Botox has received a really bad reputation from people over using it and misusing it. The ingredient, botulinum toxin was first medically and successfully utilised for its muscle relaxing properties by opthalmogosists in 1990s to correct a type of cross-eye. Once its safety was established it was used to treat wrinkles. Wrinkles appear on the forehead or around the eyes due the activity of the muscle in that area. This more the muscle moves, the more these lines appear perpendicular to the muscle. Since Botox is used to relax muscles, using the correct dose and technique, we can reduce the activity of these muscles causing the problematic lines. Notice how I said “reduce the activity” not fully eliminate it. This is how the “frozen” look occurs. Ideally we want to retain some movement of these muscles so our clients look natural and refreshed. So by relaxing these muscles and reducing their activity we are able to soften the lines being created.

Often clients know they need a treatment when they come into our Medi-spa and say “I look angry, my Botox has worn off”. This is a common sign that the treatment needs to be done, this is because the lines start to reappear and need to be softened again. . 

Areas that are usually treated for BOTOX: forehead lines, brow lines and crow’s feet (these are the lines around the eyes) 

An easy way to remember what DERMAL FILLER is used for, is by understanding that it  replaces volume lost or volume that has never existed. Dermal filler is made from hyaluronic acid which carries 1000X its weight in water, thus making it the ideal ingredient to replace volume that has been lost due to ageing, weight loss or volume that you never had at all. This is an ingredient naturally found in our skin responsible for hydration and moisture. 

So “FILLER” is for volume, BOTOX is for lines . 

Common areas that are treated this way include lips, cheeks and nasal bridges. The amount of time between treatments is done to the individual. Unlike Botox which can last between 3 and 4 months, when the product wares off. The length of duration of filler depends on the time taken for your body to clear the product. Therefore if you have a fast metabolism then generally it lasts slightly less than those with a slower metabolism. Furthermore the location of the filler can contribute to this, for example, if you get filler in your cheeks and you constantly sleep on them it can mean they won’t last as long. Smoking is another factor that affects the length of duration, as it contains toxins that can dehydrate the filler. We always like to tell our clients to drink plenty of water as it “feeds” the filler and helps it last longer. 

Common side affects with filler include bruising and swelling when injecting the lips. This is because of the multiple injections into the same area, not because of the product. To help with the pain during treatment, a numbing cream is used and well as ice furthermore the filler has a local aesthetic in it, which lasts for about 2 hours. 

A very important part of the entire process is follow up. Especially for first timers, the review about a week later is really important to ensure you achieve the results you want. So make an appointment for a week later to see the physician and review the treatment.