Aging is inevitable, but thanks to cosmetic injectables like Botox and dermal fillers, we can provide you with an escape, albeit temporarily, so that you can live wrinkle-free year-round. At Beauty 2.0 Aesthetics in Port Moody, British Columbia, we offer different cosmetic injectables that can not only target the signs of aging but can enhance your features and make you look and feel like the best version of yourself.
Botox vs. Dermal Fillers: Which Is Right for You?
When it comes to Botox and dermal fillers, it’s not a competition. They’re both on the same team, and they both aim to accomplish the same goal, that being to treat and correct the signs of aging. Both are anti-aging cosmetic injectables designed to target and treat wrinkles that form for different reasons.
You can use one or the other, or you can use them together. It completely depends on your goals, your preferences, and how aging has affected your face. If you’re not sure which one to use but you know you need something, one of our injectors can help determine your problem areas and your goals to help create the best anti-aging plan for your face.
Creating Your Treatment Plan
Whether you want to use one or both of these cosmetic injectables, we can create the perfect treatment plan for you. As a bonus, you can receive both of these injectables during the same appointment to treat lines on the upper half of your face and volume loss and facial fold and wrinkles on the lower half of your face as well.
Botox: The Original Muscle-Relaxing Injectable
Botox is one of the most popular cosmetic injectables in the beauty world because it targets fine lines and wrinkles that form from repetitive movements throughout your life. When you’re younger, your face can handle all of your expressions.
As you age, your skin loses elasticity thanks to a decrease in the production of collagen and elastin, two proteins that help keep your skin flexible and youthful. When this happens, lines and wrinkles begin to form. Luckily, this cosmetic injectable can intervene and erase those lines and wrinkles for temporary yet long-lasting results.
How It Works
Botox is a muscle relaxer—the ingredients in this injectable work by blocking communication between the nerve signals and the muscles. Once injections are administered, the ingredients slowly begin to relax the muscles so that your expressions are less exaggerated.
You’ll still have movement in your face, but it won’t be so drastic that it causes the deepening of your existing lines and wrinkles. It will actually do just the opposite and will help smooth your lines and wrinkles so that you can live wrinkle-free.
What It Treats
Botox treats the dynamic wrinkles that form on the upper half of the face due to repetitive expressions over time. It can smooth crow’s feet that form at the outer corners of the eyes that often appear when you are laughing or smiling and can eventually leave a permanent mark in that area. They also treat forehead lines and frown lines that form between the eyebrows.
The Treatment Process
Once we confirm the Botox is the right option for you, we can design your treatment plan and then schedule your appointment. Once you arrive at your appointment, our injector will administer this injectable into several different areas of the muscles in your treatment area. Then your appointment will be complete, and you can resume all your normal daily activities.
The Aftercare
You should avoid laying down immediately after your appointment and avoid spending any time in hot temperatures or anything that will elevate your body temperature. You should also refrain from strenuous workouts for 24 hours after your appointment and avoid touching your face.
The Results
Once you receive your injections, you won’t see immediate results, but your results will appear quickly. You will experience the final outcome of your treatment within one week of your appointment as the ingredients in this injection begin to fully relax the muscles so that wrinkles and lines can gradually fade from your face.
Most patients notice an initial improvement within 24 to 48 hours of their appointment, while for others, it may take three to five days to notice a change. It all depends on the severity of your wrinkles at the time of treatment and what areas you choose to treat. You can rest assured that you will see results, your wrinkles will fade, and you will see an improvement in your appearance after your treatment.
A Long-Lasting Treatment
Cosmetic injections designed to target dynamic wrinkles deliver long-lasting results. Once you undergo this treatment, you can expect your results to last anywhere from three to six months based on your body’s metabolism and the rate at which it eliminates the ingredients in the injectable from your system.
You’ll notice a change in your appearance after a few months of treatment, and your wrinkles will begin to slowly return. This will indicate it’s time to schedule your follow-up treatment at which we will repeat this process to help you maintain a wrinkle-free appearance.
Dermal Fillers: Restoring Volume to the Skin
Dermal fillers also target the signs of aging on the face, but they do so in a different way. The two most common dermal fillers are HA fillers and collagen-stimulating fillers. HA fillers inject a gel substance that mimics hyaluronic acid, a substance the body produces naturally to keep the skin soft, full, and voluminous beneath the skin’s surface.
