You can be out and living a more wrinkle-free life almost immediately.

We offer a number of different dermal fillers at our offices, all FDA-approved. They are made up of different natural and synthetic ingredients, all of which are safely absorbed by the body. The filler compound of choice is injected into various facial areas to fill in wrinkles and smooth your complexion. Side effects you can expect include redness, bruising, numbness and itching, though they tend to be minimal for most patients and are quite temporary. Better yet, unlike with Botox, after a dermal filler treatment you can see the results right away!

Although a dermal filler treatment does last considerably longer than Botox, it is also a temporary solution to aging facial features. As your body slowly absorbs the filler, the results of the treatment will fade. Around a period of six months or longer, you may notice enough wrinkles returning to require additional treatments.

So which is best for you? We invite you to call our office at (239) 415-7576 and schedule a consultation with Dr Flaharty or one of our master nurse injectors. Together, we can talk about your treatment options and figure out a plan customized for your concerns. For some, Botox might be a perfect short-term solution for the more noticeable lines on your face. For others, dermal fillers might be the way to go. For optimal results we often perform both treatments at the same time. If you’re looking for more dramatic results, why not both? You can easily have the best of both worlds! We can’t wait to start you on a journey to restore your youthful facial appearance.

Posted in: Procedures

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