Botox vs. Fillers: Which Injectable Is Right for Your Refresh?

If you’d like to see an even younger and more beautiful face in the mirror, on video calls, or in photos, Botox® and fillers are among the easiest ways to achieve your desired appearance. These non-invasive injectable treatments can reduce a variety of visible signs of aging on your face.

At Missouri Dermatology Laser & Vein Center in Fenton, Chesterfield, and O’Fallon, Missouri, dermatologists Jeffrey Petersen, MD, FAAD, and Shivani Tripathi, MD, FAAD, recommend Botox, fillers, or a combination of both to give your face a lift, depending on your skin and treatment goals. Find out whether Botox or fillers are right for you.

When to choose Botox

During a Botox treatment, our team injects tiny amounts of the botulinum toxin into key points under your skin. This safe, FDA-approved procedure temporarily reduces facial lines for up to four months.

Most Botox treatments take less than 15 minutes. Botox might be right for you if:

You have wrinkles you’d like to smooth out

Botox is the ideal choice if you’re concerned about dynamic wrinkles (the type that forms from muscle movement).

Examples of dynamic wrinkles include:

• Forehead lines
• Frown lines
• Crow’s feet
• The “11” between your eyes
• Bunny lines

Botox freezes the muscles that form these lines, stopping wrinkles from forming temporarily.

You’re concerned about getting wrinkles in the future

If you don’t have severe wrinkles but worry about developing them in the future, using Botox strategically can stop them from becoming more pronounced over time. Botox keeps these muscle areas more relaxed and delays or reduces the appearance of wrinkles as you age.

When to choose fillers

Dermal fillers are another injectable facial treatment that helps smooth out wrinkles and restore volume to your face. There are several types of fillers, which can last up to two years.

You should consider fillers if:

You’ve lost volume in your face

The aging process causes faces to lose volume in areas like the cheeks, jaw, and temples. This can cause wrinkles and lines to appear, making you look older.

Fillers temporarily plump up the face, giving it a more youthful and even appearance.

You have static wrinkles

Static wrinkles are the ones you can see even when you aren’t moving your face. These include marionette lines on the sides of your mouth and nasolabial folds.  When fillers increase volume in your face, these lines become less apparent.

You have dark shadows under your eyes

The area around your eyes also becomes more hollowed with time, increasing dark shadows and making you look older. Fillers temporarily reverse this.

Getting Botox and fillers together

It’s safe to have Botox and fillers concurrently. If your anti-aging skin concerns include wrinkles and volume loss, our team devises a plan that allows for both injections safely.

We also can recommend non-surgical skin enhancements that address other skin concerns, such as acne, discoloration, uneven skin tone, and sun damage.

Putting your best face forward — literally and figuratively — is easier than ever with safe and effective treatments like Botox and fillers. If you’d like to get started with either or both treatments, contact us today.