Botox and Fillers
More and more patients are taking advantage of non-invasive treatments that allow a person to return to their daily activities without downtime. Botox or injectable fillers such as Juvederm or Radiesse, give immediate results though occasionally bruising or swelling may occur. Understanding each product will help you make an educated decision about which product is right for you.
Patients are often confused by the many terms and product names. Adding to the confusion, many of the same substances are made by different companies and marketed with different brand names. Hyaluronic acid fillers are marketed under the following brand names: Restylane, Perlane, Juvederm, Preville Silk, Puragen and more.
| Injectable fillers: Fillers are designed to provide volume to specific locations. Common areas treated are the smile lines around the mouth, deep wrinkles anywhere on the face and the lips. A number of different types of fillers exist. The type of filler determines how long it lasts. |
| Hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers, mentioned previously, are the shortest acting. The FDA approved HA fillers for injection into the nasolabial folds (parenthesis lines around the mouth). Hyaluronic acid fillers are frequently used in the lips and for wrinkles in other locations on the face, although this is considered an “off label” use. At Envision Cosmetic Surgery Junvederm Ultra Plus is the preferred HA filler as it is the longest lasting surviving eight months to a year |
| Radiesse, another common injectable filler, is made of calcium hydroxyapatite and lasts 18 months to two years. Radiesse, FDA approved for facial wrinkles around the mouth, is also approved for facial lipoatrophy and for vocal cord injection. Radiesse is not recommended for lip injection even as an off label use as it is too firm. Its long lasting effects make it a great filler for many facial wrinkles. |
| Collagen fillers were the first fillers available for cosmetic use. Collagen fillers initially had the disadvantage of occasional allergic reactions making a skin test necessary before use. They also tend to be shorter acting lasting three to six months. Artefill is a permanent filler composed of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and collagen. Although the collagen gets re-absorbed, the PMMA is permanent. Artefill requires a skin test three weeks prior to injection to ensure patients aren’t allergic to the collagen component. |
| Botox: Botox works differently than fillers. Botox works by decreasing muscle movement. Muscle movement is responsible for creating the wrinkles on our face. When the muscles stop moving, the skin memory fades over the course of weeks to months and wrinkles become less apparent or if used before wrinkles are present, they never form. Botox’s effect on the muscles lasts three to six months. Botox doesn’t work immediately after injection. It takes three to four days to take effect and usually reaches it maximum effect in seven to ten days. Combining Botox and fillers can give even better results than either used separately. Botox is most commonly used in the forehead and around the eyes. The inability to make scowl lines not only makes you look happier, but some studies say it actually make you happier. |
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Utah Botox and Fillers Specialist :: Envision Cosmetic Surgery