The Difference between Dermal Fillers and Anti-Wrinkle Injection Treatments at a glance

Just what is the difference between Anti-Wrinkle Injection Treatments and dermal fillers? They are both injectable, they both help minimise the appearance of ageing-but they work in very different ways.

Anti-Wrinkle Injection Treatments has become the catch-all word for non-invasive cosmetic procedures, but it’s like referring to any tissue as a Kleenex.

Yes, this muscle relaxing injection is extensively used to treat wrinkles, but there are other types of approved injectables, such as Dysport, as well as dermal fillers used for aesthetic treatments.

At Cosmetic Doctor, Dr. Lisa Fay will talk to you about your areas of concern, and about the options to treat them.

What Anti-Wrinkle Injections do

Anti-Wrinkle Injection Treatments and other ‘anti-wrinkle injectables’ are prescription-only medicine, used to treat ‘active’ or ‘dynamic’ facial lines, meaning those that have formed recently. Only a physician can inject them, as comprehensive knowledge of the underlying facial musculature and nerves is vital.

Anti-Wrinkle Injections by temporarily disrupting the signal between the facial nerve and muscles. This allows the overlying skin to relax, smoothing out the ‘active’ facial line.

Dr. Fay will inject the facial areas associated with the formation of wrinkles, for example, the muscles you use to frown create a crease in the skin overlying them, in the middle of the brows. Using Anti-Wrinkle Injection Treatments to stop the nerve signal, will allow that crease to relax, taking away the appearance of frown lines.

This doesn’t result in a loss of the ability to show emotions on your face; the goal of a skilled practitioner is to achieve subtle changes that will stop lines from forming, while promoting a natural appearance.

What fillers do

Dermal fillers are best for use on lines that are more set in the face; ones that have become more ‘firmly established’. There are many different types of dermal fillers, depending on the area of the face being treated and the depth/location of the wrinkles.

These substances are used to treat deeper facial lines, or can be used to plump up certain parts of the face, such as the lips, and can even help fill out facial features, such as the chin or cheeks, where volume has been lost.

There are many different types of dermal fillers, some of which last longer than others. Hyaluronic acid fillers can last from several months up to a year, depending on which part of the face is targeted, while semi-permanent fillers can last up to two years.

In addition to treating deeper lines, dermal fillers can be used to alter the appearance of soft tissue. Dr. Fay uses a cannula, which is a hollow needle, for dermal fillers which allows her to treat a larger area with fewer entrance points.

Dermal fillers and Anti-Wrinkle Injection Treatments are often used together to treat different areas of the face, depending on the patient’s concerns.

For more information or to book a skin consultation call Cosmetic Doctor on 01 685 3100.