What is the difference between Botox & filler?

There is a common misconception that the words “Botox” and “filler” are interchangeable, but in reality, these two types of injectables are very different in both usage, recovery times, and outcomes. Botox is a specially formulated product that targets the muscles underneath the skin. These are the muscles that create wrinkles by repeating similar movements (such as laughing or frowning) over time. When Botox is injected, it acts to relax these muscles in order to prevent the formation of wrinkles in the first place. Therefore, the appearance of wrinkles begins to fade. Botox is just one brand of neuromodulator (others you may have heard of include Dysport, Xeomin, or Jeuveau).

Dermal Fillers on the other hand, such as Restylane, Juvederm, and RHA and are composed of hyaluronic acid. With dermal fillers Houston patients can improve the appearance of sunken cheeks, and wrinkles around the nose and mouth (like laugh lines, eleven’s, lips, and frown lines) by adding volume/substance below the skin. Fillers are designed to replenish the skin by creating the appearance of volume and smoothness underneath the skin.

Some dermal fillers are popular in particular because they invoke natural processes in the skin to plumpen in the area of injection long-term—so even once the filler has been metabolized, it leaves the skin better than it found it! To summarize: Botox reduces wrinkles by relaxing underlying muscles; dermal fillers reduce wrinkles by adding volume.