A Complete Guide to Botox and Fillers — What’s Right for You?

Renew Wellness & Aesthetics

So, what’s the difference between Botox and fillers (or dermal fillers)? Both are cosmetic treatments used to treat wrinkles and other imperfections.

But, where Botox blocks nerve receptors, fillers serve to lift and fill problem areas.

Over one million people get Botox injections every year. Of that one million, 90 percent are women reaching middle age status.

It is no secret that Botox and fillers have become a staple in the plastic surgery world. They are both non-invasive procedures that fix wrinkles, sagging skin, and have proven effective in reducing headaches, treating teeth grinding and reducing sweating!

Each treatment has its unique uses and desired results, though. That makes choosing between the two difficult, especially for a first-time candidate. If you are looking for aesthetic medicine in Oklahoma City, you probably have lots of questions on whether Botox or filler is right for you. With these Botox and filler guides, you can make an informed decision.

In this guide, you’ll learn all about the most common areas of the body for Botox and filler injections and benefits of both.

As always, we invite you to schedule a free consultation with us at Renew Wellness & Aesthetics to discuss your unique needs and to determine whether Botox or fillers would help you meet your aesthetic goals.

The Botox Guide

Have you tried every cream on the market to treat your wrinkles and problem areas with no results? Botox offers longer-lasting effects proven to tighten up the face.

What does Botox do?

Before receiving injections, you’ll want to know how this process works. Botox consists of a neurotoxin called the Botulinum Toxin Type A. When injected into an area of the body, this toxin serves as a muscle relaxer.

Botox is only one type of injection you can consider. There are several kinds of injections involving the botulinum toxin, all of which are brand names that provide different results.

How long does Botox last?

Botox treats wrinkles caused by repeated muscle contractions in the face. When injected, the Botox serum relaxes those facial muscles by blocking your nerve signals.

Botox injections help to reduce and minimize wrinkles and age lines. Effects last for about 3-4 months.

Dysport vs Botox

Dysport is a neuromodulator which, like Botox, is derived from the botulinum toxin. However, its formula (abobotulinumtoxin A ) is slightly different, containing smaller particles and fewer protein buffers.

This injection, much like Botox, treats moderate to severe cases of wrinkles. What makes Dysport different is the concentration of protein molecules.

Patients may see results more quickly with Dysport, perhaps by a few days. Dysport spreads more easily than BOTOX. As a result, sometimes a broader area can be treated with fewer Dysport injections. This can be an advantage if a broader area is being treated.

Where to inject Botox?

When you think Botox, your mind goes to crow’s feet, forehead lines, and laugh lines. But you can use Botox outside of these common problem areas.

You can receive Botox injections almost everywhere on the body that experiences sagging or wrinkles. In fact, Botox has a few surprising benefits other than cosmetic treatments.

Botox Upper Face

The upper facial muscles are a primary concern among women mid-20s and older. Laughing, frowning, and living your life causes those annoying muscle contractions that lead to wrinkles in the face.

Botox Frown Lines

Glabellar lines (frown lines) form vertically between your eyebrows. These are also known as “11s”. You may not realize how many muscles you use in your face until these lines begin to pop up, making you look upset or angry. Botox and Dysport are common choices of injections to wipe away frown lines in a subtle manner.

Forehead Lines

These lines are slightly different from frown lines. When you develop forehead lines, you may look more surprised than angry or sad.

Instead of being vertical, forehead lines form horizontally across your skin as you age. Some common causes of increased forehead lines are lifestyle choices such as too much sunbathing or smoking.

Bunny Lines

‘Bunny lines’ may sound adorable, but they may be cuter on actual bunnies than us humans. If you wrinkle up your nose, you can see where bunny lines may develop. A bit of Botox on either side of the nose can smooth these wrinkles. Injections for bunny lines are a bit tricky, though.

Remember, Botox causes relaxation of muscles. If the Botox injection goes wrong, it can affect your smile. That’s why it’s necessary to have an experienced Botox medical professional treat your bunny lines.

Botox Around Eyes

The next most common problem area for women is the eyes. We express so much emotion using just our eyes and the muscles surrounding them. When we laugh, our eyes squint.

When we act surprised, they widen. All of these expressions are working the muscles surrounding the eyes. Botox injections can soften and even re-shape your eyes, lifting them to create a more desirable, youthful look.

Botox Brow Lift

Separate from frown lines and forehead lines, your eyebrows can begin to sag. The eyebrow muscles weaken, loosen, and will dip down in an unflattering manner.

