If you want to look younger without surgery, non-surgical cosmetic treatments like Botox and fillers are popular procedures that you can consider. Numbers from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons show that Botox procedures in the U.S. went up by 459% between 2000 and 2020, with over 4.4 million procedures in 2020 alone. The use of fillers saw an even bigger 983% jump in that same time, hitting 3.4 million procedures in 2020.
This article will compare the two options, Botox vs Fillers – what they are used for, how they work, and their possible effects as it is important to understand the key differences for you to make the best decisions.
What is Botox?
Botox, also known as onabotulinumtoxinA, is a leading choice for reducing the appearance of wrinkles and severe frown lines in the glabellar region and around the eyes, commonly known as crow’s feet lines, through temporary relaxation of muscles.
Botox has become the number 1 selling product of its kind since receiving FDA approval for cosmetic use in 2002 for the treatment of moderate to severe:
– Frown lines between the eyebrows
– Crow’s feet
– Forehead lines
Over 100 million vials have been sold in the USA since 2002. Botox’s use is supported by over 4,700 peer-reviewed scientific publications.
What are Fillers?
What are fillers? These are gel-like substances that get injected under the skin to add fullness and volume the most common types of fillers are the hyaluronic acid fillers.
This kind of filler is used to reduce or smooth out wrinkles and fine lines on areas like the cheeks, lips, under-eyes, and around the mouth and nose and it temporarily fills in and plumps up those areas for a youthful look.
Other fillers can be made from things like calcium or fat, but hyaluronic acid fillers are most popular because they’re safe and the results aren’t permanent
Treatment Applications and Benefits
Botox Applications
Cosmetic Botox applications include, smoothing forehead lines and wrinkles, reducing crow’s feet around the eyes, and reducing frown lines that are between the eyebrows and medical Botox applications include, preventing and treating persistent chronic migraines, treating excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis) and relieving muscle spasms and stiffness.
Filler Applications
Parts like the lips, cheeks, and under-eyes are the filler treatment areas including lines around the mouth and nose.
For the lips, fillers can make them bigger and fuller, in the cheeks, it adds more volume to lift the area and make cheekbones stick out more.
Under the eyes, fillers fill in hollows and smooth out wrinkles and lines.
Fillers can also make static wrinkles around the mouth and lines from the nose to mouth corners less noticeable.
Adding volume to areas of the face that have been lost due to aging, shaping parts of the face like cheeks and lips, and smoothing out wrinkles are some of the uses of Fillers.
Procedures and Patient Expectations
The Botox Procedure
- Botox Procedure Steps start with a meeting with the doctor to discuss if Botox is right for you by checking your facial muscles and wrinkles.
- When undergoing Botox, the doctor uses a tiny needle to inject small amounts of Botox into the muscles causing wrinkles, the common areas being the frown lines between eyebrows, crow’s feet by eyes, and forehead wrinkles.
- The injections are quick with just a little pinching feeling. The whole process takes around 10-30 minutes.
- After Botox, you can go back to normal activities right away but you may have some bruising or swelling where you got the injections, but it goes away in a few days.
- It can take up to 2 weeks to see Botox’s full effect of relaxing those wrinkled muscles. Results usually last 3-4 months before wrinkles start coming back so you’ll have to repeat Botox injections every 3-4 months when the effects wear off.
The Filler Procedure
Filler Procedure Steps include;
- Consultation to choose the right filler
- The treatment area is numbed
- Filler is injected using a fine needle into areas like cheeks, lips, under-eyes
- The area is massaged to shape and distribute the filler
- Some swelling/bruising for 1-2 weeks
- Filler settles in 1-2 weeks, results last 6-18 months
- Repeat treatments are needed as the filler wears off
Side Effects and Safety
Risks Associated with Botox
- Injection Site Reactions: Some of the reactions include; Bruising, redness, swelling, and minor pain, affecting up to one in five people. These go away within a few days and can be reduced by applying ice packs and avoiding extreme activity immediately after treatment.
