The Skinny
Fine lines and wrinkles — you can live with them, but you‘d probably rather live without them. Fortunately, there are plenty of options to achieve just that. A natural-looking, youthful appearance free of crow’s feet, smile lines, nasolabial folds, and facial wrinkles is possible (check out our complete guide to Fine Line & Wrinkle Concners). Injectable fillers, hyaluronic acid fillers, and neurotoxin (think: Botox® and the like) injections can reduce facial lines and provide a lovely facial rejuvenation.
The Specifics
Who may consider dermal fillers and injectables?
A quick recap of the special names for the fine lines, wrinkles, and creases that develop on the face from aging, use, sun exposure, and skin damage. Bonus points if you have all of them.- Bunny Lines: Rabbits have cute noses. These not as cute wrinkles appear from the inner eye corners to the nose when you scrunch your face.
- Crow’s Feet: The lines running from the temples to the eyes, that like the spirit crow, carry wisdom and an undesirable appearance. Also, stop squinting.
- Glabellar Lines (a.k.a. Frown Lines): The vertical lines between the brows that prove to everyone you took life too seriously.
- Forehead Lines: The large horizontal wrinkles that run from temple to temple across the forehead and indicate you spent a lot of time raising your eyebrows.
- Lip Lines (a.k.a. Smoker’s Lines or Lipstick Lines): The vertical creases running across the lips that really have nothing to do with tobacco or lipstick.
- Marionette Lines: The vertical lines that run from the corners of the mouth to the chin. While you may feel like a puppet on a string at times, these lines are not indicative of greater forces exerting control over you.
- Nasolabial Folds (a.k.a. Laugh Lines): The parenthetical lines from the base of the nose to the corners of the mouth that imply your life was hysterical.
What can you expect from dermal fillers and injectables?
Soft tissue fillers versus Botox®: What’s the difference? Well, one is a synthetic augmentation solution, while the other is a naturally occurring paralytic toxin.- Neurotoxin Injections: Neurotoxin injections like Botox®, Dysport®, Jeuveau®, and Xeomin® can temporarily reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by paralyzing the musculature controlling the targeted area of the face.
- Dermal Filler: Fillers can be used to enhance the volume and contour of the surrounding soft tissue to smooth and alter the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Where to Use Neurotoxin vs. Dermal Filler:
When should you consider dermal fillers and injectables for fine lines and wrinkles?
That’s entirely up to you. Fine lines and wrinkles happen to everyone at different times with varying degrees of intensity. When you begin to notice the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, you can consider what your ideal aesthetic is and then decide how you wish to proceed. All of the options discussed here are temporary, and will require maintenance regardless of when you begin treatments.Why should you consider dermal fillers and injectables for fine lines and wrinkles?
A few reasons one may consider a dermal filler or injectable to smooth fine lines and wrinkles: to stick it to Father Time, to defy gravity, to permanently erase the past, to celebrate advances in modern cosmetic procedures, or to confuse casual acquaintances into thinking you are immune to aging.Neurotoxin Injections
Botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) injections can smooth fine lines and wrinkles by blocking neurotransmissions to the underlying facial musculature preventing it from contracting. Below is a general overview of common types of BoNT-A injections.- Botox®®
- Overview: The first BoNT-A injection approved for cosmetic use to treat frown lines, forehead lines, crow's feet, and more.
- Cost: $200 - $1,400
- Recovery & Results: Temporary redness and bruising. Results will appear within one week. Multiple treatments will be needed, and then ongoing maintenance.
- Dysport®
- Overview: For patients looking to treat larger areas, Dysport® may be a good alternative to Botox®.
- Cost: $200 - $1,400
- Recovery & Results: Faster results than BoNT-A injections, but they may not last as long.
- Jeuveau®
- Overview: The newest BoNT-A injection on the market, it shares the most similar profile to Botox®.
- Cost: $150 - $1,100
- Recovery & Results: Results within three to five days, which will last for three to six months.
- Xeomin®
- Overview: Purified BoNT-A injectable formulated without the additives found in Botox®, Dysport®, and Jeuveau®.
- Cost: $200 - $1,400
- Recovery & Results: Results within one week. Permanence consistent with other BoNT-A injections.
Soft Tissue Fillers
These can be temporary or permanent depending on the filler. They generally have minimal side effects with noticeable results.Hyaluronic Acid (HA) Fillers
The most temporary of the filler options, hyaluronic acid (HA)-based fillers are approved by the United States Food and Drud Administration (FDA) to treat an array of wrinkle and volume-related skin concerns.
- Belotero®
- Overview: A temporary HA filler injected into the more superficial layers of the dermis.
- Cost: $500 - $2,000
- Recovery & Results: Minimal redness and swelling. Results will last up to a year.
- Juvéderm®
- Overview: An HA filler used to augment the lips and add volume to the face.
- Cost: $500 - $2,000
- Recovery & Results: Minor swelling and redness. Results will last about six months.
- Restylane®
- Overview: An HA filler used to augment the lips and add volume to the face.
- Cost: $800 - $5,000
- Recovery & Results: Mild redness and swelling. Temporary results lasting up to a year.
Calcium Hydroxylapatite Fillers (CAHA)
Calcium hydroxylapatite (CAHA) is similar to a mineral and is naturally found in human bones. The most common brand of CaHA filler is Radiesse®, which is used for enhancing volume on the face and bodyand plumping frown lines.
- Radiesse®
- Overview: A filler composed of calcium hydroxyapatite gel microspheres.
- Cost: $640 - $800
- Recovery & Results: Mild bruising and swelling. Results can last up to two years.
Poly-L-lactic Acid (PLLA) Filler
Poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) is a biodegradable synthetic substance that is classified as a collagen stimulator because it helps the skin rebuild collagen on its own. The filler itself dissolves after a few days, but the results generated by the increased collagen production can last over two years.
- Sculptra®
- Overview: A semi-permanent PLLA filler that is used to treat deeper wrinkles, like laughter lines and nasolabial folds.
- Cost: $600 - $800
- Recovery & Results: Some swelling and redness. Typically one to two sessions are needed to achieve results that will last up to one year.
Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) Fillers
Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) fillers are a semi-permanent solution used to treat medium-to-deep lines, wrinkles, and furrows. The most popular PMMA brand is Bellafill®, which is used to treat nasolabial folds, pitted scars from acne, and lips.
- Bellafill®
- Overview: A semi-permanent filler containing polymethylmethacrylate microspheres (PMMA).
- Cost: $550 - $2,000
- Recovery & Results: Minimal swelling and redness. Permanent results that may require multiple treatments to achieve.
The Takeaway
Injectable treatments are simple, safe, and effective. Fine lines and wrinkles stand no chance against these cosmetic procedures. With minimal recovery time, reasonable cost, and significantly noticeable results what the heck are you waiting for?
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Source List
- American Academy of Dermatology Many Ways to Firm Sagging Skin
- The American Board of Cosmetic Surgery Skin Tightening americanboardofcosmeticsurgery.org
- Huang W, Rogachefsky AS, Foster JA Brow Lift with Botulinum Toxin PubMed; 2000-01-01
- Sarit Cohen Forehead Lift Using Botulinum Toxin PubMed.gov; 2018-02-15
