How Effective are BOTOX® and JUVÉDERM®?

Are you growing weary of the lines and wrinkles on your face? Does it seem like new ones show up every day?

 

Some people will tell you that those smile lines just prove that you smile a lot. Or that your crow’s feet lend a more distinctive look.

 

But you know the truth. And it makes no difference anyhow if you’re not satisfied with how your face is aging.

 

If you’re not yet ready to commit to going under the knife for a facelift, you do have non-surgical options with BOTOX® or JUVÉDERM®.

 

And they’re incredibly effective.

 

We’ll take a look at the many options available through these procedures.

 

The Magic of BOTOX®

 

First, we need to clarify something about wrinkles.

 

To you, a wrinkle is probably a wrinkle. They’re all the same and you don’t want any of them.

 

But there are actually two kinds of wrinkles. Static and dynamic.

 

Static wrinkles are the lines and folds that are always there on your face. Dynamic wrinkles, on the other hand, occur when you use your muscles to form facial expressions.

 

Prime examples of dynamic wrinkles are the lines in the forehead and around the brow, as well as crow’s feet around the eyes.

 

BOTOX® is used specifically to smooth out dynamic wrinkles only. But how does it work?

 

BOTOX® is a prescription medication that, once injected, blocks signals from your nerves to your muscles. This keeps the targeted muscles from contracting; the very action that produces fine lines and wrinkles.

 

When the muscles relax, you’re left with a a smooth and wrinkle-free appearance.

 

Because of the presence of Botulinum toxin in this medication, the question plastic surgeons are most often asked is, “how safe is BOTOX®?”

 

The quick answer is “completely.”

 

BOTOX® has been used for almost thirty years now. During that time, there has never been a recorded instance of botulism or paralysis from BOTOX®. And the FDA considers BOTOX® to be a safe, effective way to reduce wrinkles and smooth out fine lines.

 

It is also a very simple procedure.

 

After the BOTOX® injections, there is little to no downtime. Although patients should avoid strenuous activity for the rest of the day, they are able to return to their everyday life as soon as they feel comfortable.

 

Why Use JUVÉDERM®?

 

And after years of living, laughing, eating, yawning, talking, etc., lines and wrinkles become etched into the areas around the nose and mouth. These are static wrinkles.

 

Smile lines develop and the skin around the nose and mouth (known medically as nasolabial folds) begin to sag.These static wrinkles and folds can easily add years to your appearance.

 

JUVÉDERM® works to fill the lines and firm up the folds in this parenthesis area around your nose and mouth.

 

Treatment with JUVÉDERM® is quick – lasting only about 15 minutes. Using a very fine needle, your plastic surgeon injects JUVÉDERM® into the area being treated. And since it includes the anesthetic lidocaine, there is little to no discomfort during injections.

 

Patients see results immediately, though there might be some swelling. Once that subsides, results continue to improve.

 

There is minimal to no downtime associated with JUVÉDERM®. In fact, most patients are able to return to work right after treatment. To ensure optimal results, however, patients are advised to protect their skin from the sun for 10 days.

 

It’s a small price to pay for a more youthful appearance.

 

What Is JUVÉDERM VOLUMA® XC?

 

With some areas of the face, the issue isn’t always wrinkles.

 

The actual structure and volume of your face becomes less as you age. That’s why JUVÉDERM VOLUMA® XC was developed.

 

This filler uses hyaluronic acid (HA) to replenish missing volume – particularly in the upper cheek area, also known as the hollow, the apple, or the apex.

 

Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance that’s produced by your body. Large amounts of it are found in your skin where its function is to retain water to keep your skin well lubricated and moist.

 

As you age, your body makes less of this substance. This particular injection serves to replenish the HA and restore a firmer appearance around the mid-face, or any other area that needs volume restored.

 

During the procedure, JUVÉDERM VOLUMA® XC is injected into the predetermined treatment areas. This may result in mild redness and swelling near the injection sites that will disappear within a few days.

 

Results will continue to improve over the course of the next several weeks.

 

The Purpose of JUVÉDERM VOLBELLA®

As the years pass, it’s not unusual to lose volume in your lips as well. But the skin in this area, as well as around the eyelids, is much more delicate than other areas of the face. Static lines that show up in these areas require a gentler approach.

 

In these instances, your plastic surgeon or skin care specialist might recommend JUVÉDERM VOLBELLA®.

 

Also made up of HA, the particles in JUVÉDERM VOLBELLA® are smaller than those in JUVÉDERM® VOLUMA® XC so that they can effectively treat finer lines and more delicate areas where the skin is thinner.

 

As with the other two JUVÉDERM® treatments, injection is done with a thin needle and patients can expect to experience minimal to no discomfort during the procedure.

 

There may be mild redness, tenderness, or swelling after the procedure which will subside within a couple of weeks. It is also recommended that patients avoid strenuous activity or direct sun exposure to the treatment area for the first 24 hours following treatment.

 

Patients notice results immediately after the injection. And these only continue to improve over time as any residual swelling subsides.

 

BOTOX® and JUVÉDERM® Give You a Reason to Smile

 

Surgical procedures are fantastic for rejuvenating your face.

 

But non-surgical procedures like BOTOX® and JUVÉDERM® can be just as effective. And without the recovery time.

 

It all depends on your unique situation.

 

So contact us today to talk with a board-certified plastic surgeon about which option would be best for you.

 

It’s almost as good as turning back the hands of time.