Stubborn lines and wrinkles. We all have them ...or had them ;) What’s the secret? Is it Botox? Is it filler? Is it both?!
...Let’s break it down with Alicia, PAC @ Skin CoLAB in downtown Ada.
Neurotoxins like Botox and Dysport are best used to treat fine lines and wrinkles caused by motion. These are often called expression lines. Common areas include the glabella, which is the space between eyebrows often referred to as "frown lines" or "11’s" caused by a scowling or concentrated-like expression.
Another common area of expression lines are forehead lines. The frontalis muscle is used when raising your eyebrows or showing a surprised expression, causing horizontal forehead lines.
Last, but not least, are laugh lines, smile lines, or crow's feet. These are wrinkles created from the muscle around the eye called the obicularis oculi. This muscle is contracted when laughing, smiling, or squinting.
If an expression line is present at rest, it may take a few neurotoxin treatments to completely resolve this line. Consistent neurotoxin treatments in addition to medical grade skincare is the best remedy for lines caused by muscle movement.
Filler can fill a line, so why isn’t it used for expression lines? Treating the underlying cause of the fine line or wrinkle is necessary first to tackle the source of the line.
Expression lines occur from movement of the muscle, which breaks down collagen in the skin. Filling lines for the sake of filling can be unsightly and unsafe...We can go into this in more detail in a different blog. :)
So, when is filler used?
As we age, collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid is lost. We also decrease bony volume, fat, and ligament support. This contributes to an aging face. Filler is used to restore or support these areas of lost structural or volume.
Adding filler to the cheeks, not only gives lateral structure and a more youthful look, but it also helps support a deepening nasolabial fold. Adding filler to the chin will not only give anterior projection, but also assist with lower face jowling. Jawline filler can do the same.
Can filler ever be used to fill a line? Yes, but some areas are safer than others.
Neurotoxin and filler can be used together to compliment a maturing face.
Think of filler as structure like a house and neurotoxin as furniture or decor. A poorly built home can look pretty with good decor, but wouldn’t it look better in a renovated room? A well-treated face allows treatments to complement one another and create a natural, restored look.
PS: What if that house had a maid to keep things tidy? Medical grade skincare enters the room.
Learn more from Alicia Mancini, PAC and the team at Skin CoLAB in downtown Ada, Michigan where she delivers medical grade aesthetic treatments, consultations, product regimens, laser, chemical peels, toxin, filler and Sculptra treatments.