There are few things more unpleasant than the thought that you look older than you feel. Signs of aging are hard to avoid, even if you do everything you can to take care of your skin. While avoiding the sun, moisturizing, and getting enough sleep can keep your skin looking healthier for longer, eventually age inevitably catches up. You may be in the best shape of your life, but still you have these nagging lines or wrinkles in your face.
Luckily, these age signs can be reduced by your dermatologist. Treatments like the use of fillers or Botox do a great job of making you look younger. They are a minimally invasive alternative to more major surgeries. If you haven’t spoken to your dermatologist about what your options are for obtaining a younger appearance, you should. Here is what you should know about these treatments.
Surgery vs injectables
When trying to find a solution that makes the most sense for you, it’s important to get a sense of what your options are. Cosmetic surgery can accomplish a lot of things when it comes to anti-aging. Few things can be as transformative as a facelift or eyelid surgery. Those effects are also permanent due to the fact that it’s surgery. Permanence and the fact that you need to be put under anesthesia along with prolonged swelling while you recover puts many people off from the idea of cosmetic surgery despite its effectiveness. There are also potential complications to keep in mind, as rare as some are.
Injectable anti-aging treatments are a different matter. Their effects are temporary, though they last for months at a time. But, you may consider this a perk of them. You may decide you’re not a fan of one particular treatment compared to another. All you have to do is wait for the effects to dissipate. Chances are you’ll be quite happy with the effects, however, and you’ll keep up with treatments. Many people find they only need a “touch up” treatment once or twice a year.
It’s important to understand, however, that treatments like Botox (a neurotoxin) and Juvederm (a filler) are actually two different things though they are often used together. Here is how they differ.
How fillers work
Fillers are fairly self-explanatory just based on the name. They “fill out” parts of your face and plump them up to return a more youthful appearance to your face. As we age, our facial features can become more “sunken in” as a result of dissipating fat, diminished collagen production, and gravity. Fillers can counteract this and treat the lines and wrinkles that have formed by making the skin beneath look full again.
Some of the more popular brand names include Juvederm, Restylane, Belotero, Radiesse, Sculptra, and Asclera. Though they are all fillers, they work a bit differently from one another. Your dermatologist can go over differences with you, but as an example, Juvederm fills in deep folds and wrinkles in the middle face area. It can also be used on lips. Not every filler is appropriate for the lips. Meanwhile, Asclera isn’t used for wrinkles at all. Instead, it’s a treatment options for eliminating spider veins and smaller varicose veins located in the legs.
Depending on your goals and the areas you want treated, different fillers may be recommended when you speak to your dermatologist.
How neurotoxins differ
Neurotoxins, like the popular Botox, work a bit differently than fillers. While fillers plump up the skin by filling it out, Botox actually works on the facial muscles instead. Botox is used to treat wrinkles. Wrinkles are often the result of muscles in the face contracting over the course of your life. When the muscles contract, the skin contracts as well resulting in a wrinkling effect. Eventually the wrinkles become ingrained in the skin, even when there are no contractions. Botox weakens these muscles so they can’t contract to such a degree, reducing the appearance of wrinkles.
Botox is most often used between the eyebrows and in the forehead. It can also be used to treat crow’s feet and lines around the lips. Because Botox isn’t appropriate for every scenario when it comes to anti-aging, fillers are often used as well.
Conclusion
When it comes to rejuvenating your face, you want options. Everyone’s goals are different. Everyone’s preference of treatment is also different. If you don’t want to undergo cosmetic surgery, but you want to look younger, you can accomplish that with minimally invasive injectables. Fillers and neurotoxins like Botox can give you the younger, more energetic appearance you want without the need for downtime or recovery. Book an appointment online to schedule a consultation today. Dr. Fromowitz and the team at Dermatology of Boca are here to provide you with the expert care you need so you can achieve your aesthetic goals.
