If your face is betraying the signs of your advancing years, you may be considering a cosmetic treatment to help you turn back the clock and eliminate some of the fine lines, wrinkles, folds and sagging that tend to occur as we get older. Fortunately, patients no longer necessarily need to resort to going under the knife to achieve smoother, rejuvenated and more youthful skin. There are now more non-surgical but highly effective cosmetic treatments available than ever before. Some of these are known as injectables because, as their name suggests, they are injected into the skin. With a range of different injectable treatments to choose from, you could be forgiven for getting them confused. Particularly as, although their method of administration is the same, the actual substances themselves can have very different effects. 

Two of the most popular injectable treatments currently available are Juvéderm and Botox. However, they both work in very different ways. To help ensure that you pick the correct injectable to make the cosmetic changes that you are hoping to achieve, here’s what you need to know about the difference between Juvéderm and Botox. 

 

What is Juvéderm?

Juvéderm is a leading brand of a type of injectable known as a facial filler. Facial fillers, which are also known as dermal fillers, are injectable gels that are used to restore or add volume to the face. The main ingredient in Juvéderm is hyaluronic acid or HA for short. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally-occurring substance that binds to water in your skin, boosting hydration and adding volume to the area beneath the skin. This causes the skin to stretch, smoothing lines and wrinkles whilst the additional hydration helps the skin to look refreshed and rejuvenated. 

What cosmetic issues can Juvéderm be used to address?

There are various types of Juvéderm filler, each of which is designed for a particular purpose. Some of the ways in which Juvéderm can refresh and enhance your face include:

• Softening lines
• Adding volume to your cheeks 
• Contouring your chin and jawline
• Adding volume and definition to plump your lips
• Contouring your forehead
• Reviving the area around your eyes so that they look less sunken

Juvéderm is principally used in the lower half of the face - to correct lines and wrinkles around the mouth, including the nasolabial folds (the lines that extend from the corners of the nose to the outer corners of the mouth), and the marionette lines (the vertical lines that extend from the corners of the mouth to chin). 

You will start to see an improvement in the appearance of the targeted area within just a few hours of your treatment. The results of Juvéderm can potentially last up to 12 months, depending on the precise treatment chosen and the part of your face being targeted by the filler. 

What is Botox?

Botox is another type of injectable. However, Botox or Botulinum toxin is a neurotoxin that works by temporarily paralyzing the muscles that cause persistent lines and wrinkles as they contract. When injected into the target muscle, the neurotoxin will block the signals to the muscles so that they can no longer move. 

Botox has many uses, but in cosmetic treatments, it is primarily administered to the upper part of the face – the forehead, furrows between the eyebrows and around the eyes. By temporarily paralyzing these muscles, fine lines, wrinkles and even deeper creases and folds can no longer occur. 

The effects of Botox treatment can be seen immediately and will typically last up to 4 months before further treatment is needed to maintain the cosmetic improvement. 

As you can see, despite both being injectables, Juvéderm, and Botox work in very different ways. If you would like more information about either solution or if you would like to schedule a consultation with our experienced cosmetic team to determine which treatment is right for you, please contact our offices.