Should I get Botox or fillers?

I am in my mid-30s and have just noticed some new wrinkles on my forehead as I tend to raise my eyebrows a lot. If they are new, slight wrinkles and not deep do you think I will need a filler or should Botox be enough?

It sounds like you are only just starting to see expressive lines on your forehead. This is a perfect time to start with Botox because you can really have a good preventative effect. My recommendation is small doses of Botox (8 to 12 units) -- enough to weaken the muscles and reduce the lines but not so much that you are paralyzed. Over time, if you do a little Botox regularly, you will delay new lines from coming up.

Board certification in plastic surgery is important for facelifts and in dermatology for skin cancer. For Botox, however, experience is what counts. You can tell who is an experienced injector from the Allergan (Botox company) website and go there. And try to have the most experienced injector in the office do the injections. If that's the doctor, great. If he operates all the time and his nurse injects every day, however, have her do it.

Web reference: http://www.westsidemedicalspa.com/botox.html

Botox price and where to get it

I am in my late 20s and looking to get my first Botox treatment for frown lines, forehead lines, and crow's feet. I don't want to get ripped off, so can someone please tell me - What is the normal cost of Botox? How many units of Botox do most people need to smooth wrinkles and prevent wrinkles? Does the cost of Botox fluctate depending on where in your face you get it injected?

The price of Botox and how many units are injected in each area really varies among physicians and geographic areas.

There is also conflict about who people should or should not go to for Botox treatment. Both to avoid getting "ripped off" and to get a good, natural looking result.

In my clinic, Botox is $12 per unit. I charge by the unit and encourage patients to know how many units they get in each area they have treated. I agree that charging by the "area" encourages under-treatment by the injector - they still charge the same whether they are using 10 or 20 units. In general, though, you should do your homework and find a Botox provider who is experienced, knowledgeable and has been around for a while with a loyal clientelle. Providers who are in it for the volume business and don't care about repeat clients or forming a relationship with their clients should be avoided.

Units I use:

Forehead: 8 to 12

Glabella: 12 to 20 (usually 16)

Crow's feet: 12 to 20 (usually 16 - and that includes a bit under the tail of the eyebrow to give a lift)

Chin: 8

Upper lip: 4

Jaw for Teeth Grinding / TMJ: 16 to 60 (usually 20 per side)

I wouldn't go shopping for champagne and caviar at JONS or K-Mart. I also wouldn't get Botox at the local mall. I would go to a doctor's practice - that way, if there's a problem, you have someone to speak to.

A quick note about an ongoing turf battle.

The doctor does not have to be Board Certified in Plastic Surgery. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to inject Botox (which is not to suggest that Board Certified Plastic Surgeons are all rocket scientists). It does take a bit of knowledge, a good hand and some common sense. Nurses, PAs and physicians who have decided to specialize in cosmetic procedures should have plenty of that. Board Certification just means the doc has completed a specialization in something. It does not mean that he/she is good at everything. There are plenty of Board Certified Plastic Surgeons who are always operating and therefore rarely inject. Theses people are not good injectors. There is no Board Certification for injection and laser procedures, by the way.


http://www.westsidemedicalspa.com/botox.html