- Headache: This affects about 10% of patients and is usually mild and lasts a short time with the use of over-the-counter pain relievers.
- Temporary Drooping Eyelid (Ptosis): This is not common but has more concerning side effects, affecting less than 1% of people and it occurs when the Botox injection mistakenly affects the muscles that raise the eyelid. This effect does not last long, it takes a few weeks to months but if this is experienced after treatment, contact your provider immediately.
Risks Associated with Fillers
Filler Side Effects
- Bruising, swelling, redness at injection sites (common)
- Lumps or unevenness under the skin
- Infection (rare)
Safety of Fillers
- Vascular occlusion – when filler is accidentally injected into a blood vessel, it can cause tissue death if not treated right away.
- Granulomas – firm bumps months later from the body’s reaction
To stay safe, get fillers from an experienced, licensed provider. They use proper injection techniques and know how to handle any complications. Let them know your full medical history too.
Cost and Value
Evaluating Botox Costs
How much Botox costs can differ a lot. The average price in the U.S. is around $400 to $500 per treatment area according to Realself.
But Botox pricing depends on a few things:
- Where you live – It’s more expensive in big cities
- How experienced the doctor is – More expertise means higher prices
- How much Botox you need for your specific areas
- How often you get Botox re-done (usually every 3-4 months)
Other fees for the medical office can get added too, so costs can range from $200 on the lower end, all the way to over $1,000 in some luxury locations or for more extensive treatments.
Evaluating Filler Costs
Type of filler
- Hyaluronic acid: $500 – $800 per syringe
- Calcium hydroxyapatite: $600 – $1,000 per syringe
- Poly-L-lactic acid: $600 – $900 per vial
Brand name vs generic
Brand names like Restylane, and Juvederm: $600 – $800 per syringe
Generic fillers: $300 – $500 per syringe
Filler Pricing
Cost per syringe/vial from supplier
Doctor/provider markup (50% – 300% extra charge is common)
Location (major cities are usually more expensive)
Discounts for buying more syringes/vials
Special pricing or package deals
Decision Making: Botox or Fillers?
- Botox smooths out wrinkles from facial movements (crow’s feet, forehead lines)
- Fillers add volume to fill in deep creases (nasolabial folds, marionette lines)
- Botox is less expensive upfront ($200-$500 per treatment)
- Fillers cost more ($500-$1,000+ per syringe)
- Botox lasts 3-4 months, so you need it more often
- Fillers can last 6-24 months, depending on the product
- Botox has little to no downtime, fillers may cause bruising/swelling
- Fillers go into your face, some prefer just treating muscles with Botox
“Which is right for me: Botox or fillers?”
The right choice depends on your specific aging concerns and budget. Botox is best for expressing wrinkles at a lower cost. Fillers treat volume loss but are more expensive. Many get both treatments.
Conclusion
Botox or fillers – the right choice depends on what you want. Botox smooths out wrinkles from facial movements at a lower cost. Fillers add volume to fill in deep creases and lines but cost more.
Botox results last 3-4 months. Fillers can last 6 months to 2 years. Some like Botox for a little downtime. Others don’t mind some bruising or swelling from fillers.
Your preference, concerns, and budget will determine the procedure you want best and this will be made easier by booking a consultation with your provider. They can look at your face and recommend whether Botox, fillers, or combining both would give you the look you want.
FAQ Related To Botox vs Fillers
What can I expect during the recovery period for both Botox and fillers?
For Botox, there’s a short recovery time and you can resume normal activities right away while for Fillers there’s swelling, bruising, and tenderness for a few days.
How often will I need to repeat treatments?
Botox: Every 3-4 months Fillers: Every 6-24 months depending on the filler
What should I look for in a provider?
Experience injecting the specific areas you want to be treated. Proper credentials and licensing. Excellent reviews.
How do I prepare for my first treatment?
Avoid blood thinners, alcohol, and certain supplements beforehand. Arrive with a clean face. Have a ride home arranged if you get fillers.
What results can I expect and how soon?
Botox: Smoothing of dynamic wrinkles in 3-5 days