Botox and fillers - what you need to consider before going for the procedure

Every modern girl dreams of prolonging her youth and beauty. Botulinum therapy and facial contouring procedures, better known as Botox injections and hyaluronic acid fillers, are the most popular in aesthetic cosmetology. They quickly and effectively rejuvenate your face!

Specialists at the Vidnova clinic answer pressing questions: Botox or fillers - which is better, and what is the difference between the procedures? We also talk about the features, advantages and disadvantages of both methods.

Why do the procedures suggested by the doctor sometimes differ from those that the patient is in the mood for?

Cosmetologists assess the problem somewhat differently. For them, faces and bodies are not a single picture, but are mentally arranged into a three-dimensional “composition” of skin, subcutaneous tissue, muscles, and tendons.

Face modeling

The specialist understands that the problem the patient is dealing with has deep roots and selects a solution method that gives long-term results. Therefore, it is better to listen to the opinion of professionals so as not to waste money and time.

Prices

Average cost of facial rejuvenation using fillers in Moscow (in rubles):

• Teosyal Meso - 9,500;
• Surgiderm - 15,500;
• Princess Rich - 10,500;
• Restyline - 10,000;
• Princess Filler - 10,500;
• Princess Volume - 11,000;
• Juvederm Volite - 17,000;
• Juvederm Ultra 3 - 15,000;
• Restylane Vital - 12,000.

Administration of Botox preparations costs approximately (in rubles, per unit):

• Dysport - 130;
• Xeomin - 300;
• Botox - 350;
• Refinex - 200;
• Relatox - 130;
• LANTOX - 120.

There are more options for Botox and fillers than many people think.

The industry produces many cosmetic injectable drugs, and patients simply do not know about some of them. For example, Botox includes a large group of drugs containing botulinum toxin. All of these products vary in price, methods of application and have their own characteristics.

In some cases, the price is determined by the promotion of the brand, and in others by the special properties of the products that allow them to be used in a particular patient. Only a cosmetologist can understand this issue. It is he who will choose the option that is suitable in terms of action and cost for a particular client.

The effect of Botox lasts from six months to one and a half years. It all depends on the properties of the drug, the age of the patient, the characteristics of his skin and body.

With fillers the situation is even more complicated. Their largest category is made on the basis of hyaluronic acid, which has the property of making the skin more youthful and hydrated. This group includes Restylane, Juvederm and Belotero and other products. Although they share a common base, there are differences in how the hyaluronic acid particles bond with each other, resulting in a slightly different result.

Even each of these brands has options. For example, along with Restylane, there is Restylane Silk and Restylane Lyft, which are used on various areas of the face. Juvederm also has various modifications. The results of their introduction have differences that only a professional can understand.

In cosmetology, fillers based on calcium hydroxylapatite, a denser substance that is part of bone tissue, are also used. The most common of them is Radiesse. There are also products made from poly-L-lactic acid, which replaces collagen lost by the skin. The most famous of them is “Sculptra”.

The effects of fillers are completely different:

• A filler based on hyaluronic acid fills skin defects, removes wrinkles and makes the face younger. The hyaluronic acid it contains attracts water and retains it in the tissues, fighting wrinkles. The effect of this filler lasts about a year.
• A preparation based on hydroxyapatite will also cover all unevenness, but it is not advisable to use it on all areas of the face. The results after administration last for approximately two years.
• Preparations based on poly-L-lactic acid do not act immediately, so several injections are required when using them. This product is a kind of basis for the formation of collagen, the protein that forms the basis of the skin. In this case, the result will be long-lasting, but it will not appear immediately.

Effect of fillers
When using fillers, the following scheme is most often used:

• Preparations based on hyaluronic acid are injected into different areas of the face, including for lip augmentation. They are also used to correct intimate organs due to age-related changes and congenital characteristics.
• Fillers based on calcium hydroxylapatite are used in the lower part of the face and on the cheekbones. The drug increases tissue volume and fills wrinkles.
• Poly-L-lactic acid fillers are used in cases of significant reduction in the volume of facial tissue.

