What you should know about cosmetic fillers

With the growing demand for plastic surgery, it's no surprise technology has created less invasive medical products and procedures to help erase years off your appearance. You've likely seen the ads and commercials for products such as Botox and Juvederm, but do you really know what they do? Before going in for treatment here are some tips from Winter Park Laser & Anti-Aging Medical Spa in Orlando.

First, it's important to know the different between Botox Cosmetic/Dysport and facial fillers. Since they are both administered as injections, the products can often get incorrectly lumped into the same category, when they actually focus on different facial areas. "Botox Cosmetic or Dysport are used to temporarily relax hyperactive facial muscles, and are usually used in the forehead, glabellar (inbetween brows) or the crow's feet areas.

Botox -- the number one treatment in America is not a one-time fix as it has to be repeated every 4-6 months but it is great as a preventative cosmetic measure as it prevents wrinkles from worsening.

In contrast, as their name indicates, Cosmetic facial fillers are used to fill any areas of facial volume loss or 'deflation' and are typically used to treat thin cheeks, upper lip cheek folds, marionette lines, the depression along the jaw line in front of the jowls and thin lips. The loss of facial volume (especially the fat pads in the cheeks) is part of the aging process but can also occur at a younger age because of weight loss or heredity. Injections of facial fillers, which were once only associated with the "bee stung lips" of celebrities, can help to restore fullness to the face.

All injectables and cosmetic fillers are performed by injection. Botox Cosmetic is injected via insulin needles which are tiny and barely felt by the patient. All cosmetic fillers can have lidocaine added into them making it a painless procedure without any downtime except slight swelling and a possibility of small bruises. All injectables should be administered by a Nurse Practitioner, A Physician's Assistant, or a Physician who is trained and experienced. These treatments are an art-form and some injectors are better than other.

Always ask to see pictures of clients, read reviews, check licenses and ask for a consultation to decide on the best treatments for you.