Firstly, you need to understand what is happening to the face as you age. Aging of the face happens on multiple plains. We have a loss of collagen and elastin which impacts our skin’s elasticity. The fat pads within our face shrink and descend, which results in a lack of facial volume & structural support. As we age, we also go through bone resorption, which can also result in a lack of facial volume creating a sunken in look.
Now, when you experience these changes depends on many factors. Such as genetics, your age & lifestyle just to name a few.
So back to the original question; anti-wrinkle injections vs. dermal fillers: what’s the difference?
Anti-wrinkle injections (otherwise known as botulinum toxin injections) are an injectable treatment designed to stop muscle movement. By stopping certain muscles from continual contraction, we can soften the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles. For example, when you smile your orbicularis oculi muscle contracts and over many years of this muscle contracting, along with your collagen and elastin decreasing wrinkles are created around the eyes. To treat this botulinum toxin is strategically placed within the lateral aspect of the muscle resulting in a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles. Results vary depending on the depth or the pre-existing wrinkles & whether clients maintain their treatment plan.
Dermal fillers are a gel-like substance of hyaluronic acid that are injected into the face to create a smoother or fuller appearance. There are many different types of dermal fillers, as different indications require different products. For example, if we were trying to combat bone resorption within the face, we would need a much thicker filler than what may be indicated to treat fine lines around the mouth. It is important to note that just because filler is used to revolumise the face, this does not mean that all areas can be treated the same. Finding a practitioner who understands facial anatomy, as well as the importance of product selection is of the upmost importance. When these things are not taken into consideration people can end of overvolumised, resulting in a pillow faced look.
So, as you will now understand there is quite a substantial difference between anti-wrinkle injections & dermal fillers. Not only in the fact that the products are so widely different, but also that the indications for each are quite different.
If you would like more information on the above treatments, book a cosmetic nurse consultation here.