Botox & Fillers – When Less Is More

To some in Singapore, ageing gracefully means carrying the “character lines” with pride and quiet dignity. Others seek the help of Botox and fillers to maintain their natural youthfulness.

The operative word being natural; many aesthetic practitioners ruefully fail to master the art of minimal injections.

What Are Botox and Fillers?

Botox and fillers are two of the most popular injectable treatments in Singapore. Botox, short for Botulinum toxin, temporarily relaxes the muscles that cause fine lines and wrinkles, particularly on the forehead, around the eyes, and between the brows. This creates a smoother, more youthful appearance without the need for surgery. It’s typically recommended for dynamic wrinkles—those that form with facial expressions, like crow’s feet or frown lines.

Fillers, however, add volume to areas of the face that may have lost fullness over time. These injectables are often made of hyaluronic acid, a substance naturally found in the body. They can plump up cheeks and lips and even smooth out deep wrinkles or scars. Unlike Botox, which reduces muscle activity, fillers work by physically enhancing the contours of the face.

Common Uses and Benefits

Botox and fillers can address many aesthetic concerns but serve different purposes. Let’s explore their common uses and benefits:

Botox:

• Smoothing forehead lines and frown lines
• Reducing crow’s feet around the eyes
• Lifting drooping eyebrows
• Controlling excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis)

Fillers:

• Restoring volume to the cheeks
• Enhancing the shape and fullness of lips
• Smoothing deep nasolabial folds (smile lines)
• Contouring the jawline and chin

Differences Between Botox and Fillers

Botox and fillers are both injectable treatments aimed at facial rejuvenation, but they differ significantly in how they work and the issues they address.

Mechanism of action:

• Botox temporarily paralyses muscles that cause dynamic wrinkles, softening lines and wrinkles on the skin.
• Fillers add volume to give definition to facial contours and fill in static wrinkles or hollow regions resulting from ageing or weight loss.

Duration of results:

• Botox results usually last between 3 to 6 months, depending on how quickly the body metabolises the toxin.
• Fillers can last 6 months to 2 years, depending on the type of filler and treatment area.

Areas of treatment:

• Botox is commonly used for the upper face—forehead lines, crow’s feet, and frown lines.
• Fillers are often used in the mid-to-lower face, such as the cheeks, lips, and around the mouth.

The Risks of Overdoing Botox and Fillers

While both Botox and fillers can work wonders when used correctly, overdoing them can lead to less-than-ideal results. Here’s why using too much can be detrimental:

Botox:

Overuse of Botox can give a “frozen” appearance, where facial expressions become restricted and unnatural. When too much Botox is injected, muscles can become overly relaxed, making it difficult for the face to convey emotion. This is particularly noticeable in areas like the forehead, where patients may lose the ability to raise their eyebrows or show surprise.

Fillers:

Injecting too much filler product can cause puffiness, exaggerated facial contours, and an overall distorted look. When the natural proportions of the face are altered by excess filler, it can result in what is often referred to as a “pillow face” or overly plumped lips. These unnatural effects can take away from the patient’s unique facial structure, leading to regret and further corrective procedures.

How Less Can Achieve More Natural Results

Having practised medical aesthetics for over a decade, I’ve seen and corrected my fair share of sloppy work and botched Botox and Filler jobs in Singapore.

Frozen brows, misshapen cheeks and skewed noses were common sights. Such cases have decreased in numbers over the years. All, except for one – the overuse of Botox and fillers.

I attribute this to one common misconception among many patients who go for botox in Singapore. The belief in getting every single drop of product to maximise the money spent. Regretfully, this is where such patients get it wrong. Quantity does not equate to results.

Allow me to explain.

It is not as straightforward as getting the largest amount of Botox at the lowest price. Patients pay for results, not the amount of product used.

In achieving natural-looking aesthetics, the doctor (hopefully) knows what’s best for the patient (in his or her own opinion anyway, which is a different story altogether). A combination of specialised techniques and a measured amount of products is key.

Less is definitely more; especially for skill-intensive procedures such as Botox and dermal fillers in Singapore.

Botox

A poker-faced finish is just not what you’d want to sport unless you’re spending hours counting out those chips in a casino. You’ll want youthful skin that says “Good genes!” instead of a frozen expression that shouts “Botox!”.

Practices of giving larger Botox doses have become a thing of the past as smaller doses are used to achieve a softer look with a touch up later if necessary.

This is why it’s important to seek out ethical and experienced practitioners who understand the interaction of different muscles so as to allow some of the essential muscles to move and maintain natural facial expression.

You’d want compliments on looking younger than your age and less tired looking rather than questions on the number of Botox units you’ve received.

Volumisation and Liquid Lifting with Fillers

With present-day technology, restoring lost volume on the face is even easier with fillers in Singapore. And if done right, you can take years off the face within minutes with virtually zero downtime.

While some doctors may inject several vials of fillers into a face, a doctor can create a natural and yet youthful look without excessively plumping out the cheeks that look like you

belong to the unenviable Pillow Face Club.

Moreover, hyaluronic acid-based dermal fillers come with different degrees of fluidity and hardness. The selection of the appropriate filler for each concern is crucial in attaining the best results, rather than the quantity used.

Experienced aesthetic practitioners have a good grasp on the different layers and depth of skin to be injected.

The depth is important to create different effect instead of using vials of fillers to simply fill the entire face. The position and depth also determine the type of fillers that are best suited.

Your Face is 3D, not a 2D Painting

This is particularly important as the face is not a 2-dimensional structure but rather a 3-dimensional model. This is made more complex by muscle interactions, varying degrees of sagginess resulting from the migration of fats in different layers of the skin and the loss of fats in different areas.

Ultimately, it all boils down to a doctor’s training and a natural eye for beauty and proportions especially when it comes to such skill-intensive procedures.

[10 January 2018] A blog post by Dr. Kelvin Chua

Dr Kelvin Chua started his surgical training in Australia, teaching for several years in the hospitals, and spent time in dermatology and surgical rotations.

Over the course of 15 years, Kelvin has since performed more than 1,000 successful cases of liposuction procedures and Botox and filler treatments under his belt. With a keen interest in non-invasive facial contouring and lifting techniques as well as liposuction for body contouring procedures, he also performs HIFU, Thermage CPT, Fractional CO2 laser, Radiofrequency, hair loss management & treatment, as well as moles and lumps removal.

With a strong passion for inspiring others through teaching, Kelvin is a motivational speaker at Republic Polytechnic, an appointed trainer for aesthetic institutions and cosmeceutical companies, and is a mentor to aspiring aesthetic doctors.

For more information, write to contact@slclinic.com.sg
To contact Dr Kelvin Chua, write to kelvin@slclinic.com.sg