The difference is the method
Injectables all have the same goal to make you look younger. They just do it in different ways. Botox is called a neuromodulator. When injected into a muscle it causes the muscle to relax and not contract for a period of three to six months. When these muscles are used in facial expressions such as frown lines or squinting, by Botox stopping their contractions, the wrinkles they form also go away. This type of wrinkle is called a dynamic wrinkle, because it is formed by muscle contraction.
The other injectables are dermal fillers. They have the same goal, to erase wrinkles and lines, and even to restore volume. But, unlike Botox, they don’t relax the facial muscles; they instead add volume to the crease and plump the skin. They do this by “filling” in the area beneath the wrinkle or crease, pushing the skin back up. They treat the other kind of wrinkles, static wrinkles. These wrinkles show themselves at all times.
A tale of four dermal fillers
Here are the four fillers we use and their characteristics.
- Juvederm Juvederm is made from hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring substance in the body that is responsible for plumping the skin. Once injected, the hyaluronic acid molecules bind to water molecules in the skin, pushing the skin up and making it smooth and more youthful. Juvederm is used for nasolabial folds, marionette lines, tear troughs, and for lip enhancement. Results last for up to one year.
- Juvederm Voluma XC Juvederm has extended its product line into a variety of different fillers. Voluma XC is approved to correct mid-face volume loss. In common terms, that would be the cheeks. Voluma returns volume to sagging cheeks. Its results can last for up to two years.
- Restylane Silk Restylane Silk is an extension of the Restylane line. Restylane Silk was the first FDA-approved filler specifically created to add volume to the lips and to remove vertical lips lines and lines surrounding the lips. Like Juvederm, Restylane is a hyaluronic acid filler that is thinner in consistency, making it perfect for subtle lip enhancement.
- Bellafill Bellafill is a synthetic filler that uses PMMA microspheres to return structure under the skin in areas where declining collagen production has created volume loss. The filler is a collagen gel with the microspheres. When injected, the collagen gel instantly provides volume. Then, as the body absorbs the collagen, the PMMA microspheres trigger new collagen production. This provides long-lasting volume in the mid-face area with results last from 3-5 years.
Interesting in erasing some lines and wrinkles? Call the team at Northcoast Laser Cosmetics, (440) NEW-FACE, and ask which injectable would be right for you.