Botox and Dermal Fillers
Botox and Dermal Fillers in North York, Toronto
FDA approved injectables placed with a light hand, by people whose goal is that nobody can tell you have had anything done.
The Short Version
Two Treatments, Two Different Jobs
People often use the words interchangeably, but they do opposite things. Botox relaxes the muscles that crease your skin when you move. Fillers replace volume that has drained away from cheeks, lips and the areas around your mouth.
That distinction matters, because the right answer to a line on your forehead is not the right answer to a hollow under your eye. At consultation we look at your face at rest and in movement, and tell you which of the two, or which combination, will actually do something.
Botulinum Toxin
Botox
Botox is a non surgical treatment made from a purified protein, and it has been used safely in medicine for more than twenty years, for everything from excessive sweating to migraines. In cosmetics it is known for one thing: softening the lines that come from movement, and stopping new ones forming.
How it works
Botox blocks the nerve signals reaching the muscle it is injected into. With the signal interrupted, that muscle relaxes, the skin above it softens, and new lines are prevented from setting in. The effect stays where it is put and does not travel through the body. The appointment takes no more than fifteen minutes, needs no anaesthetic, and results appear within a few days.
What it helps with
Crow’s feet at the eyes, frown lines between the brows and lines across the forehead are the classic three. It also treats excessive underarm sweating, chronic migraines and certain eye muscle conditions. Because the result is not permanent, you can change your mind, or change the plan, as your face changes over time.
Before and after your treatment
For about a week beforehand, avoid alcohol, smoking and anti inflammatory medication, all of which raise the chance of bruising. Come with clean skin and no makeup. Afterwards, do not touch or massage the area for at least twenty four hours, and avoid lying down, bending over or strenuous exercise for a few hours so nothing migrates. Skip saunas, hot tubs and direct sun for a few days.
What Botox Can Treat
- Forehead lines
- Frown lines between the eyebrows
- Crow's feet around the eyes
- Bunny lines on the nose
- Vertical lip lines
- Dimpled chin
- Neck bands
- Excessive underarm sweating
- Overactive bladder
- Chronic migraines
Hyaluronic Acid
Dermal Fillers
Fillers do a different job from Botox. They put volume back. Most are made from hyaluronic acid, which your body already produces to keep skin plump and hydrated and makes less of as you age. Filler replaces what has gone, and the result is there the moment you sit up.
How it works
Filler is injected beneath the skin to restore lost volume, smooth creases or redefine a contour. The hyaluronic acid attracts and holds water, which hydrates the skin and adds density as well as volume. Results are immediate and last from six months to more than a year depending on the product used and where it goes.
What it helps with
Lines and folds, hollow cheeks, thin or uneven lips, weak contours and facial asymmetry. It can also improve the look of some scars. The appointment usually takes under an hour and there is very little downtime.
Before and after your treatment
For about a week beforehand, avoid alcohol, smoking and anti inflammatory medication to reduce bruising. Arrive with clean skin and no makeup. Afterwards, leave the area alone for at least twenty four hours, because rubbing or massaging it can move filler before it settles. Avoid strenuous exercise, saunas, hot tubs and direct sun for a few days.
Where Fillers Are Used
- Cheeks, to restore volume and lift
- Lips, for volume and definition
- Nasolabial folds, nose to mouth
- Marionette lines, mouth to chin
- Under the eyes, for hollows and shadows
- Nose, to correct bumps and asymmetry
Side By Side
Botox Or Fillers?
The quickest way to tell them apart. Plenty of people end up having both, for different parts of the same face.
Good To Know
Injectable Questions
Are Botox and dermal fillers safe?
Both are safe when administered by a trained professional, and our team does these treatments regularly rather than occasionally. We use only FDA approved products and follow strict protocols. Like any medical procedure there are potential side effects, including bruising, swelling, redness and, rarely, allergic reaction. We go through all of that at consultation, and we take a full medical history first, because your health affects what is suitable for you.
Will I look overdone?
Not if we are doing our job properly. The aim is that people say you look well, not that you look done. We would rather start conservatively and add a little at a review than overfill and have you wait months for it to settle. If you ask for something we think will not suit your face, we will tell you honestly rather than take the booking.
How long do the results last?
Botox typically lasts three to six months, after which movement gradually returns. Many people find the lines come back softer than they were, because the muscle has learned to relax. Fillers last six to eighteen months depending on the product and the area, since hyaluronic acid is slowly absorbed by the body. Your skin type and lifestyle both play a part, and we will give you a more personal estimate at consultation.
What is the recovery time?
Minimal to none. Most people go straight back to their day. There may be slight swelling, redness or bruising at the injection sites which settles within a few days. We ask you to avoid strenuous exercise, sun, heat and alcohol for twenty four hours, and to leave the treated area alone rather than rubbing it.
While You Are Here
Laser Hair Removal
Our diode laser gives long term hair reduction on any area, and it is safe and effective for every skin type. Most people need six to eight sessions because hair grows in cycles, and many notice a real difference well before that.
A Conversation First
Come In And We Will Tell You What You Actually Need
Including, sometimes, that you do not need anything yet. Book a consultation and get an honest read on your face, with a plan and a price before you decide.