Botulinum Toxin or Filler, which is better and what are the differences

Both are used for different functions and their association is the icing on the cake of any procedure.

The biggest confusion for most people is thinking that they are the same thing, when in fact they are completely different in terms of objectives, areas treated and results they deliver.

In this post we will cover the following topics:

Botulinum toxin popularly known as botox® It is used to relax muscles, more specifically dynamic wrinkles, those that appear when we move facial muscles. The most common areas for application are the forehead, glabella (region between the eyebrows) and around the eyes. There are also more advanced techniques, such as to reduce chin cellulite, gummy smile, perioral wrinkles, to lift the corner of the mouth, reduce strength of the platysma muscle (responsible for pulling the face down) therapeutic techniques such as bruxism and migraines. The number of units varies greatly according to muscular strength and the target muscle, in general the average is 30 to 60 iu. Many patients have doubts about botox application® in the mouth, Chinese mustache or dark circles, and in these cases we always recommend filling, as the toxin does not have volumizing power, only relaxation.

There is no ideal age to start treatment with botulinum toxin, even because the idea is to prevent it, so if you have a lot of muscle strength and are very expressive, the sooner the better, as it will avoid the formation of static wrinkles (those that have already marked the skin and require collagen stimulation).

There are some contraindications regarding the use of botox®such as the use of antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, anticoagulants, people with neuromuscular conditions, breastfeeding and pregnancy, inflammation in the region, those allergic to eggs (albumin) should take special care as there is a specific toxin to use.

In the leaflet, botulinum toxin tells us an average duration of 3 to 4 months, but we have had cases of longer durations such as 5 to 7 months, this time is very variable according to each organism and habits, for example, a person who practices Regular weight training forces the facial muscles more frequently, reducing the duration, the use of medications such as antibiotics can also reduce this. It is important to understand that the results will not disappear overnight, the process is progressive, from the first month onwards the effect and production of new neuroreceptors begins.

*Photos authorized by customers. Procedures carried out at the Clinic (public use not authorized). As these are different organisms, there is no guarantee of results.

Different from botox®filling with hyaluronic acid has the power to volumize and sustain. Hyaluronic acid is a completely biocompatible and absorbable gel with different densities used according to the needs of each region. The most common are: Chinese mustache, lips, dark circles, malar (cheekbone), chin (chin), jaw, nose, temple, some patients have doubts about filling wrinkles on the forehead or glabella, we do not recommend using in these regions as they contain very sensitive vessels that irrigate the eyes, which can cause compression or intra-arterial injection compromising vision, if volumization or softening of lines in these areas is necessary, we recommend collagen stimulation with PDO wires (specifically the Filler thread for the glabella region), microneedling, peelings. A recurring question is how many mls are needed for harmonization? This depends on the objective and which areas are in need of volumization, for example, generally for Chinese mustaches, dark circles and lips we use 1 ml for each area, if it is necessary to define the contour and angle of the jaw at least 4 mls for a very subtle definition, so adding up would be 8 mls.

Once a lack of volumization and facial structure is identified, there is also no correct age, it varies greatly according to individual needs and anatomical structure, but it is important to carry it out as soon as identified for prevention and, if necessary, association with other therapies such as collagen biostimulators or PDO wires for example.

The contraindications are very similar to those of botox®pregnant and breastfeeding women, use of antibiotics or anti-inflammatories, skin lesions, immunological diseases.

Just like the toxin, the durability of hyaluronic acid varies from organism to organism, on average from 8 to 12 months, habits also influence it, smokers degrade it much faster, as well as poor diet, lack of water intake or excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages. , it is important to treat your skin with the use of protectors and skincare in general.

Both are great, and achieve different results, so the better question would be, what is your goal? Are the wrinkles bothering you? Or is it that depth of the Chinese mustache? In the evaluation, we were able to analyze and identify point by point, creating the ideal protocol for each case.