Botox and Restylane work in different ways to address the same frown line:Restylane is considered a "quick fix" because it is a hyaluronic acid gel that is injected into a frown line to act as a scaffolding to prop up the line. This is instantaneous, and you will see the results immediately after the treatment because the gel actually remains in the crease. It is eventually metabolized by the body over the next 4 months or so. Botox works very differently. It did not "work" immediately because Botox is designed to prevent the muscle that causes the crease when you frown from working. Even though you cannot make the crease to frown, if you have the crease at rest, Botox will not address the crease immediately. However, the reason you have that crease to begin with is from the continued frowning that you do throughout the day. If you knock out the muscle, over time, the crease will fade on its own. Botox only prevents the muscle from working for about 3-4 months and then it wears off, so that is why the physician asked you to come back for another treatment in 3 months. You can only do the Restylane treatment, but that does not target the cause of the crease - it merely provides a quick fix for the crease itself. If you want to prevent the crease from recurring, Botox is the choice.Most patients start with both Botox and Restylane to both have immediate results and also to start addressing the issue (the reason you have a crease). Eventually, the Botox will allow the crease to fade, and you may not eventually need Restylane.
