At BTX London in Clapham, Dr Raman specialises in non-surgical facial aesthetic treatments.
Without a doubt, the two most popular injectable treatments in the UK are Botox® and fillers. Whilst both of these treatments are non-surgical and injectable, they are very much different treatments!
A common misconception, clients make when they come to see Dr Raman is they use the word Botox® to refer to any injectable including lip fillers. For example, they may attend and state that their friend came to see Dr Raman for Botox® in the lips and loved the results.
The world of aesthetic medicine can be confusing and in this blog article, I will try and explain the difference between Botox® and fillers.
What is Botox®?
Botox® is the brand name for one of the cosmetic licences botulinum toxins available on the market. The 3 most popular brands of botulinum toxin are Boccuture, Azzalure and Botox®. All 3 brands are licensed for aesthetic use on the face and they all have the same effect.
What does Botox® do? How does it work?
Botox® and all brands of botulinum toxin can be used to soften wrinkles and lines on the face by relaxing the smooth muscles. By blocking the nerve signal in the muscle it is injected, it prevents the muscle from contracting and hence prevents lines from appearing.
The most popular and effective areas for Botox® use are lines and wrinkles on the upper face. The frown lines, forehead lines and smile lines can be treated extremely effectively with Botox®.
The botulinum toxin is manufactured in powder form and dispensed in vials. When you attend treatment with Dr Raman he will reconstitute the toxin using a sterile saline solution. The reconstituted Botox® can then be injected into the facial muscle using an extremely fine needle. The needle is so fine that pain is minimal and at times not felt at all.
What are Fillers?
Dermal fillers are completely different to Botox®. As mentioned the only similarity they share is that they are injectable treatments used to enhance our appearance.
Dermal fillers are used to volumise skin. They are largely made up of Hyaluronic acid (HA), which is a substance that exists naturally in our bodies. Many years ago when fillers first appeared on the market they were derived from collagen. However, the advent of HA fillers completely transformed the industry, due to them being much safer and natural.
As mentioned hyaluronic acid is a sugar molecule that exists naturally in our skin. It is hydrophilic which means that it attracts water into it and acts as a lubricant and hydrates the skin.
By injecting HA into the skin we can add volume, reduce lines and wrinkles, and rehydrate the skin.
HA fillers have evolved over the last 20 years and the gel closely resembles the HA that exists naturally in the skin. The result is greater safety and a significantly reduced risk of reaction to the filler. The gel is smooth – which makes injecting easier. The product doesn’t migrate which allows doctors to be precise in their use of filler.
The commonest areas that we use fillers are in the lower face including the lips, nose to lip lines and chin. Fillers can also be used in the upper face for the cheeks and nose.
Which is better Botox® or filler?
There is no one answer to this question. They are different treatments used to treat different areas of the face in different ways. When you book in for a consultation with Dr Raman at BTX London, he will take you through a detailed history and facial assessment. He will listen to your concerns and collaboratively formulate a treatment plan that suits your needs.
Dr Raman has over 15 years of injecting experience with both Botox® and dermal fillers. Feel free to book in for a no-obligation consultation at BTX London in Clapham to discuss things further.