"Lead to" vs "result in"

I am bit confused about the differences between lead to + gerund and result in + gerund.

Example:

This process might lead to increasing the costs.

This process might result in increasing the costs.

In essays, should I prefer one of lead to and result in to the other? Why?

Solution 1:

"Result in" gives an impression of almost instant cause/effect where "Lead to" hints that there are a number of steps between the cause and its effect:

1) Getting punched in the face might result in a broken nose.

2) Punching Ted in the face might lead to your expulsion from school.

When writing your essay decide if you want to give the feeling of an almost instant result or a longer process.