Wrinkle Reducers: Creams or Injections?
Posted on 09/12/2011 on behalf of Dr. Kenrick Spence, M.D., F.A.C.S.
We have all seen the glamorous "before and after" photos of a beautiful 45-year-old woman who used the latest "magical" cream garnered from the high-end department store. The cream promises to reduce all wrinkles around the eyes and mouth and—VOILA! It's magic, and supposedly better than BOTOX® Cosmetic in Orlando.
Well, truth be told, the majority of these creams are great moisturizers that pull water into the skin. They provide apparent wrinkle relief for a few hours by plumping up the skin. If that's what you want, then that's great, but you should realize the effects will fade shortly.
If you want to truly manage the aging process, your best bet is an injectable botulinum toxin treatment, typically, either BOTOX Cosmetic or Dysport®. Botulinum toxin products were approved by the FDA for wrinkle reduction of frown lines between the eyes (glabella), so most of what we do is off-label use.
How do you decide which product is best? I happen to like both products and think they both have a place; for my younger patients, I like BOTOX Cosmetic for its pinpoint accuracy. I can achieve exactly the brow height I want as well as soften lip lines and bands in the neck (all of these uses are off-label). If I have a more mature patient with a lot of forehead wrinkles and sun damage, I like Dysport because I can get a diffused softening of the forehead lines.