Botox injections can tighten up those eyebrows, helping to raise them back up. Essentially, you are getting an eyebrow lift without the trouble of surgery.

Botox for Hooded Eyes

Brow droop can lead to something called hooded eyes. This condition is where the skin over the eyes dips down due to the weakened brow muscles.

Hooded eyes make you look older as it gives off the appearance of wrinkles or saggy skin. To rid yourself of these horizontal hoods, you could have surgery, but most people want to avoid such an intense operation.

Get around the trouble of going under by having an expert carefully inject your skin with Botox. If you catch it early on, you may be able to avoid surgery to fix hooded eyes down the line.

You cannot have injections directly into your eyelids, though. Botox too close to your eyes would risk brow or lid drooping.

Instead, much of the same method for eyebrow lifting is used to keep your eyes from sloughing downward.

Crows Feet Botox

Crows feet are one of the top reasons why people seek out Botox treatment. Crows feet are those horizontal lines that branch out from the outer corner of your eyes.

Any facial expression that causes the eyes to squint, such as a smile, will eventually lead to some form of crow’s feet. They are most common in older women.

That’s why Botox injections are sought out for the upper cheeks to stretch and smooth the skin. Botox will reduce the appearance of lines permeating out from the eyes.

Botox Under Eyes

Underneath the eyes may not be at the top of your list of Botox treatment areas. Consider the prevalence of bags under the eyes, though.

Bags may seem like a common side effect of not getting enough rest for a few nights. The fact is, bags that form under the eyes can become chronic.

Constant stress and lack of sleep will not only create dark circles. The skin under the eyes can begin to droop, too. Baggy eyes are also a result of aging as the elasticity in our skin softens.

When this happens, the skin hangs down, creating folds. If you seek Botox for under the eyes, this requires an injection administered to the muscles controlling your lower eyelids.

Botox Lower Face

The upper face is not the only part of the head that will experience cosmetic issues. Wrinkles and loose skin can begin to affect the lips, chin, jawline, and more.

Lipstick Lines

Having beautiful lips is one of the top cosmetic concerns for women, whether for fillers or Botox. Lipstick lines spider out from around the lips as women age.

They get their name because lipstick tends to bleed out into the vertical folds. These lines are most common in people who smoke because the lips extend outward to smoke a cigarette.

However, these lines can pop up due to several other factors, such as smiling, kissing, or any other emotion using the lip muscles. Because the resilience around the lips weakens over time, Botox injections are suitable to treat lipstick lines.

Lip Flip

Lip flip is a procedure where we inject neurotoxin such as Botox or Dysport into your cupid’s bow and close to the corners of your mouth. This quick and easy procedure allows people the option for full lips without getting fillers. The serum relaxes the muscles in the lips, causing the inside of the lipto  flip outward. There are lots of benefits of Botox lip flip and lip filler.

Chin Dents

As we age, certain areas of our face experience advanced tissue loss. The chin is subject to deteriorating tissue.

When this happens, a dimpling effect dapples the chin. This is commonly referred to as “pebbly chin.” The skin will look loose or like permanent creases are covering the surface area. Botox will smooth this area out, leaving a youthful, elastic effect.

Botox for Jawline Tightening

Women covet sharpened jawlines, but, as we age, the skin starts to loosen around there, too. Sometimes, this creates the effect of a weakened jawline or the appearance of having no jawline at all.

Botox injections around your jaw will enhance the natural bone structure underneath your skin.

Botox for Neck Wrinkles

Gravity takes its toll on your neck most of all. Not only is the neck area prone to lines and wrinkles, but increased sagging too.

As our skin loses collagen with age, the neck wilts downward, folding over itself. There are two types of lines that people are likely to develop: horizontal and vertical.

Horizontal lines occur due to simple aging whereas vertical lines often result due to increased physical activity, such as exercise.

Some people seek out surgery for a neck lift, entailing the cutting, removal and stretching of the skin. If you catch your necklines and folds ahead of time, then you might be able to save the area with a series of small Botox injections.

Botox for Other Areas of the Body

Botox is often associated with the face, but it doesn’t have to stop there. It might surprise you to learn Botox can work wonders on other, larger areas of the body.

Botox in Armpits

Botox injections in the armpits can help stop unwanted underarm sweating. Typically, around 50 units of Botox is injected into each armpit to stop underarm sweating. These results can last up to 6-9 months in some patients.

