In the UK and US, it’s now more popular than ever to treat ourselves to non-surgical enhancements like Botox and dermal fillers.

Could it be because of our love of Instagram and the perfect selfie? Or perhaps it’s just the age-old desire to look as beautiful as we possibly can? (Maybe we love our fillers the way the Ancient Egyptians loved their striking cat-eye or the girls of the 1920s and ‘30s loved their pencil-thin brows?)

Whatever the reason, we’re all loving Botox and fillers right now. If you like a stat, then check this one out: Glamour Magazine reports that by 2020 it’s believed that almost 1.5 million women in the UK will have had non-surgical treatments such as Botox or fillers.

So if you’re not sure which of the two to go for, or if you’re still not sure whether this sort of cosmetic enhancement is for you or not, we’ve got you covered. In this article, we’re going to explore what the treatments are, take a look at the price differences, consider how reliable they are, and even look at how you can get trained in them.

What is Botox?

Let’s kick this off with Botox – the better known of the two. Botox is a treatment that relaxes your face muscles to smooth out lines and wrinkles. We all know that over time our faces can develop lines and wrinkles, whether it’s from squinting in the sun, frowning, or even laughing. Well, this is where Botox comes in to reduce the appearance of those signs of the wear and tear of daily life.

You’ll sometimes see Botox written as “Botox ®”. This is because Botox is actually the brand name of the drug. Over the years it’s become the name that most people use – in the same way, we call the vacuum cleaner the hoover, even if it’s made by Dyson or Sebo. Other forms of Botox you might come across include Azzalure and Dysport and they all work in the same way.

What happens is that you get injections in your face muscles with an incredibly fine needle. It’s not something that causes pain as you have an anaesthetic cream to numb the skin first and the needles are tiny. In fact, you can think of it as being a bit like the microneedles you’ll find on your derma roller; it’s not exactly the same thing, but it gives you a rough idea of what we mean by a fine needle and stops you from getting the idea of big scary injections!

Then, following the treatment, for a period of around three to four months, the Botox works its magic to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and enhance your natural beauty.

Forehead Botox before and after photos

What are fillers?

Fillers are sometimes said to be “the new Botox”. Well, let’s be clear – they’re not a replacement for Botox or a new and improved version of Botox at all. In fact, these two treatments are really quite different.

Dermal fillers, to use the full name, do what their name suggests – they fill in to give a fuller appearance to the face and to the lips. While Botox smooths lines and wrinkles by targeting the facial muscles, fillers go for a plumping approach – they can help you achieve, say, more of a Cupid’s bow mouth. (There’s more detail on where fillers can be applied in the next section.)

Like Botox, fillers are injections using fine needles (you shouldn’t confuse fillers with implants.) Also like Botox, the effects are temporary – usually between six to eighteen months depending on what exactly you choose to go for.

What they can be applied to

OK, so now you know a bit more about what Botox and fillers actually are, we can look at what they can be applied to.

Botox between the brows

You may have heard stories of people getting Botox injections in their armpits to stop those awkward sweat patches! It’s true that this is a treatment that’s possible for those who suffer from excessive sweating (or hyperhidrosis to use the medical term); however, in general, the most popular use for Botox is definitely on the face.

So where in the face is Botox injected? The wrinkles between the eyebrows, or furrow lines, are a very popular area to target. We actually move our eyebrows all the time without thinking about it in order to convey emotion – they go up when we’re surprised and go down when we’re perplexed. This sort of non-verbal communication is great for quickly signaling what we’re feeling, but it leaves its mark over time.

Another area that Botox can be injected into is the forehead. Our forehead lines – those horizontal lines that run across our foreheads – deepen with age but Botox can be used to smooth them out.

The area around our eyes is also a popular spot to inject. What is often termed crow’s feet are those little wrinkles we get around the outer corners of our eyes. It’s a horrible name (bringing to mind menacing, squawking crows!) for a facial feature that many people actually find attractive, particularly in older men. However, if you don’t like them then Botox can certainly be used to smooth them out.

Fillers for fullness in the face and lips

Where can fillers be injected in the face? Well, since they work differently from Botox, dermal fillers can be injected in different places. It’s true that there are some overlaps, and some practitioners will give you the option of one or the other to achieve a similar result, but often they’re used to target different areas of the face.

Laughter lines around the mouth are a popular feature to use fillers on. Since there are so many muscles involved in the simple act of laughing and smiling (16 muscles work hard to create our smiles) filler is often better than Botox for this area. Although they say that laughter is the best medicine, big laughs and smiles do create wrinkles over time!

Nose correction can also be achieved using fillers and, perhaps most popular of all, there are the lips! Lines around the mouth are easily smoothed out using fillers and by adding volume, fuller, more luscious looking lips can also be achieved.

Fillers before and after photo

Botox vs Fillers for Cost?

OK, so now we’ve covered where they are used, let’s look at the price differences between Botox and fillers.

To start with, it’s important to say that there is no set price for these things. That might sound obvious but it’s worth stating, nonetheless, that what you pay will vary from practitioner to practitioner.

Remember that this is not a face mask – it’s not a product you buy and put on at home, with an option of also having it applied more professionally at a spa somewhere. There is no DIY version of Botox and filler treatments and for all that they are classified as non-surgical procedures, they both still require a highly trained professional in order to be administered safely. (We cover how you can train in Botox and fillers below.)

Generally, for both kinds of treatment, you’ll pay between £95 and £1500 depending on how extensive you want the treatment to be, and where you go to have it done.

Botox can come in slightly cheaper than fillers, per treatment; however, since fillers generally last longer than Botox, if you do decide to go for regular treatment, to maintain the effects consistently throughout the year, then the cost will tend to even out anyway.

You shouldn’t be tempted to select cheap services in order to save money because your body can be damaged if Botox or fillers are improperly administered. This brings us nicely on to the next section…

How reliable are Botox and fillers?

Botox and fillers are very reliable if you go to someone properly trained for your treatments. It is imperative that you only go to a reliable practitioner and that you check his or her credentials before undergoing any treatment.

There have been cases, in the UK, of very inexpensive practitioners using cheaper versions of the products to cut costs and increase their profits. It is only these unofficial substances that are not reliable.

Training in Botox and dermal fillers

At Dr Hennessy Academy, we offer a Combined Botox & Dermal Fillers training course, which will provide you with everything you need to know to competently carry out either botox or dermal filler treatments. Dr Hennessy Cosmetic Academy is a trusted academy that offers a wide range of courses for medical professionals.

Headed by Dr Stephen Hennessy BDS – who has over twenty years’ experience in the industry – the team here trains doctors, nurses, and midwives, as well as dentists, pharmacists and paramedics.

The Botox courses available include:

• Botox for beginners training
• Advanced aesthetics training
• Dermal filler training
• One-to-one Botox training course (this is for a more personal training conducted at a pace that suits the individual).

The team always make use of live models to achieve a completely realistic training. Additionally, all of the courses taught by the academy are approved and accredited by the major insurers, including Hamilton Fraser insurance. Both of these features mean that after completing the courses, you will be eligible to become insured and ready to put your training straight into practice in the real world.

If you are interested in any of our cosmetic courses , lip filler courses or botox courses, or if you just wish to make a general enquiry, please feel free to give us a call on 0845 1122900.