Botox vs. dermal fillers: which treatment is right for your face?

You notice it gradually.
Not in one dramatic moment, but in the small reflections of everyday life.

The way your expression settles when your face is at rest.
The softness around your eyes that used to feel lighter.
The way your features have shifted in a way you can’t quite describe, but you can feel.

You’re not seeking a new version of yourself. 

You’re looking to feel at home in your reflection again.

And that’s usually when the search begins:
Do I need Botox?
Would fillers help?
Are they the same thing, or do they do something completely different?

They often get grouped together, but Botox and dermal fillers work in completely different ways, and understanding that difference is the key to results that look natural and true to you.

At Herrera MD MedSpa, every recommendation begins with a conversation. I’m Dr. Brenda Herrera, an internal medicine physician with nearly two decades of clinical experience. As a physician-led medspa and aesthetic services in Rochester Hills, MI, we help women reconnect with themselves through aesthetic care that blends medical precision, subtle artistry, and a deep respect for identity. 

Whether we are softening a frown line, restoring volume, rejuvenating tired skin, or supporting wellness from the inside out, the goal is the same: for your reflection to feel like home again through treatments like derma filler and Botox treatment that enhance your features in a natural and understated way.

What’s the difference between botox and dermal fillers?

Although Botox and dermal fillers are both injectable treatments, they are designed to address different types of changes in the face.

A simple way to understand the difference:

• Botox relaxes movement.
• Fillers restore structure.

Botox softens the lines that form from repeated expressions,  the lines that appear when you raise your brows, concentrate, or smile. Fillers, on the other hand, restore the volume that naturally decreases with time, especially in areas like the cheeks, lips, and under-eye region.

Both are effective on their own, but when thoughtfully combined, they create results that look cohesive and naturally refreshed, not exaggerated.

Botox: the art of softening expression lines

Over time, the small movements we make every day begin to leave visible marks on the skin.

These are called dynamic wrinkles, and they commonly appear:

• Across the forehead
• Between the eyebrows (the “11s”)
• Around the eyes (crow’s feet)

Botox works by gently relaxing the muscles that create these lines, giving the skin space to smooth out and preventing them from deepening.

It is both:

• Corrective, for softening existing lines, and
• Preventive, for slowing the formation of new ones

Most patients resume regular activity immediately after treatment, and results typically last 3 to 4 months.

At Herrera MD MedSpa, Botox is approached with precision and restraint. Dosing is personalized based on how your face moves, so expression remains natural, never stiff. The intention isn’t to create new features, but to restore the quiet fullness that once felt natural to your face.

Dermal Fillers: restoring volume and balance

While Botox works with movement, dermal fillers work with structure.

As the face ages, the natural fat pads and collagen beneath the skin begin to thin.
This can make the face look less lifted, less complete, or more tired than it feels.

Dermal fillers are made from hyaluronic acid, a molecule the skin naturally produces to stay hydrated and supported.
When placed thoughtfully, fillers can:

• Replenish volume in the cheeks
• Smooth deeper folds around the mouth
• Enhance lip shape and hydration
• Define the jawline and chin

Fillers do not relax muscles, they rebuild the framework that helps features look soft and balanced.

Depending on the specific formula and placement, results can last six months to two years.

The goal is not to change your features. It’s to bring back the gentle contours that already belonged to you, the ones that feel familiar when you see yourself in the mirror.

Botox vs. fillers for lips: what’s right for you?

The lips are not one feature; they are shape, expression, curve, hydration, softness, and movement.

This is why the right approach depends on what you want to enhance:

• If your goal is a soft lift of the upper lip or to smooth the vertical lines around the mouth, a small amount of Botox can relax the muscle that pulls the lip inward. This creates a gentle, natural upward roll known as a lip flip. It does not add volume. It simply allows the lip to show itself more easily.
• If your goal is fullness, hydration, or more defined borders, hyaluronic acid dermal filler is the more appropriate choice. It restores the subtle structure that keeps the lips looking soft and supported.

Many women choose a combination.
Botox refines movement.
Fillers restore shape.

The result is not “bigger lips.”
It is lips that look like yours, only softer and more balanced.

How to know which treatment is right for your face

Choosing between Botox and dermal fillers is not about following trends. It begins with understanding what your face is communicating.

During a consultation at Herrera MD MedSpa, we look at how your features work together: how your muscles move when you speak, where volume has shifted with time, and how your expression rests when your face is still.

For some women, the primary change is movement lines. In these cases, Botox is often the most supportive approach.
For others, the shift comes from volume loss, which can create shadows or a sense of tiredness. Here, dermal fillers may offer the most natural restoration.

And in many cases, the most refined results come from a combination. Botox to soften tension. Fillers to bring back subtle structure.

The goal is not to do more.
It is to do exactly what your face needs to return to balance.

This is where training and artistic judgment matter.
Not to alter your face, but to help your reflection feel recognizable and at ease.

When you see yourself again, it’s not a coincidence; it’s an intention.

The most meaningful change doesn’t happen in the treatment room. It shows up later, quietly, in the pace of your daily life. The change is subtle at first. It shows up in how you carry yourself, how you soften when you speak, and how your face feels at rest. The familiarity returns, not as a dramatic shift, but as relief. Your features look settled, your expression feels open, and your presence matches how you feel inside.

At Herrera MD MedSpa, every Botox treatment and derma filler session is guided by balance, subtlety, and care. 

When you’re ready, we’re here

If you’d like to explore whether Botox, fillers, or both feel right for you, we’ll talk through your goals together and design a plan that feels natural and aligned with you.



You can schedule a consultation whenever you feel ready.