Botox vs. Fillers: Which One Is the Best for You?

·       Botox and fillers are two types of injectable wrinkle relaxers that opt to address aging concerns.

·       Botox is used as a preventative measure, ideal for visible signs of aging, whereas fillers are recommended to add volume in the areas of the skin that have sunken in.

·       Botox reduces fine lines and wrinkles by relaxing overacting facial muscles; fillers, on the other hand, will fill in wrinkles.

·       Lines of expression need BOTOX, and fillers are best for lines at rest.

Dr. Karishma Kagodu, MS, M CH., a board-certified plastic surgeon who has expertise in performing Botox and fillers procedures, is here to get into the nitty-gritty details about each of these injectables in the context of their efficacy, requirement, results, risks, and benefits to improve your knowledge and clearing the doubts associated if any.

In her practices in Indiranagar and Kinder women's hospital, Whitefield, Bangalore, she shares her experiences with the patients. "I have a lot of younger patients that do preventative Botox," says Dr. Karishma. They want Botox to prevent wrinkles from forming, as patients/ clients are now hyper-aware of their facial appearance due to the social media reel and real-time image status culture.

What is Botox?

Botox is the brand name of a specific botulinum neurotoxin that temporarily weakens or paralyzes the muscles, resulting in reduced wrinkles, fine lines, and other visible signs of aging. Botox helps pull off the overlying skin and is effectively used to treat dynamic wrinkles.

Four FDA-approved neurotoxins are available, i.e., Botox, Dysport, Xeomin, and Jeauveau.

Botox is best used for treating the following concerns:

·       Glabellar frown lines

·       Crow's feet at the side of the eyes

·       '11s' between the eyebrows.

·       Horizontal forehead creases

·       Wrinkles around the mouth

·       Nasolabial folds

·       Neck and chest/cleavage wrinkles

Aside from cosmetic benefits, Botox is also incredibly popular for medical reasons. For example, Botox injections in the armpit can help stave off hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), Botox shots in the jaw muscle prevent teeth grinding caused by TMJ, and injections in your forehead, temples, and the back of your head, and neck helps blocks neurotransmitters that carry pain signals from your brain and reducing migraine headaches.

The goal of Botox is to soften the lines and brighten the skin tone. As an aging rescue, Botox is becoming the norm in preventing premature aging.

What are fillers?

As we age, we start noticing loose fat on the face, sunken cheeks, saggy facial skin, laugh lines, and other fine wrinkles that get more prominent. However, injectable or dermal fillers are a non-surgical option to achieve the lost facial contour. Fillers can be of a variety of temporary or permanent materials. The most common fillers are hyaluronic acids, such as Restylane, Juvederm, and Belotero, and calcium fillers, like Radiesse. While both fillers and botox can be used together to address aging and contour concerns, they have a different role to play, as they are used on different lines.

Fillers are great options for lines at rest and improve the following concerns:

·       Smile lines

·       Sunken cheeks

·       Thin lips

·       Saggy facial skin

·       Dark circles under the eyes

·       Deep lines.

The goal with using fillers: Fillers are best for static lines, addressing deep lines that are present even when facial muscles are not contracting. Fillers help achieve natural fullness, restore lost volume in cheeks and lips, redefine your overall facial contour, and give a fuller, plumper look.

Botox vs. Fillers: which one is the best for you?

You may need Botox shots, or you will be recommended for injectable fillers; it all depends on your state of aging, areas of lines or wrinkles, the onset of either sagging or wrinkles, which comes first, and also your genetics, age, types of skin, needs, and goal play an inevitable role in deciding which is the best for you. Since aging is a dynamic process and every patient ages differently, Dr. Karishma says, based on one's genetics, they may wrinkle before or sink before they get wrinkles.

Botox and injectable fillers will temporarily reduce the signs of aging and make people appear dramatically younger, but when to opt for fillers vs. Botox can be identified by the area(s) of concern:

1.    Forehead: Botox helps improve noticeable forehead lines. If you start taking Botox shots at a younger age before the lines become more pronounced, it would be a great rescue from early signs of aging. But for the line right above the eyebrow, which can be challenging to treat with Botox, fillers are placed deep into the frontalis muscle of the forehead to combat deep aging concerns.

Results: Fillers last longer than Botox. Usually, the longevity of results depends on the type of fillers, such as hyaluronic acid fillers that come in a variety of thicknesses and last 5-24 months. On the other hand, Botox can last around 3-6 months.

2.    Eyes and crow's feet: Botox and fillers can work great for rejuvenating the eye area, depending on your goal and area(s) of concern. Botox helps improve crow's feet, elevate the brow, and open up the eyes, while fillers can restore lost volume in the tear trough and medial cheek that contribute to sunken cheeks, dark circles, and a tired appearance.

Precaution: Always choose a board-certified cosmetologist/ plastic surgeon to avoid the risks and uncertainties, as bruising and blood clotting after the treatment can lead to blindness. This is not an area to trust an inexperienced injector, Dr. Kagodu added.

3.    Cheeks: Fillers are great for redefining the cheekbones and contouring the overall facial appearance. Fillers help lift and highlight cheekbones to produce a better facial contour. The best fillers for cheek contouring are Restylane Lyft, Juvederm Voluma, or Radiesse, as they have excellent lifting capacity and give the best natural result.

4.    Lips: When it comes to lips, the required option dramatically depends on the immediate results, longevity of effects, and how much volume you want to achieve. However, fillers are recommended to add volume to your lips and make them fuller, plumper, and rejuvenated. Botox is suitable for a subtle "lip flip" to turn the lip up slightly or to prevent lipstick from bleeding.

Result: Fillers give you immediate results, which should last eight to 12 months.

If you are still determining what type of fillers would be suitable for your concern, or if you want more information about Botox injections, Dr. Karishma Kagodu will be happy to answer all your queries and show you how youthful your face can look once again.

Call us today at Dr. Karishma Aesthetics at +91 8042036382, +91 9108969006, or +91 7624809006 and start looking younger sooner!