People who want to rejuvenate their face without undergoing cosmetic surgery can turn to injections of so-called fillers. Before choosing your anti-wrinkle treatment, here’s what you need to know about hyaluronic acid and botulinum toxin, two solutions capable of rapidly and significantly slowing the effects of time on your face and neck.
Spotlight on botulinum toxin…
Botox, which is one of the trade names for botulinum toxin, is used to reduce or prevent the appearance of wrinkles, mainly forehead wrinkles, frown lines and crow’s feet, which are caused by the action of the subcutaneous muscles of the face responsible for expression. The principle of botulinum toxin is to block muscle contraction in order to smooth the skin of the face, neck and décolleté. It is a product capable of going deep enough into each wrinkle to act on the underlying muscle by relaxing it.
Botox takes a few days to take effect. It takes a maximum of 2 weeks to see results : expression lines are reduced, the face looks younger without the facial expression being altered. Botox lasts for 6 months on average, but it is advisable to repeat the injections every 4 months during the first year of treatment. In some cases, the effect lasts longer. Over time, the facial muscles relax, the patient loses the habit of the facial expressions that caused the wrinkles to appear, and the injections can be spaced out.
And hyaluronic acid?
Hyaluronic acid is preferred by aesthetic surgeons, particularly when it comes to treating structural wrinkles, which are mainly located in the lower part of the face. In this part of the face, it is essential to maintain expressions such as smiling and speaking. Like botulinum toxin, hyaluronic acid is injected into the areas to be treated. However, the product fills in wrinkles without going as far as the underlying muscles.
Hyaluronic acid is a product used to fill in wrinkles or restore volume, thus reducing the signs of ageing, whether on the eyes (dark circles, tear troughs), the face or even the hands…
The effect of hyaluronic acid is immediate. The result can therefore be appreciated directly. On average, hyaluronic acid lasts 10 months. Sometimes, the effect lasts longer, up to 14 months, depending on the injection sites and the patient’s metabolism.
What is the difference between botulinum toxin and hyaluronic acid?
Botox and hyaluronic acid are two complementary treatments. Hyaluronic acid treats the symptom, i.e. the wrinkle, and its injection fills the wrinkle. Botox treats the cause of this symptom. This second product is injected more deeply, into the muscle, thus preventing the appearance of the wrinkle or causing it to diminish. This is why it is not uncommon for botulinum toxin and hyaluronic acid to be used together, depending on the area of the face to be treated, for a natural result. Over time, filler injections can be spaced out, which is why it is important to use these techniques as a preventive measure, before the wrinkles have really set in, and thus postpone the need for surgery.
Who can perform these injections?
Injections of hyaluronic acid and botox have been practised for many years, and are commonplace and safe. However, it requires precise knowledge of facial anatomy. It is a strictly medical procedure that must be carried out by a specialist. Aesthetic surgeons are, of course, qualified to carry out Botox and hyaluronic acid injections, as are dermatologists and doctors with special expertise in aesthetic medicine.
Before you decide to have any of these treatments carried out, make sure that the practitioner you choose is fully qualified.
If you would like the advice of a beauty specialist, we invite you to make an appointment now for a consultation with your Anti-Aging Medicine professional.