That is why the doctor decides which filler needs to be injected into a particular area, based on information about the properties of the drug and the characteristics of the patient’s body. But this does not prevent the client from asking what filler is planned to be used and why this particular option was chosen.

What to inject first – fillers or Botox

It is better to inject Botox first, and only then you can use gel-like formulations, however, such manipulation is usually used if you need to smooth out very deep expression wrinkles.

It is this sequence that can have a stronger effect than individual procedures, because in this case the neurotoxin can relax the muscles, and the gel filler will help restore the skin from the inside.

What to do before and after injections

The effectiveness of Botox and fillers, as well as the consequences caused by injections, depend on the patient’s behavior before and after beauty injections:

• Special preparation for the procedures is not required, but 2 weeks before it it is advisable to stop taking aspirin and other drugs that affect blood clotting. Otherwise, bruises will remain after the injections.
• You need to give up alcohol within two days. You should not drink alcohol for 2 days after the administration of the drugs. This can cause blood thinning and bruising.
• To avoid inflammatory processes and suppuration, after the procedure you should not swim in the pool, ponds or overheat. This can lead to bruising and infection.
• After botulinum toxin injection, it is not advisable to lower your head for 4 hours. You can only sleep on your back. Otherwise, this will cause displacement of the injected drug and worsen the results of the procedure. Hypothermia should be avoided, which can slow down the absorption of Botox into the muscles.
• Although these procedures are less traumatic, they may be accompanied by bruising and areas of inflammation. Therefore, there is no need to plan them immediately before some important event. You need to give the skin a chance to recover.
• It is not advisable to engage in dental treatment immediately after filler injection. Staying with your mouth open for a long time can negatively affect the results. In addition, any traumatic procedures increase the risk of bacterial infection in the facial area. The body needs to accept the filler, and additional stress in the form of the consequences of dental treatment is undesirable.
• Even if there are no complaints, you need to make an appointment with a cosmetologist in about two weeks so that the doctor can evaluate the result of the work and make sure the injections are successful.

Following these recommendations will allow you to get the effect of Botox and fillers that will last as long as possible.

What is botulinum therapy

The procedure for administering Botox is called botulinum therapy. The method is used to eliminate dynamic wrinkles and a number of medical indications (hyperhidrosis, convulsions, tics, strabismus).

Botox is a purified toxin that blocks nerve impulses and paralyzes muscles for a long time. This leads to their relaxation, stopping contractions and smoothing out creases.

The substance is produced by pathogenic bacteria, but is safe in recommended doses and is quickly eliminated. After restoration of neuromuscular connections, motor activity returns to them, and the defects reappear.

The duration of the effect depends on the individual characteristics of the body, lifestyle and dosage used.

Buyanov Sergey Yurievich (Expert Doctor):

The purpose of injecting drugs containing botulinum toxin is to relax the facial muscles, which are attached to the skin at one end. As a result, the muscles relax, the pull on the skin stops, and as a result, wrinkles disappear. At the same time, there is no therapeutic effect on the skin and subcutaneous tissue.

In addition to solving aesthetic problems, Botox is prescribed to eliminate pathological defects:

• folds between the eyebrows and on the forehead;
• facial asymmetry;
• fine wrinkles around the eyes;
• blepharospasm;
• hemispasm;
• drooping eyelids.

Review of drugs

Today, not only the classic version - Botox, but also its analogues is in demand. Let's look at the differences in the table.

Side effects

Complications after Botox are expressed in various symptoms. Nonspecific signs are not visible visually, but may require drug therapy. These include:

• headache;
• dry mouth;
• swelling, bumps, bruises;
• diarrhea, nausea, vomiting;
• rapid breathing;
• muscle weakness;
• itching

Specific symptoms are serious consequences that are most often caused by incompetent actions, and in rare cases, by non-compliance with recovery rules. They are expressed in:

• violation of facial expressions;
• facial asymmetry;
• drooping eyelids;
• raising eyebrows;
• strabismus;
• breathing, swallowing, blinking disorders;
• tissue infection.

