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For many years, if you were going to get cosmetic injections, they were Botox. It was the only common option. More recently, however, there have been several dermal fillers approved by the FDA. These fillers work differently than Botox. Instead of affecting muscle contractions, they physically add volume to the tissues they are injected into. But are fillers better than Botox? Not necessarily. As it turns out, Botox has both some advantages and disadvantages when compared to filler injections.

Advantage: Botox is better at masking fine lines and wrinkles.

While fillers are good at correcting the appearance of loose skin and deep wrinkles, they can be overkill for patients who are primarily worried about fine lines and smaller wrinkles. This is where Botox performs better. It erases the fine lines and wrinkles without making the area look artificially plump. It works especially well for this purpose in areas where the skin is on the thinner side, such as under the eyes and about the eyebrows.

Disadvantage: Botox can affect your expressions.

Since Botox works by paralyzing muscles, it can sometimes affect your facial expressions. If you have Botox around your mouth, you might find that your smile looks a little different. If you have it near your eyes, you might feel like you're not smiling with your eyes. These differences are not usually that noticeable to everyone else, but they do bother some patients. This is far less of an issue with fillers, which do not paralyze the muscle.

Advantage: Botox can have medical benefits, too.

Botox can also have some medical benefits, such as easing migraines and tinnitus. It has to be injected into different areas to have these effects, of course. But if you already have a Botox appointment for your face, it's easy to ask the practitioner to also give you a few shots in the forehead for migraines. Fillers don't have medical benefits like this.

Disadvantage: Botox only lasts about 4 months.

Most filler injections give patients at least 6 months of improvement, and often, a whole year. Botox wears off much faster. You can expect to go about 3 or 4 months between rounds of Botox injections.

So, is Botox the better choice, or should you opt for filler injections? It all depends on your needs and preferences. Consider the information above, and talk to your dermatologist or doctor for more expert advice or options.