Botox and Juvéderm have some significant similarities. They’re both injectables. They’re incredibly popular. And they’re often used to make clients look younger and fresher than when they came in for their first consultation.

While these two treatments share these features, they’re also very different. Read more to find out exactly what Botox and Juvéderm can do for you.
 

Botox

 
Botox is a neuromodulator, which means that it blocks the signal sent between the nerve and the muscle. The signal blocking can be useful for treating medical problems. It can treat everything from chronic migraines to eye twitches. Here is a quick list of conditions that Botox treatments can help with:

• Crossed eyes
• Excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis)
• Overactive bladder
• Neck spasms

Most people will be familiar with Botox’s cosmetic powers. With a few injections, it can essentially trick muscles in the face to stop contracting, thereby reducing the appearance of dynamic wrinkles.

Dynamic wrinkles (also called dynamic lines) are the facial lines that form when you’re making an expression. They appear between your brow when you’re deep in focus. They scrunch around the sides of your eyes when you smile. They crease your forehead when you’re surprised. As you get older, you’ll notice that some of these lines don’t disappear after the expression leaves your face. They linger and get deeper over time.

Botox injections target the muscles that are contracting and making these wrinkles appear, forcing them to relax. That makes the treated area look smoother and younger.

It Can Change Expressions

 
The treatment can even soften expressions. If your brow looks permanently furrowed, strangers are going to assume that you’re angry or frustrated. With the help of Botox, the “11 lines” won’t be set between your brow and your expression will look much milder. Anyone who is tired of hearing comments like “Looks like you got up on the wrong side of the bed” or “Calm down” when they’re not upset at all will appreciate the transformative powers of the injections.

Now, one of the unfortunate misconceptions that has followed Botox around is that the injections cause “frozen face.” People assume that once they go in for a session that their entire expression will be blank and that they won’t be able to move any of their facial muscles. That is untrue. You will not have a paralyzed face after your appointment — this is misinformation that’s often repeated on TV shows and movies. Click here to learn more about the inaccurate portrayals of Botox injections by the entertainment industry.

Prevent Future Wrinkles

 
There is a growing number of young clients that are looking to treat their wrinkles before they show up. The method is called preventative Botox — it’s supposed to train your muscles to stay in the relaxed state so that dynamic wrinkles don’t develop too quickly. It’s a proactive anti-aging strategy. You can read more about it in this blog we’ve written about Botox called “Why Do People in Their 20s and 30s Want Botox?”

 
Juvéderm is not a neuromodulator like Botox — it’s a hyaluronic acid dermal filler. Dermal fillers are meant to sit under the skin, defining shape and adding more volume. Hyaluronic acid is a substance that is naturally produced by the human body, keeping your skin hydrated and plump. As you get older, your body’s natural production of hyaluronic acid slows down, and the effects start to show on your skin. It doesn’t look as full and supple as it used to.

That’s why it’s a simple solution to replenish the face with the same substance. A hyaluronic acid dermal filler will put that incredible material back where it belongs. While Botox targets small dynamic wrinkles, Juvéderm smooths out deeper grooves in the face like marionette lines and nasolabial folds.

Juvéderm offers long-lasting results. Depending on the injection sites, you can see the results of your fillers for up to 18-24 months. If that type of long-term commitment makes you nervous, don’t worry — we can dissolve the filler by injecting an enzyme into the area. The process is quick and painless. So, you can feel free to change your mind without any consequence. You should click here to learn more about dermal fillers available at our clinic and see what they can do for you.

Cheek Contouring

 
Juvéderm can also create more definition in the face, particularly with your cheeks. So, if you’ve always wanted high and prominent cheekbones, this is the treatment for you. As you get older, you lose fat and collagen in your face — this can leave you with thinner or hollow-looking cheeks. Adding more volume to the area will make you appear years younger.

Lip Enhancement

Lip enhancement is one of the most popular uses of dermal fillers. Plenty of clients want to plump up their lips. Now, some clients want to get the enhancement because they see the pillowy pouts of celebrities and influencers on social media. After seeing how good it looks on everyone else, they want to see what a little bit more volume will do for their smile.

Other clients want to hide a common side of aging: thinning lips. As you get older, your natural collagen production slows down — collagen, along with hyaluronic acid, is what makes your lips look nice and full. The change can be upsetting if you already had thin lips to begin with.

Sometimes clients are nervous about getting this treatment because they don’t want their lips to look strange or unnatural. You’ve definitely seen celebrities who have gotten questionable work done. Our experts will make sure that your lips are enhanced in a natural-looking and balanced way. Most people won’t even realize that you’ve had some professional help.

 
If you’re curious about getting dermal fillers or Botox treatments in Toronto this year, you should book a consultation with one of our board-certified physicians. During the consultation, they will go over your medical history and the treatment options to determine what’s the best course of action.

These two treatments work extremely well together. If you’re hoping for a face-lift, Botox injections and Juvéderm injections can give you the results you’re looking for, without any of the risks that come with going under the knife. You will end the appointment refreshed and wrinkle-free.

What’s a Soft-Lift?

A lot of patients ask about a Soft Lift. It is really a marketing strategy by Allegan the makers of Botox and Juvederm. It is simple a combination of the two procedures.

At our Toronto Botox clinic, we often perform both of these treatments on our patients. Basically Botox is for the upper face – crow’s feet, forehead, and frown lines. We use Juvederm of the lower face – the lines around the corners of the mouth, the lips, to add fullness or lost volume to the cheeks and so forth.

So really the term Soft-Lift means nothing new to us, since we have been performing these procedures for almost 20 years! Every patient is unique, so we customize the treatment based on your needs and desires.