Our faces share some of the most important chapters of our lives with the world at large. Environmental stressors, internal struggles, overexposure to the elements, and so much more reflect our complexion and look out at our friends, our family, our acquaintances, and lovers.
Is it smooth, tight, and vibrant? Or do we look aged beyond our years?
Could we simply look a little less weathered and a little more youthful? Could how we feel within be better reflected by our face? Yes, absolutely.
For half of the patients we see in our office, wrinkles are the thing that makes them look the most aged. If we can resolve the wrinkles and creases, we can help that patient look many years younger.
But is it Botox or a facelift that makes the better treatment option?
There is no blanket answer to this question, but here we will cover the determining factors to help you know what to expect.
Two treatments for wrinkles: Botox and a Facelift
Both Botox and a facelift are treatment options for wrinkles; however, they are very, very different from one another. Here are some fundamentals to help you navigate the decision-making process:
- Botox is best for treating facial wrinkles alone, and particularly dynamic wrinkles. (Wrinkles caused by muscle movement and expressions.)
- A facelift is best for treating wrinkles, jowls, extreme skin laxity, and many other very common signs of facial aging.
- Still, other facial treatments—chemical peels, IPL therapy, laser—are also an option for reducing fine lines and improving the appearance of facial wrinkles.
- Younger patients typically get Botox for several years before having a facelift much later in life.
- People who get a facelift may still later benefit from Botox and vice versa.
Get Botox to reduce the appearance of dynamic wrinkles
Botox is the most widely used and most popular injectable in the world. It is also the most commonly researched and has many uses—hundreds of potential applications.
In its role with facial rejuvenation and wrinkle reduction, Botox works by stopping some of the communication that typically occurs between certain nerve endings in the face and the muscles that these nerves control.
These movements are mostly completely involuntary and occur when we smile, laugh, cry, and otherwise express ourselves to friends, family, coworkers.
Stand in front of a mirror and move your mouth. You’ll notice that other areas of your face are also moving, causing what is called “dynamic wrinkles.” These wrinkles occur:
- Around the mouth
- Around the eyes
- On the forehead
If these dynamic wrinkles alone are what you are trying to resolve, Botox is your best option.
Get a facelift for much more extensive facial rejuvenation
A facelift is a much, much different procedure. Instead of the minimally invasive poke of a needle as occurs with Botox, in a facelift, a surgeon is going to extensively work with and on your face to create as perfect a living canvas as is possible. The goal isn’t to make you look different from you, but simply more youthful and more closely resembles how you feel alive, energetic, and vibrant.
You’ll spend plenty of time discussing your beauty ideals with your surgeon so that the procedure accomplishes what you want it to. And then, the surgeon will get to work in executing his plan to achieve your results.
What will he be treating?
- Jowls
- Sagging skin
- Skin laxity
- Excess fat
- Muscle banding
- Deep wrinkles and creases
If these very common age-related cosmetic concerns are what you are trying to resolve, a facelift is your best option.
Please contact our office for more information or schedule a personal consultation with renowned facial plastic surgeon Dr. Daniel E. Rousso.