When to Use Restylane and When to Use Botox

When you hear “injectable” and “wrinkle,” usually the first thing that comes to mind is “Botox.”

But when some patients come into an office looking to get rid of a specific wrinkle, they can be surprised to hear their doctor say “for that, you need Restylane.”

So what is Restylane?

Relaxers vs. Fillers

To understand when you might need Botox or when you might need Restylane, you need to understand what each does for your facial aesthetics. The basics of facial aging are that your body stops producing new collagen around the age of 25.

Until you hit 30, the volume of collagen in your face stays pretty stable. But then it starts to thin out.

Muscle contraction starts forming wrinkles in your skin that are only noticeable when you start to lose volume. The basics of it are this: relaxers stop the contraction of the muscle, while fillers “fill” out volume. Pretty simple.

When to Use Which?

Which one you use mostly depends on what part of the face you’re treating. For example, if you have an expressive face and stay out in the sun, you might notice forehead wrinkles forming: in this case, you’d probably opt for Botox.

But if you have tired looking eyes, then you would use Restylane. Because the bagginess under the eyes is the result of the distribution of fat deposits underneath the skin layer, volumizing the cheeks can go a long way in smoothing the transition.

But There’s More!

But of course, Botox and Restylane are fundamentally different. Fillers might last longer than Botox, with a singular treatment, but Botox can have a preventative effect that accumulates over time.

A filler can be often be reversed with another injectable, whereas Botox is temporary but may take some time for effects to wear off.

Which product is right for you? You should talk to your doctor or a cosmetic treatment specialist.

If you want to find out more, call us today to schedule an appointment with Dr. Nicole Hayre at Cosmetic Dermatology Center.