Facing the facts

Maybe you’ve been thinking about giving it a try, maybe you’ve tried it and didn’t get what you wanted.  Maybe you start to look into it and become so overwhelmed with all your options and what will work for YOU that you decide to re-visit it later.

Maybe it’s not for you, maybe you’re happy to age gracefully just the way you are.  Maybe you want to fight the signs of aging with everything you can muster up.  Maybe you fall somewhere in the middle.

We’ve all seen those women (and men) who have clearly treaded too far into the “injections” waters.  It’s obvious, it’s clear that they have crossed the line of getting a little tweak and turning into a human Barbie.  It’s these people who give injectables a bad rap.  

Injectables are not meant to look fake, if they are done properly.  Sure you can always find a doctor who will do anything you ask but I would suggest that this is not the kind of doctor you want to visit.  A doctors goal should always be to educate you, give you your options and then try to make you look as natural as possible.

The question people seem to wonder the most is…

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BOTOX & FILLERS?

Well it’s a big one and there are a lot of differences… from effects to duration to cost.

BOTOX & DYSPORT

Are injectables that make you look more rested and youthful by relaxing the muscles around fine lines.  Most commonly injected in the forehead, between the eyebrows, upper cheeks in the “crows feet” by your eyes and less commonly above your lip and even in your neck. 

Botox has been around since the 70’s and Dysport was used widely in Europe in the 90’s until it was FDA approved in the US in 2009.  Both do the same job but active women tend to report they notice their Botox beginning to wear off sooner than it once did over time, likely due to metabolizing it quicker.  These women report that Dysport seems to have longer lasting effects.

Botox above the lip can be used if someone thinks their smile is too “high”, showing a “gummy smile” – just be aware that some report having a hard time drinking through a straw or whistling.

Botox and Dysport are your best choice if you find facial lines are primarily produced by the movement of facial muscles.  Lifting your eyebrows up, smiling, frowning will all produce lines that can be treated with Botox or Dysport

It is recommended that Botox or Dysport be injected every 3 to 4 months.

The cost is based on how many units a patient needs.  A unit will cost between $10-$15 and the average patient can use anywhere from 20 – 50 or more units, again depending on your personal wants.  It’s not a cheap commitment, starting anywhere from $300 + per session.

It is relatively pain free and there is no down time.  

You will start to see results with the first week with optimum results occurring by 2 weeks.

It is unlikely your insurance would cover this cost unless you are using it to manage migraine headaches or excessive sweating under the armpits which it has been widely shown to help both issues.

JUVEDERM, RESTYLANE & OTHER FILLING AGENTS

These products, called “fillers” are used to fill in deep set lines and wrinkles that are present whether facial muscles are being used or not.

These are also the products that people use to “fill” their lips.  A filler can be injected into the actual lip or around the edges of the lip to make the lip appear more full.  Clearly there are people who overdo it and end up with what everyone calls “duck lips”.  

Again, if done properly, the difference should be subtle.

Fillers can be injected into the folds that run from your nose to the sides of your mouth or into deep wrinkles in the forehead.

Unlike botox or dysport, injecting a filler is more painful and requires a topical numbing cream before hand.  

Fillers can last up to 12 months and can be pricey.  

Unlike botox, you cannot buy it per unit, you buy it per vile which can run about $5-600.  If you use the entire vile you have got your moneys worth but if you are only doing your lips it’s unlikely you will use the whole vile and it must be thrown away within the month.

Many women (& men) will do a combination of botox / dysport and juvederm / restylane – this will help relax your wrinkle lines as well as add some volume.  

Again, this is a decision that any certified, qualified doctor can help you decide.

There are still more brands and products that fall within the spectrum of injectables.  I hope I have been able to give you a good place to start if you decide to look into it further.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to find a reputable doctor.  If you don’t know one, start asking around. Is there someone you know who has skin you are always admiring?  Ask her if gets botox – if she does than ask her for her doctors name, if she doesn’t, you won’t offend her – she should be flattered!

* This post is based solely on my opinion.  I am not a doctor or medical expert so please use this information only as a starting point. 

XoXo