Question:
What exactly is hyaluronic acid and how does it compare to Botox? I am considering some face touch-ups and want to explore all my options.
Answer:
Hyaluronic acid is a filler that is used to help plump out certain areas of the face and also to fill in creases and natural lines on the face. It is not at all like Botox, which is a neurotoxin used to relax muscles in the face, mostly in the forehead and brow area. They are not substitutes for each other and they achieve different things. Again, Botox relaxes muscles and makes wrinkles disappear as a result. Hyaluronic acid fills out wrinkles that are already etched in the skin or depressions in the face itself. Whether you need one or the other is something that would have to be determined by a surgeon after examining your facial skin.
Posted by Richard Galitz, MD, FACS
