If you don’t know the difference between Botox® and fillers, knowing when to choose one over the other — or both together — can be confusing.
Fortunately, Dr. Nirav Naik at New Life Aesthetics in Bakersfield, California, is here to take the guesswork out of your anti-aging routine. Here’s his advice on when and why to choose Botox, fillers, or both.
You know Botox. It’s been around for years and still ranks as the top minimally invasive cosmetic procedure because it works wonders on wrinkles — but not all wrinkles. Botox temporarily reduces or eliminates facial fine lines and wrinkles that form when your facial muscles contract.
The main ingredient in Botox is a purified form of botulinum toxin A, which blocks nerve signals in your facial muscles. Botox is the right choice if you have dynamic wrinkles — the kind that forms when you smile, frown, or squint. Botox works well on:
Beyond its cosmetic applications, the Food and Drug Administration has also approved Botox for treating medical issues such as chronic migraine attacks, excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis), overactive bladder, cervical dystonia, urinary incontinence, and eye spasms.
Fillers work on a different kind of wrinkle that changes the texture of your skin and makes it look like a deflated balloon. These are static wrinkles resulting from lost fat and collagen under your skin, not muscle movement.
Dermal fillers are gel-like substances that Dr. Naik injects beneath your skin to restore lost volume, smooth lines, soften creases, or enhance facial contours. Fillers effectively “re-inflate” your skin and tighten the surface. They’re an excellent choice in these situations:
You naturally lose subcutaneous fat as you age, so your skin becomes lax and wrinkled. Fillers restore lost volume, especially in areas like your cheeks, temples, and under your eyes.
Fillers are also ideal for treating wrinkles you can see even when your face is at rest. For example, they’re great for nasolabial folds (lines that run from the nose to the corners of the mouth) and marionette lines (lines that run from the corners of the mouth down to the chin).
If you’ve recently lost weight, you may notice some unwanted changes in your face. Fillers provide a nonsurgical solution to restore sunken cheeks or temples to create a fuller appearance.
Botox and fillers have unique benefits, so Dr. Naik often uses them together to achieve even more remarkable results. This combination approach is ideal if you’re seeking a comprehensive solution to the signs of aging. Here are a few situations where both treatments might be beneficial:
Choose a Botox and filler combo if you want to address multiple concerns simultaneously.
The one-two punch of Botox and fillers tackles dynamic wrinkles, static lines, and volume loss, giving you a more comprehensive facial rejuvenation. Botox smooths out lines caused by muscle movement, while fillers replace lost volume and fill in lines at rest.
Choose a Botox and filler combo if you want a customized experience.
Every face is unique, and so are its aging patterns. Using Botox and fillers, Dr. Naik can personalize your treatment plan to address your specific needs and goals. For instance, he may use Botox to relax your forehead lines and a filler to plump up your thin lips or enhance your cheekbones.
Choose a Botox and filler combo when you want to see results all year.
When used together, Botox and fillers can potentially offer longer-lasting results. How? Botox slows down the formation of new lines by reducing muscle movement, and fillers stimulate your body’s collagen production, leading to longer-term improvements in skin texture and firmness.
Choose a Botox and filler combo when you want a face-lift but not surgery.
The combined use of Botox and fillers is often called a “liquid face-lift” because it uses injectables instead of surgery. You get a noticeable lift and rejuvenation without the incisions and downtime.
Call New Life Aesthetics to schedule an appointment with Dr. Naik. He can assess your unique skin issues, wrinkles, and other signs of aging and help you choose from our many aesthetic treatments to achieve your goals.
