Wondering whether to go with Botox or a laser treatment, but aren’t sure which would be the right choice? Spoiler alert, the answer is both! Let’s jump into Botox vs lasers to explore the core elements of both.
If you are starting to see those lines on your forehead and around your eyes sticking around, even when your face is relaxed, you might be wondering what the best way is to go about softening them. These signs of aging are
normal but may be affecting your confidence level, especially if people are asking why you look so tired or grumpy.
Botox and laser treatments are both very effective for reducing fine lines and wrinkles, but what is the difference between them?
WHAT IS BOTOX & HOW DOES IT HELP?
Botox is actually a brand name (like Kleenex tissues) for a drug called Botulinum toxin. There is also another brand called Dysport. It is injected into the facial muscles with tiny needles, to gently relax them and minimize their ability to make typical facial movements. Once the movements have decreased, the skin no longer folds over and over and the lines begin to soften after a couple of weeks when the drug has taken full effect.
In younger patients, the lines can disappear completely with Botox injections, in older patients, the lines may only soften to varying degrees, depending on the depth of the wrinkle. The affects last approximately 4 months between injections.
Botox has been used for over 20 years and has proven to be very safe, with complications being very rare. It will also NOT make your wrinkles worse if you were to stop using it, they would simply return to the state they were in before. And don’t worry about looking “overdone”, or others knowing you’ve had injections. A talented, experienced injector knows how to place just the right amounts in the right places, to make your skin smooth and younger looking, without having a completely frozen face!
HOW DO LASERS HELP TREAT WRINKLES?
Lasers essentially use your body’s own immune system to treat wrinkles. They are many different types of lasers, but all work in pretty much the same manner for tightening skin. The laser fires energy into the deeper layers of the skin and creates thermal damage to the collagen fibres (structural proteins in the skin). This damage prompts your immune system to fix these injuries, along with the aging, wrinkled skin in the same area. The body rebuilds and remodels the collagen over the next few weeks and months, making it stronger and more elastic than before.
The wrinkles then begin to smooth out and reveal younger looking skin. The effects of this smoothing last anywhere from months to years, depending on many factors like age, health, and lifestyle. Lasers and Botox treatments both require upkeep, as the body continues to age over time.
WHY DO I NEED BOTH TREATMENTS IF THEY BOTH WORK WELL FOR WRINKLES?
Lasers work very well to smooth and strengthen the skin and repair the past damage, but the laser treatments unfortunately cannot prevent future damage from re-occurring. Your facial muscles will continue to move after the laser treatments and will eventually recreate or deepen the folds in the skin.
The most effective method to deal with wrinkles is to complete a series of laser treatments to repair past skin damage and strengthen the skin, then begin regular Botox injections to help prevent the wrinkles from returning!
Credit: Revive Laser
