You’ve recently noticed a few wrinkles on your lower lids that weren’t there 2 years ago. Or perhaps, the small wrinkles that appeared 2 years ago have become deep furrows… and they are driving you crazy! So, you say to yourself: “it is time to get Botox”. But what if Botox is not the right treatment for you? It is true that Botox has revolutionized the way plastic surgeons and dermatologists practice aesthetic medicine. It is also true that the results are fast and natural. But Botox is not for everyone and it doesn’t work for every kind of wrinkle. In today’s blog, we are going to talk about the benefits and limitations of Botox and how to tackle those limitations with facial fillers.
Who benefits the most from Botox® Cosmetic?
Botox is a prescription medicine that is applied by plastic surgeons and dermatologists into the muscles of the face that are responsible for facial expressions. By relaxing these muscles, it temporarily improves the look of moderate forehead lines, crow’s feet, and frown lines between the eyebrows. The people who benefit the most from Botox® Cosmetic are those with fine wrinkles on the forehead and periocular area (the area surrounding the eyes). Notice that we use the word fine to describe these wrinkles. This is very important, because Botox will not eliminate very deep creases. In fact, there are two main things that you need to know about Botox:
- Botox works best to prevent the onset of deep wrinkles. Understanding what causes wrinkles will help us make sense of this fact. Wrinkles and expression lines result from the action of muscles that pull on the skin of the face when we smile, frown or show surprise. Over decades, these expressions create permanent wrinkles on the skin, especially in the anatomical area surrounding the eyes. By relaxing these muscles, we can decrease the forces acting on the skin, without eliminating facial expression. This will prevent the onset of lines and creases. So, for example, if a 20-year-old may be expected to start showing wrinkles on her face by the age of 35 (because her genes or light skin tone dictate so), she may be able to slow down the onset of wrinkles until age 50, if she starts using Botox in her young age. In fact, the use of Botox® is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in patients over the age of 18! Therefore, it is better to start using Botox before your wrinkles appear.
- If your wrinkles are too deep, you will not be able to get rid of them with Botox. Once the wrinkles on your face have become deep furrows, Botox may not work to eliminate them. This is because the furrow is no longer caused by the contracting muscles. Instead, the collagen in the skin has been rearranged and the furrow becomes permanent. Relaxing the muscle will have little effect on the wrinkle. In this case, the furrow must be filled with a substance that is biocompatible, safe, and relatively durable: this is where dermal fillers come in.
What is the benefit of using dermal fillers over Botox?
Now that we understand the limitations of Botox, we can talk about the wonders of these versatile substances called fillers.
Dermal fillers are biocompatible medical device implants approved by the FDA for the treatment of deep furrows. They are also excellent tools that plastic surgeons use to create a smoother and fuller appearance in the face. They can be used to decrease the depth of nasolabial folds (folds that start at the base of the nose and end at the corner of the mouth), marionette lines, and jowls. These devices are great for filling hollow cheeks and rejuvenating thin lips. An important thing to know about fillers is that they are not permanent. Hyaluronic acid-based fillers will last anywhere from 8 to 12 months; a new application will be required to maintain the results.
Botox and Fillers in Costa Rica
At ArteFacial, we specialize in the application of Botox and fillers to rejuvenate your appearance. Our oculoplastic surgeon is a member of the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive. He is a specialist in the art of facial sculpting with Botox® Cosmetic and dermal fillers. Come visit us!
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