If you follow Instagram beauty influencers or keep your finger on the pulse of celebrity gossip, you can’t avoid seeing posts about BOTOX^® and dermal fillers. These treatments have surged in popularity because they’re a quick and easy way to rejuvenate skin while bypassing the need for surgical solutions that can sometimes be more expensive with longer downtime. In the right hands,  these solutions also provide natural-looking results that can refresh your appearance without looking like you’ve had anything done.

Still, with so many different options, it can be easy to get confused. In the interest of saving you time and the confusion Dr. Google can often cause, here’s everything you need to know about these two injectable treatment types and how they work.

What Is BOTOX^®?

The world’s most famous non-surgical anti-aging product is BOTOX^®. It became the most popular because it was the first product of its kind to market.  Like Xerox is to photocopiers and Kleenex is to facial tissues, BOTOX^® is a specific brand.  It’s a neuromodulator made from a highly purified version of a protein called botulinum toxin. Don’t fear it, though, just because of the word “toxin!”  Like just about any medicine or essential substance we put into our body, the right dose has beneficial/therapeutic effects, and too high of a dose can cause problems.

While Boxtoxhas many practical uses – such as easing migraine pain, muscle spasms, and excessive sweating – it earned its first FDA approval as a wrinkle treatment in 2002. When injected into muscles, it blocks the nerve signals that allow them to contract, relaxing wrinkles and fine lines like crow’s feet and brow furrows.

BOTOX^®, and similar products called Jeuveau, Xeomin^®, and the newly FDA-approved Daxxify, differ from cosmetic fillers in that their primary role is to cause temporary relaxation of the facial expression muscles, and in turn, this allows wrinkles in motion (and sometimes wrinkles at rest) to soften. Instead of plumping your skin the way fillers do -as we’ll cover shortly – neuromodulators prevent expression lines from squinting, smiling, and frowning from becoming deeper.  Administered with the right dose in the right locations, you should maintain movement of your face but without the wrinkles

How Do Dermal Fillers Work?

As you might guess from the name, fillers are utilized to literally fill up the skin and deeper soft tissues.  Dr. Schmidt uses hyaluronic acid type fillers to treat fine lines and wrinkles, plump your lips, and reverse the aging appearance of the nasolabial folds that surround your mouth. He also uses them to recontour any sunken areas that have lost volume with age or build up areas that have been volume deficient from an early age (e.g. lower jaw/chin or nose).

Various dermal fillers are available, including RHA (Resilient Hyaluronic Acid), Juvéderm^® Ultra Plus, Juvéderm^® Voluma, Belotero Balance, and Radiesse^®. Though these product lines all have slightly different formulations and consistencies designed to treat specific concerns, they are the same in that they all use hyaluronic acid (HA) or calcium hydroxyapatite to achieve remarkable results. Both substances your body.

HA is unique for its ability to attract and retain moisture, which can be invaluable for aging skin. When used strategically by a skilled injector with advanced knowledge of facial anatomy, HA-based fillers can stimulate collagen production to make your skin appear smoother, younger, and healthier, with fewer fine lines and wrinkles.

Are You a Good Candidate for BOTOX^® and Fillers?

If you are worried about mild to moderate signs of aging and aren’t yet ready for facial rejuvenation surgery such as a facelift, you are likely a candidate for fillers and neuromodulators. They have been proven safe for all skin types and have helped thousands of busy women and men achieve their desired results with little to no discomfort and minimal downtime. For many people, the appeal of fillers and neuromodulators is that you often don’t have to schedule time away from work and social activities.

The results of BOTOX^® and fillers are not permanent – BOTOX^® will wear off in three to six months, while we tell our patients to expect to see the results of fillers last generally 8-12 months. Both treatment types are best maintained by returning to the clinic for quick touch-up treatments around these intervals.

Treat Yourself to Anti-Aging Solutions in Denver

When you’re looking to refresh your appearance, experience matters. Dr. Jeffrey Schmidt is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon recognized as one of the top doctors in Denver. He specializes in providing outstanding results customized to each patient’s needs and goals. To learn more about BOTOX^® and dermal fillers, schedule your consultation today.