We all go through a natural ageing process that causes our appearance to change. Wrinkles, fine lines and low cheekbones are all signs of ageing. Luckily cosmetic procedures have come a long way. Today, it’s possible to reverse or even slow down the effects of ageing. Dermal fillers and botulinum toxin are among the most common non-surgical procedures.
Dermal fillers are substances injected beneath the skin surface. The role of dermal fillers is to add volume and fill wrinkles and lines. Lip and face fillers are not permanent. How long the results last depends on the type of dermal filler and when it was injected. The results should last between 6 to 18 months.
Botulinum toxin injections inhibit muscle movement. botulinum toxin or anti-wrinkle injections are primarily used to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Results are more short-term compared to fillers. botulinum toxin results last about 3 to 6 months.
How Fillers and Botulinum Toxin Work
Both fillers and botulinum toxin metabolise in the body after some time. They are then excreted through the kidneys and liver. As such, avoid exercising or taking alcohol after getting the injections.
Derma fillers are injected deep into your skin tissue. That’s why the results are longer lasting.
Botulinum toxin is an injection into the muscle where the substance gets absorbed over time. Sometimes, depending on factors like the type of fillers and muscle mass, the results may not be great. You might also interfere with the healing by not following your doctor’s advice. When that happens, a majority of people assume that the surgeon didn’t do a good job.
How Long Should You Wait Before Deciding You’re Unhappy With Your Botulinum Toxin and Fillers Results?
Some people go in for botulinum toxin and dermal filler injections expecting the results to be instant. Sure, you can already get a glimpse of what the final results will look like after the procedure, but it takes time. Botulinum toxin takes about a week to settle while dermal fillers could take up to 2 weeks.
You will have a little swelling after the procedure so, it’s always best to wait for the treatment to settle. Recovery time will depend on the kind of treatment. Before you go in for a procedure, ask as many questions about the recovery time. This way, you know how long you should wait until you decide that you are unhappy with the results.
What Happens If You Are Unhappy With Your Injections?
If you’ve given your injections time to settle but you are still concerned about the results, talk to your plastic surgeon. The mistake most people make is going to another doctor when they are unhappy with the results. There are many reasons why your injections may not settle as they should.
There’s good news and bad news with botulinum toxin. First, botulinum toxin results cannot be undone. But, in time your botulinum toxin will dissolve. If you are unhappy with the results, the solution could be adding more botulinum toxin. Other times, if the botulinum toxin injection was okay, it will even out with time. Sometimes, small amounts of botulinum toxin can lodge into other muscles. If that happens, the best thing is to wait it out until the body absorbs it. This can take about four months and then the results will fade.
Dermal filler results unlike botulinum toxin are fixable. The plastic surgeon injects hyaluronidase that dissolves the hyaluronic acid fillers injected. How long that takes will depend on the type of dermal filler used. Once dissolved, the plastic surgeon can then inject more filler.
Sometimes, your botulinum toxin results may look different from what you expected. Following your surgeon’s post-surgical instructions should ensure that the results are great. The importance of choosing an experienced cosmetic clinic cannot be stressed enough. Regulation around botulinum toxin and fillers is not as tight as it should be, so it’s absolutely crucial that you are fully confident in the person injecting you.
Book a consultation today at The Harley Clinic to discuss your treatment plan.
