Does it Matter Who Does Your Botox and Filler Injections?
Just about every type of practice does Botox and filler injections today. So why not choose the cheapest price?
1. You may or may not be getting “the real stuff”. I suggest you ask to see the bottle or syringe the product is coming from. You should see a hologram on a Botox bottle.
2. If you go to a practice that only has fillers and Botox injected by non physician staff to offer, that is what you will get, even if that is not your best option. If all someone has is a hammer, everything is a nail. You are better off in a practice that offers a full spectrum of skin care, minimally invasive procedures, and surgery and a physician who can help you determine what is best for you. In that setting, you will get the best evaluation of your concerns, and the best plan to get the results you are looking for.
3. It is not done in a plastic surgery practice. A plastic surgeon injector will be able to provide a comprehensive evaluation, comprehensive treatment plans, and advanced injection techniques that most non physicians and physicians that are not experts at facial anatomy and skin are not comfortable doing.
And be wary of per area pricing for Botox. While the per area price may be a good deal for one person, it will not be a good deal for someone else. Look for per unit pricing. That way you are paying for only the units you use. One person’s glabella (frown line area) may need 22 units, but many only need 12 to 16 units, especially if you have been using it for a while. Ask the injector to use the least amount that they think will get the result you are looking for. It is easy to add a couple of units in a week or so if you need it. If too much is used initially, you may get an unnatural appearance, and you have paid for too much.
Choose a practice that offers more than injectables. That way you have a relationship with that practice, and when you need more advanced options, you will have built up trust in that practice. They also will not encourage you to waste your money on injectables if there is something that is better suited to your concerns. Choose an injector who knows how to use the injectables to subtly reshape your features, not just fill an area or smooth forehead wrinkles. Botox is a powerful reshaper. It can give you a more youthful brow shape, a more youthful lip contour, wider appearing eyes, and more. Fillers aren’t just to “fill a hole”. In the right hands, they can restore lost cheek, temple and lower face volume.
Use your money wisely when getting injectables. Cheaper is not better!
Sonya Merriman, M.D.