Mariah's Medical Spa

The Question Almost Everyone Asks One of the most common concerns people have before considering filler is: "Am I going to look overfilled?" We often hear them say they don't want to look fake, puffy, overdone, or like they’ve had obvious work done. Regardless of the wording, the concern is usually the same. They want to know if they are going to look like a different person when the treatment is over. When filler is done well, used appropriately, and administered by an experienced injector it shouldn’t create that result at all. Most people seeking treatment are not trying to look dramatically younger or become unrecognizable. They are not asking for features that don't fit their face or trying to chase social media trends. They want to look less tired or more like the version of themselves they remember seeing five or ten years ago.  They want their outside appearance reflect how they still feel inside. For many patients, that goal has very little to do with changin...

A Brief History of Dysport Long before Dysport (DIS-port) became a cosmetic treatment, botulinum toxin was being used medically to treat conditions such as muscle spasms, eye disorders, and cervical dystonia. Physicians began noticing that patients receiving treatment often experienced an unexpected side effect: the wrinkles around the treated muscles softened as well. What started as an observation in medicine eventually led to one of the most widely performed aesthetic procedures in the world. The first cosmetic treatments using botulinum toxin became popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s. For many people, the name Botox became almost synonymous with wrinkle relaxers in general, much the way people use Kleenex when they mean facial tissue. However, Botox is only one product in a larger category of medications known as neuromodulators. Dysport was developed in Europe and had been used internationally for years before receiving FDA approval in the United States in 2009. Like Botox,...

Dysport vs. Botox: What's the Difference and Why We Often Recommend Dysport When considering wrinkle relaxers, you've probably heard of Botox. The word "Botox" is often used in the same way Kleenex or Band-Aid is used—as a general term for the treatment itself. Botox isn't the only option available. Another popular treatment is Dysport. The questions are often; what’s the difference, and which one is better? Both products are FDA-approved, safe, and effective when administered by an experienced injector. However, there are some important differences, and those are why many providers— including our office—often prefer Dysport for many patients. Both Dysport and Botox are injectable treatments that temporarily relax the muscles responsible for dynamic wrinkles. These are the lines that develop from years of smiling, frowning, squinting, and making facial expressions. Common treatment areas include: forehead lines, frown lines between the eyebrows, and crow's fee...

If you’ve ever looked at someone and thought, “I don’t want to look like that,” you’re not alone. That’s one of the most common reactions when the topic of filler comes up. It’s not that people don’t want to look a little more refreshed, it’s that they’re afraid of looking overdone, unnatural, or like a different person. That fear is valid. But the part that doesn’t get talked about enough is that not all fillers are the same. That difference is usually what separates a natural, subtle result from something that feels obvious. A lot of people assume filler is one product, and the only difference is how much you use. That’s not the case. The result you get depends on three things: the product itself, the way it’s used, and who is administering the product. All of these matter a lot more than most people think. Fillers are made differently depending on what they’re meant to do. Some are thicker and more structured. Others are softer and move more easily with your face. Some are better fo...