Botox for Sweating

Hyperhidrosis, or excess sweating in the hands and/or feet, can be an issue for many men and women. Botox can be injected into the palms of the hands or soles of the feet to stop this issue.

Other Benefits of Botox

In this guide, we have learned that Botox can wipe away wrinkles, eliminate lines, and give you a more natural look. You now know all of the areas on the face and body that you can get Botox.

But did you know Botox has other benefits other than keeping us looking vibrant and beautiful? There are several different advantages to Botox outside of cosmetic treatment.

Botox for Headaches

Believe it or not, but you can use Botox to treat migraines and headaches. Botox professionals inject the serum near the same pain receptors that induce headaches.

The serum relaxes muscles and paralyzes nerves. So, the pain signal you’d usually experience during a headache cannot reach your brain. Thus, it works kind of like a pain-relieving medication.

Botox for headaches and migraines will take a few treatments before you stop experiencing headaches. Afterward, it lasts around 12-16 weeks before you need another treatment.

Botox for Teeth Grinding

Studies from Pain and Research Management show that Botox can help teeth grinding (bruxism) in adults. A stiff jaw could be a sign that you are grinding your teeth at night.

You might not realize it, but your jaw might tense up while you sleep. Bruxism leads to headaches, worn tooth enamel, and jaw pain.

Treating your teeth grinding with a few injections of Botox will relax your jaw. An expert will provide a few injections near your mouth and jawline, reducing clenching.

Since teeth grinding leads to headaches, you could be treating two painful scenarios with one easy fix. By fixing your bruxism, you could also alleviate pain from accompanying tension headaches.

Botox for Excessive Sweating

Botox can block neurotransmitters when injected into a part of the body with numerous sweat glands. Due to this, many people seek Botox to manage excessive sweating. You could have Botox injected into your hands and feet to cure a condition called hyperhidrosis.

Hyperhidrosis is where your sweat glands work overtime in your palms and the bottoms of your feet. Botox cuts off these sweat glands so they cannot emit perspiration. Managing sweat is also why people get Botox in other areas of their bodies, such as their armpits or scalps.

Botox for Acne

Because Botox blocks sweat glands, it can also manage acne. When we sweat, it collects in our pores with other bacteria and dirt.

Pimples and acne arise due to those clogged pores. With tiny Botox injections, you ensure that sweat can longer get into your pores. You are also blocking your body from creating the oils that lead to a breakout.

Botox Treats Neurological Disorders

While Botox is for cosmetic purposes, it does have its advantages in the medical field. Since these injections relax the muscles, that means they can help people who suffer from neurological disorders.

Localized Botox injections sometimes ease disorders revolving around muscle spasms and motor tics. Botox does not cure these conditions, though.

It mainly serves as a therapeutic device to help patients suffering from strokes, drooling, or twitching of the muscles.

Is Botox Right for You?

After reading this Botox guide, you might wonder whether you are a Botox candidate. Before considering Botox, you should call us or schedule an appointment online to discuss your concerns.

A candidate for Botox is someone who:

  • Has moderate to severe wrinkles
  • Is in good health with no underlying neuromuscular disease
  • Has wrinkles or issues in a Botox appropriate area
  • Understands that Botox effects may take time to work
  • Is realistic in their Botox expectations

Whereas, a person who should stay away from Botox if you:

  • Have an underlying neurologic disease such as Myasthenia Gravis or Lambert-Eaton Syndrome
  • Have an infection on the skin
  • Are pregnant
  • Are breastfeeding
  • Have suffered nerve damage

If you aren’t sure whether you qualify for Botox, schedule a consultation and we can discuss your concerns and determine if botox is right for you.

The Dermal Fillers Guide

Fillers, also known as dermal fillers, have a gel-like substance that plumps up when injected into the face and various parts of the body. The FDA has approved dermal fillers to be safe to use.

They consist of:

  • Collagen
  • Hyaluronic Acid
  • A temporary gel solution

Dermal fillers, like Botox, are temporary solutions for fixing cosmetic problem areas. Collagen contains properties designed to reabsorb back into your body after a while.

Hyaluronic Acid fillers last roughly 6-12 months. After which, you will require another round of treatment.

Types of Dermal Fillers

Different injections serve different purposes when speaking of dermal fillers. Juvederm and Restylane are the biggest names in the filler family.

Restylane has been around since 2003, while Juvederm got its FDA approval back in 2006. These two brand name injections branch out to incorporate several products within the filler family.

