Botox vs. Fillers: What’s the Difference?

Botox® and fillers are the most popular minimally invasive cosmetic treatments in the United States, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Though both provide quick results and address some of the most common visible signs of aging, there are many differences between Botox and fillers. 

At Montclair Rejuvenation Center in Verona, New Jersey, we use both cosmetic injections and want to explain why you can’t substitute one for the other. 

Not all wrinkles are the same

Wrinkles are a normal part of your skin’s aging process. Though there are many factors that cause visible signs of aging, including genetics, sun exposure, and lifestyle habits, not all facial wrinkles are the same.

The two primary types of facial wrinkles include:

Dynamic wrinkles

Dynamic wrinkles are the lines and creases created by repeated facial expressions. This includes forehead lines, crow’s feet, and frown lines.

When you squint or smile, your facial muscles create grooves under your skin. Aging affects your skin’s strength and flexibility and its ability to spring back out of the grooves, leading to permanent lines and wrinkles. 

Static wrinkles

The facial folds and creases you see when your face is relaxed are called static wrinkles. This includes nasolabial folds, marionette lines, and smile lines. A decrease in your skin’s elasticity, as well as a slow down in collagen production, are responsible for these types of wrinkles.

Botox for dynamic wrinkles

Botox is FDA-approved to treat moderate to severe crow’s feet, frown lines, and forehead wrinkles. The cosmetic injection works by temporarily relaxing the muscles that cause the dynamic wrinkles created by your repeated facial expressions.

We also use Botox to smooth out bunny lines and smile lines.

Botox injections take only a few minutes to administer and require no downtime. You may even see an improvement in your look within 24 hours, though it can take up to a week to get optimal results, which last up to four months.

Regular Botox injections not only treat the wrinkles you have but may also prevent new wrinkles from forming. 

Fillers for static wrinkles

Fillers add volume under your skin to enhance your natural features and restore a more youthful look. In addition to smoothing out your static wrinkles, we use fillers to:

• Plump up thin lips
• Fill in sunken cheeks
• Smooth out chin dimples
• Fix facial deformities

We use many types of fillers to help you achieve your beauty goals, including Juvéderm® and Restylane® to add volume and Sculptra® to boost collagen production. 

Filler injections may take a little longer than Botox. However, the results are immediate and may last a year or longer. 

Though Botox and fillers address different cosmetic concerns, it’s not unusual for our aesthetic experts to recommend both injections to get the best results. 

To schedule a consultation to discuss your aesthetic goals and treatment options, contact us by phone or online today.