Which is the best treatment choice?

Headed to the Med Spa for Botox?

But, why Botox? Are you sure it’s Botox that’s the best option to achieve your skin goals?

Maybe it is… And, maybe it’s not.  Maybe you think you need Botox, but what is actually the most appropriate treatment for what you’re looking to achieve is dermal filler.

Let’s explore both treatments and discuss when each is most appropriately indicated:

Both Botox and dermal fillers are Medical Beauty cosmetic treatments offered in Medical Spas by form of an injection. They are both minimally invasive treatments, as they do not involve surgery of any kind.

What is Botox?

A Botox treatment involves the injection of a purified (and safe) bacteria into the skin, in a process that freezes the muscles in that area. By freezing the target muscles, Botox can help minimize the development, further deepening, and overall appearance of fine lines and wrinkles caused by and aging and by natural facial expressions.

Though this bacteria, botulinum, is dangerous in larger amounts, the tiny, regulated amount of Botox given to correct wrinkles has been used safely for decades, very successfully and with much fanfare.

Botox and other treatments made with botulinum toxin are also referred to as neuromodulators or neurotoxins.

Treatments using botulinum toxin are sold under the brand names Botox Cosmetic, Dysport, and Xeomin. So, a Botox treatment by any other name… 🙂  Basically, Botox does not necessarily have to be labeled as “Botox” brand, to actually be Botox. The other brands are just as safe and effective, and hold a legitimate place in the industry.

Situations where Botox is Appropriate

Botox works the best on what are most often referred to as “expression” lines. The lines that occur due to our normal facial movements… so creases between the brows, the lines on the forehead, the “crow’s feet” around the eyes, and the lines around the mouth caused by speaking, frowning and smiling.

What are Dermal Fillers?

A dermal filler treatment involves injection of a solution containing mainly hyaluronic acid to a specific area that has thinned, over time, due to aging. Hyaluronic acid is a natural component of the skin’s connective tissue, but there are also other components used, based on the area being treated and what type of signs of aging are being treated. Dermal filler’s safety and effectiveness have made it the most common filler used in cosmetic facial procedures.

Injections of filler can soften fine lines and creases and restore fullness to the skin.The filler is often injected into cheeks, lips and around the mouth to help to fill in those areas, improving the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, by adding volume and fullness.

Situations where Fillers are Appropriate

Different types of filler are used to treat different types of signs of aging, where volume is lacking, or needing to be replaced, and as an overall treatment fillers are effective to:

  • Plump thinning lips
  • Add volume to fill in shallower areas of the face
  • Fill or soften the look of indents or scars
  • Fill or soften wrinkles that are the result of loss of collagen and elasticity of the skin (inevitable aging)

 

So, before you head to the Med Spa, assuming you want Botox, consider the differences between these two treatments, and consider which would be most appropriate in treating your individual skin concern.

  • Botox: freezes muscles to stop lines and wrinkles caused by the facial expressions common in our daily lives.
  • Dermal fillers: uses an injection of a substance to “fill” or plump up areas that are lacking in volume, or have lost fullness.

 

Combination Treatment Session

Botox and Dermal fillers are different treatments designed to achieve different outcomes; but, they can also, at times, be combined and used during the same treatment session. For example; A client may choose Botox to correct lines and wrinkles around their eyes, and also choose Dermal fillers to correct and fill their smile lines around the mouth.

Feel like it’s a lot to think about and process? That’s ok! That’s what the Medical Beauty Professionals at BlossomMD in San Ramon are there for!

At BlossomMD, we specialize in recommending the best treatment plan, individually created just for you, based on your personal circumstance and your desired outcomes.

Hope to see you soon!

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