Each of the Juvederm and Restylane fillers offer a unique approach to cosmetic treatments. If you need injections for a specific part of the face, your filler provider will point you in the right direction.

JUVÉDERM XC

Juvederm solutions contain an acid that we already have in our bodies. It’s called Hyaluronic acid, and we produce it to cushion our joints and tissues.

Because of this natural ingredient, there is no skin testing involved for Juvederm injections. That said, our skin loses its capabilities to produce this acid as we get older.

That is where Juvederm fillers come into play. This filler is best for cosmetic issues involving the lips, marionette lines, and smoker lines.

Juvederm’s primary purpose is to restore volume in parts of the face that have become dilapidated. There are several types of injections within the Juvederm family.

JUVÉDERM ULTRA XC

Juvederm Ultra XC works magic for clients who have reasonably thin lips or whose lips have thinned with age. This filler lasts up to one year and is best for people looking for larger lips.

Your lips will take on a full, revitalized, yet natural look. Juvederm Ultra XC is also an optimal choice for people who have severe lines around their nasolabial folds or “smile lines.”

JUVÉDERM VOLBELLA XC

Juvederm Volbella XC is another lip filler that will plump up your lips while filling in vertical lip lines. The result of Volbella XC is a softer lip line lasting up to one year.

JUVÉDERM VOLUMA XC

If your face has begun to sink with age, Juvederm Voluma XC is the way to go. These are fillers primarily used to inflate areas of the face that have lost their resilience.

When we get older, our cheeks can look hollow or become flat, and the skin begins to sag. Juvederm Voluma XC injects deeply into your cheeks, bringing your mid-facial area back to life for up to two years. This filler can also create beautiful results when injected into the chin and jaw.

RESTYLANE

If your face has begun to sink with age, Juvederm Voluma XC is the way to go. These are fillers primarily used to inflate areas of the face that have lost their resilience.

When we get older, our cheeks can look hollow or become flat, and the skin begins to sag. Juvederm Voluma XC injects deeply into your cheeks, bringing your mid-facial area back to life for up to two years. This filler can also create beautiful results when injected into the chin and jaw.

Where Can You Inject Dermal Fillers?

Different injections serve different purposes when speaking of dermal fillers. Juvederm and Restylane are the biggest names in the filler family.

Restylane has been around since 2003, while Juvederm got its FDA approval back in 2006. These two brand name injections branch out to incorporate several products within the filler family.

Each of the Juvederm and Restylane fillers offer a unique approach to cosmetic treatments. If you need injections for a specific part of the face, your filler provider will point you in the right direction.

Eyebrow Filler

With aging comes the deterioration of bone, affecting the structure of our eyebrows. If you have eyebrow tissue that has dissolved, leaving your brows weakened, dermal fillers can be a wonderful fix.

Fillers will raise the area, lifting your brows to their original, natural height. Fillers can also widen the eyebrows. Lately, big brows have started to trend.

If you have thinner brows, plumping the ridge might give you the appearance of having a fuller ridge-line. Fillers will also improve the skin around the brows, making it tighter and more youthful.

Frown Line Filler

Where Botox can help frown lines, many specialists will recommend dermal fillers as the best option. Fillers don’t just help tighten the skin but can also lift and stretch it as the gel-like solution expands underneath. Frown lines will disappear with fillers and stay away for a year.

Under Eye Filler

As with frown lines, fillers are the best solution for under the eyes as well. The area beneath our lower eyelids called our “tear troughs” tends to become thin over time.

The skin can create a sunken, papery look that most people want to avoid. Fillers will add that collagen back into your skin, lifting those hollow dips back into place.

Fillers don’t contain the same toxins as Botox, so the injection near or around your eyes won’t threaten nerve damage. For this reason, fillers can be an optimal choice for revitalizing your eyes. It is important to see an experienced injector for tear trough filler, as not every patient is a candidate for filler in this area.

Nose Fold Filler

The skin around our noses will decrease in volume due to loss of moisture and acid. By losing these essential parts of the skin, your skin will start to crease and fold near the nasal area.

These grooves begin near the nose and span out horizontally from the mouth. When you smile, nasolabial folds pronounce even more. While the loss of moisture in the skin can result in these lines and grooves, sagging cheekbones may also be the culprit.

If an aesthetic medical provider suspects your cheekbones are to blame, they might suggest additional augmentation. By filling in and lifting your cheeks, you may see that that your nasolabial folds stay at bay.

