06 Oct 2025
October 1 has suddenly become the start of the holiday season. In fact, count yourself lucky if your local grocery store didn’t start displaying the Halloween candy the day after Labor Day. I mean who needs an extra month of temptation, right? Even if you are not a busy Mom, like myself, time seems to speed up over the last three months of the year and before I know it — January 1. It’s crazy. It may also make it difficult to plan your Holiday refresh. Let’s be honest, the holiday season can be lovely, potentially full of family drama and a time to see people whom you haven’t seen in awhile. Looking and feeling your best is important. It instills confidence and can act as a bit of armor, if necessary. My colleagues can perform miracles with surgical facial rejuvenation procedures. Unfortunately, many of them require months of lead time so that you are fully recovered by Thanksgiving and your high school reunion, for example. The great thing about injectables, which includes both neurotoxins like Botox® and dermal fillers, is that your holiday refresh can be almost immediate. So, fillers vs. neurotoxins, which is right for you?
Understanding the Difference between Fillers and Botox®
Since neurotoxins and dermal fillers are often performed in conjunction with one another, many patients think that the two procedures are interchangeable. They are not. Each works in its own unique way. Neurotoxins, which include Botox® and Dysport®, function by limiting movement in the dynamic muscles of your face. This results in a smoothing out of the skin and tissues in the treatment area which reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. A dermal filler, on the other hand, replaces lost volume whether that is filling in a deeper wrinkle or hollow area in the mid-face/cheek. As with any procedure, there are pros and cons to each.
Benefits of Botox® for Holiday Refresh in Boston
Like Kleenex, Botox® has become the standard term for neurotoxins. However, at Boston Center for Plastic Surgery (BCPS), we offer our patients other options such as Dysport®. While both use the same active ingredient, their makeup is slightly different which is why we are such advocates of scheduling an in-person consultation. The right option for you may not be the same one that your best friend got so any exemplary treatment plan needs to be customized to your individual anatomy and desired outcome.
The benefits of Botox® are numerous including safe, fast, effective, no downtime, and results last for 4 months or longer. My personal ethos is for you to come out of your procedure looking like yourself, just yourself after 2 weeks at the spa. However, in less experienced hands than my own, misplaced Botox® may make you look strange. And one of the biggest downsides to a neurotoxin procedure is that the results are not reversible. If you don’t like them, your only option is to live them for the next 4 months. Another consideration with Botox® for a holiday refresh is that it will take up to two weeks for your final, final results.
Versatility of Dermal Fillers is a Plus for the Holidays
Unlike Botox®, the results from dermal fillers are immediate. There will be some slight swelling and redness at the injection site that will fully resolve on its own within 1-2 weeks, but you will notice a more youthful looking plumpness right away. Furthermore, your end results are long-lasting, typically between 6-9 months or possibly longer depending on how your unique body metabolizes the filler. A dermal fillers procedure with me may include one or more of the following: Juvederm® Voluma, Volbella or Vollure; Restylane®; Restylane® Lyft; Belotero; Radiesse; Sculptra®.
One of the biggest benefits of dermal fillers is their versatility. A filler such as Voluma or Sculptra can be ideal for larger areas of volume loss in the midface/cheeks while something lighter like Belotero can be great for fine lines. And if you hate your results, most fillers can be dissolved. In terms of being ready for the holidays, fillers can deliver an immediate bump in rejuvenation although I do recommend that you leave at least 2 weeks of recovery time for any tell-tale redness to fully dissipate.
To find out more about neurotoxins, dermal fillers, or any other aesthetic treatment with Dr. Melissa Michelon at Boston Center for Plastic Surgery, contact us today or call (617) 450-0070 to schedule a consultation.
