Toxin and filler: two injections with different roles

Understanding Treatments

Both are given by injection, but one reduces movement and the other fills volume. When the purpose differs, the wrinkles they suit differ too.

What they act on differs

Botulinum toxin temporarily reduces the nerve signal to a muscle, easing excessive muscle contraction. In other words it acts on movement. The effect is not permanent and recovers gradually over time.

Filler is a preparation injected beneath the skin to fill a hollowed area or refine contour. In other words it acts on volume. Its properties and duration differ according to the material.

It divides by the type of wrinkle

Wrinkles that appear only when you smile or frown are called dynamic wrinkles, and those that remain even when the expression relaxes are called static wrinkles. Dynamic wrinkles around the eyes, between the brows and on the forehead are closely related to muscle movement, while grooves such as nasolabial folds deepened by reduced volume are closely related to a filling approach.

In a real face, however, it is far more common for the two to be mixed. Dynamic wrinkles repeated over a long time may also settle into static ones. So rather than assuming that only one thing is needed, a step of separating out the condition is required.

The difference in materials is worth knowing

Among fillers, the hyaluronic acid types most widely used have the distinctive feature that they can be reversed with a dissolving enzyme if necessary. Calcium-based and biodegradable polymer types cannot, and they may aim at the collagen response that appears over time rather than at the volume immediately after injection. There are also limits on the areas and layers in which they are used, so this needs to be checked at the consultation.

The design determines the result

With toxin, the result differs greatly according to the design of injection sites and dosage. Checking the position and strength of the muscles so that expressions do not become unnatural is important. Fillers likewise require different viscosity and depth by area, and a procedure that takes the course of blood vessels into account.

When to review the course

Right after a procedure, swelling and early reactions make accurate judgement difficult. A retouch to supplement what is lacking is also better decided after reviewing the course at the time you were advised. Response and duration vary from person to person, and other people's reviews or photographs are reference material only, not your expected result.

This column is general medical information provided to aid understanding. It does not guarantee the results of any specific treatment and does not replace a medical consultation. Treatment results and the course of recovery vary from person to person. Please confirm what is appropriate for your own condition through a consultation.