Cheek Filler

Bone loss in our cheekbone structure is a problem most women 35 and up will address via fillers. High apples of the cheeks and sharp edges radiate youth.

Since cheekbones are the most common problem areas for women, you might wonder what causes cheekbone loss and sagging. Collagen loss is the main culprit, but several other lifestyle factors add to drooping cheeks.

A few injections of Restylane or Juvederm will leave your cheeks looking naturally higher and sculpted.

Smart Phone Face

In this day in age, we are always looking down at a smart device, be it a tablet, computer, or cellphone. Casting our faces downward at electronic devices will cause gravity to take its toll. Craning your head at the slightest angle leads to weakened cheekbones, a weak chin, and higher chances of developing wrinkles.

Too Many Sweets

Some experts theorize that eating too many sugary foods will inhibit your body from creating collagen. Sugar can also affect your skin’s elasticity. If you have a sweet tooth, this could be one reason why your skin and cheekbones are deteriorating.

Not Enough Fatty Foods

On the other hand, you may not be eating enough foods high in fat. Reasons for this could be a low-fat diet, or you may be someone who eats healthy regularly.

Either way, the body needs a certain amount of fat to maintain acids like Omega-3 and Omega-6. These fatty acids are what preserve skin elasticity. If you have recently cut out fat from your diet or don’t eat it at all, you could be at risk for weakened cheekbones.

Drastic Weight Loss

Have you lost a vast amount of weight in a short amount of time? If so, you may be depriving your body of necessary nutrients and vitamins.

Once the weight falls off, the skin can hang loose in certain areas, including the face. If you have lost weight but need to tighten up the skin around your cheeks, small filler injections will help.

Not Enough Sleep

Getting a good night’s rest won’t just leave you feeling refreshed. Sleeping helps your body repair itself. That includes your skin.

If you aren’t sleeping, then your skin isn’t getting the chance to fix itself. The skin around your cheekbones, and the rest of your face, will begin to thin and wrinkle.

Marionette Lines

Naturally, an image of a puppet comes to mind when you hear the term marionette lines. These lines get their name because they form around the mouth and laterally move down toward the chin. With a few filler injections, those curves will fill out in no time.

Lips and Vertical Lip Lines Filler

Along with cheeks, lips are the most popular part of the face for dermal fillers. Women with thin or thinning lips will often seek fillers to create a fuller look.

You can get injections that plump your lips slightly, giving a more natural look, or fill in your lips so that they look poutier. Fillers are great for vertical lip lines, too. Where you can inject Botox around your mouth, fillers can pinpoint each vertical line and fill it in.

Scar Filler

Dermal fillers aren’t only used to plump lips, cheeks, and the chin. If you have scarring, they can fill in those marks.

Many people use fillers for acne pocks. These are scars caused by extreme facial acne. They are often deep divots in the skin that are noticeable to the naked eye.

For scarring, fillers injected directly into the scar will plump it up so that it matches the level with the rest of your skin.

You don’t have to stick to just acne scars, though. There have been people who get dermal fillers for other, noticeable scars on their bodies, especially their hands. The great thing about fillers is the plumping effect can fix mild to moderate scarring in a flash.

Are Dermal Fillers Right for You?

As with Botox, most people should be a candidate for fillers. But, there are always exceptions to the rule. When considering fillers, talk to your specialist and a doctor.

A candidate for dermal fillers is someone who:

  • Is healthy
  • Doesn’t smoke
  • Has moderate to severe collagen loss in the face
  • Has cheekbones that sag or are weak
  • Has thin or thinning lips
  • Will properly treat skin to keep it looking healthy

A poor candidate for dermal fillers is someone who:

  • Has a skin infection in the area needing treatment
  • Has skin that reacts/breaks out easily to substances

If allergens are a concern, you can always ask for an allergy test before getting dermal fillers. Testing yourself for allergies will prevent any reactions from occurring after the procedure.

Find Botox and Fillers Near Me – Providers in OKC

After all this talk about Botox and filler (or dermal fillers), you are still in need of a specialist. At Renew Wellness & Aesthetics, we specialize in Botox and filler injections and our injectors are licensed and trained specialists to ensure your overall health and safety. Renew is also home to The Natural Oklahoma Look where we take an individualized approach to enhance your natural beauty.

We’d love to meet you and invite you to schedule a FREE consultation to discuss your cosmetic needs.