Differences between options

Both options: filler and Botox are approved by cosmetologists and are actively used by patients. The methods are aimed at aesthetic correction of appearance, carried out by injection.

Both options, when prescribed correctly, with proper selection of the drug and dosage, are optimally accepted by the body and do not produce significant side effects or complications.

Many people are interested in what the difference is between injection products if the purposes of use are similar. A significant difference between filler and Botox lies in the principle of action of the drugs. Botulinum toxin is aimed at blocking muscles and relaxing facial expressions. The effect is temporary and does not have a positive effect on tissue.

Filler, when using preparations based on hyaluronic acid, gives not only a mechanical effect. The condition of the skin improves and internal activity is activated. This is how filler gels differ from botulinum toxins. Although the best possible result is also temporary.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of fillers:

• do not cause pigmentation, so the procedure can be performed at any time of the year;
• stimulate the skin's production of its own collagen and activate metabolic processes in the dermis, improving skin quality;
• Repeated injection of fillers can correct the errors of the previous procedure.

Disadvantages and possible side effects of fillers:

• tissue necrosis;
• granuloma;
• painful procedure;
• swelling and redness due to a vessel clogged with gel;
• the appearance of edema due to anesthesia;
• rehabilitation period up to 14 days;
• unnaturalness of the face or its parts when administering excessive doses of the drug;
• possible rejection by the body of the filler as a foreign body;
• allergic reactions;
• the development of tissue fibrosis and the formation of scars when moving synthetic filler (although these have not been used widely for a long time);
• development of benign neoplasms.

Even a certified specialist cannot guarantee the absence of side effects. Therefore, you need to take the procedure seriously, carefully considering your decision.

Mesothreads - an effective technique for facial rejuvenation

Mesothreads are a modern comprehensive face lifting technique. The cosmetic procedure involves the use of innovative material that can provide a lasting effect without causing harm to health.

The procedure is often performed without anesthesia, rehabilitation is very fast, and the lifting effect lasts up to 2 years. Mesothreads allow you to achieve the effect of long-term biorevitalization, which is an average between Botox acid injections and filler.

A facelift is achieved using Aptos threads, which are inserted under the skin, tightening it. Within 3 months, the thread will dissolve and become overgrown with collagen.

The most durable results will be provided by threads with notches in the needle. To eliminate the appearance of thread marks, you must follow your doctor’s recommendations.

Advantages and disadvantages

Among the advantages of botulinum therapy are the following:

• fast completion of the procedure;
• painlessness;
• quick effect;
• the frequency of repetition of the procedure is no more than once every 3 months;
• prevention of deep wrinkles;
• lack of rehabilitation period.

If the procedure is carried out in compliance with all necessary antiseptic and sanitary requirements, and a qualified cosmetologist administers Botox, then serious complications and negative consequences can be avoided.

Otherwise, you may encounter the following negative consequences:

• distortion of facial expressions;
• pronounced swelling of the face;
• paralysis of the muscles around the mouth;
• shorter-term effect in athletes;
• drooping of the eyebrows, eyelids and corners of the lips;
• mask effect on the face;
• inability to blink normally, chew food and swallow.

To avoid most undesirable consequences, you need to choose a doctor with a higher specialized education and extensive experience working with Botox.

Botox for lip shape correction

What is Botox, what does it do, in what cases is it used? Doesn't plastic surgery solve similar problems with its own methods that can give more durable results? Botox is a neurotoxin that has been identified as having a peculiar side effect: when treating the eyes with this drug, doctors noticed a gradual smoothing of wrinkles on the forehead. When microdoses of this toxic substance are introduced under the skin, the muscles relax, and this allows the folds above the lips and partially on the lips themselves to be gradually removed. The skin is tightened, smoothed, and the face in the lip area looks much fresher.

The aesthetic effect of Botox does not appear immediately, since the skin and tissues must adapt to new conditions. You shouldn't expect a Botox injection to work forever—it will have to be repeated after about 8-12 months. It is not worth doing the procedure more often, because the muscles will gradually become unaccustomed to performing their functions, this will only worsen the picture.