At our spa, we get lots of clients who aren’t sure if they need filler or a neurotoxin a.k.a. Botox. So we thought we would give a little tutorial on what’s what.
In the neurotoxin world, the main players are Botox, Dysport and Xeomin. They all basically do the same thing, which is to paralyze the muscles that make expressions which lead to lines. Think “11 lines”, forehead lines and crows feet. Injectors also use these products for other areas like around the lips to soften those vertical lip lines and turn out your pout a little.
Fillers would be used where you have loss of volume or asymmetry you wish to correct. These products are your Juvederms, Volumas and Restylane products. Most of them are hyaluronic acid, a substance that occurs in our bodies naturally. This, however, does not mean they are “Natural.” They are created in labs. Common areas for fillers to be used are lips, nasolabial folds, and cheeks. A general rule of thumb is that from eyes up, neurotoxins are used, below that you would use fillers.
Another big difference between these two categories of products is the length of time that they last. Neurotoxins typically last around 3-4 months where fillers can last anywhere from 6-18 months and even as long as 2 years.
You always want to have a consultation with a qualified and experienced injector and they should be able to educate you and answer any questions, but we hope this is a good starting point for those of you who are curious!