Once this substance is injected into a hollow or area with lines or folds, it will immediately fill that area and restore volume. At our office, we offer different fillers to meet different needs and to address aging on different parts of the face.
How They Work
The most popular dermal fillers are those that contain a synthetic form of hyaluronic acid. These dermal fillers contain a gel-like substance that seamlessly integrates below the skin’s surface to plump, lift, and define the area. They can fill hollow areas and restore volume, lift the cheeks, and enhance the features, like the lips.
Other popular dermal fillers are made with an ingredient that stimulates collagen production below the skin’s surface. While they do deliver some immediate plumping effects, they also stimulate the body’s ability to increase collagen and elastin production so that you get natural-looking results over time.
What They Treat
Dermal fillers restore volume and smooth lines around the mouth, also known as marionette lines. They can also smooth lines around the nose, also known as nasolabial folds and perioral lines, the vertical lines that form around the mouth. Additionally, they can add volume to the lips, correct imperfections, and enhance the features so that you can feel your best regardless of your age or your genetics.
The Treatment Process
The dermal filler treatment process is very similar to the Botox treatment process. Both are cosmetic injectables that have very thin needles. Many dermal fillers contain lidocaine, which helps keep you comfortable during and after the injection process.
We can also apply a topical numbing solution to your skin to help you remain as comfortable. Injections are quick and only take 10 to 15 minutes to complete. We can also treat multiple areas of your face simultaneously without the need for multiple appointments.
The Aftercare
The aftercare instructions following dermal filler appointments are minimal, but you must follow these directions carefully. You should avoid touching or putting pressure on your treatment sites following your appointment to ensure that the filler stays in the treatment area. You should also stay out of the sun, avoid situations that increase your body temperature, and avoid strenuous workouts for 24 hours after your appointment.
The Results
Dermal fillers are held in an injectable that is fitted with a very thin needle, and once administered, they deliver immediate results. You’ll get instant gratification from immediate results. Still, the good news is, those results will continue to improve in the weeks that follow your initial treatment as the ingredients settle below the skin’s surface.
Your dermal filler results will last anywhere from six months to two years based on which product we use to treat your face. Once you notice that your results are starting to fade, a touch-up treatment can restore volume to your problem areas to keep your wrinkles and lines at bay. An initial consultation with one of our experts will help determine which dermal filler is right for you and how long you can expect your results to last.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I Look Natural?
Cosmetic injectables are intended to treat and correct the signs of aging and help you feel your best. They can help restore confidence, and when you choose an injector you can trust, you can rest assured you will get natural results. We will help you look like yourself, just a younger and more rested version of yourself.
What if I Need To Stop Treatment?
While both of these cosmetic injectables deliver long-lasting results, they are only temporary. Your body will metabolize the ingredients and the results will wear off if you do nothing. Some patients need to stop treatments due to pregnancy and nursing but can easily resume treatments when needed with no issue.
Are Injections Painful?
Both of these injectables are fitted with a very thin needle, making the injection process quick and relatively painless. Additionally, we can apply a topical numbing solution to your skin to numb the treatment area, so you don’t feel anything. The appointment is quick, painless, and effective. You will get results, you will address your wrinkles, and you’ll be on your way to beautiful wrinkle-free skin.
Will Cosmetic Injectables Interfere With My Skincare Routine?
Beginning a routine with cosmetic injectables will not affect your ability to undergo other skincare treatments like facials or chemical peels. Cosmetic injectables can easily be combined with other anti-aging treatments to help you achieve youthful and healthy skin.
Am I a Candidate?
If you are a man or a woman with wrinkles on the upper or lower half of your face, you most likely are a good candidate for dermal filler or Botox. During your initial consultation, we will confirm that you are a candidate and then create a treatment plan that’s right for you.
Learn More About Cosmetic Injectables
If you want to take years off your face, smooth lines and wrinkles, and restore youthful volume, we can help. Younger-looking skin is only an appointment away. Contact us today at Beauty 2.0 Aesthetics in Port Moody, British Columbia to schedule your initial consultation.