In recent years, plastic surgeons and aesthetic practitioners have emphasized the importance of restoring volume to the aging face. The days of thin, super-taut skin have passed. Nowadays, youthfulness is aligned with a fresh, dewy look that comes from rounded cheeks, pillowy lips, and fullness in the mid-face. Wrinkles can be softened not only by relaxing the facial muscles but by adding volume to the face.
Dermal fillers restore facial fullness easily, delivering instant results with no downtime. Many clients fit their filler injections in during their lunch break and return straight to work afterward.
WHICH AREAS CAN BENEFIT FROM DERMAL FILLERS?
Dermal fillers can be used for an impressive range of facial applications. Some of the most common uses of dermal fillers include:
- Plumping and volumizing lips which can become thin and lined with age
- Smoothing lines around the nose (nasolabial folds)
- Reducing creases that run from the corners of the mouth down to the chin (marionette lines)
- Restoring volume and shape to the cheeks and cheekbones–as we age, the malar fat pads in the cheeks begin to descend, creating a tired, sagging appearance
- Re-volumizing sunken, dark skin beneath the eyes (tear troughs)
- Restoring fullness to temples
- Firming along the jawline
- Smoothing out the surface of the hands
- Enhancing and subtly sculpting the chin
- Filling out pockmarks caused by scarring
WHAT ARE DERMAL FILLERS?
Dermal fillers are smooth gels that are injected directly into the soft tissue of the face. The most commonly used dermal fillers are comprised of hyaluronic acid (HA), a substance that occurs naturally within the body.
Hyaluronic acid delivers nutrients and hydration to the skin. HA molecules are humectant, meaning they attract water and moisture, helping your skin to look soft and volumized.
Hyaluronic acid fillers (HA fillers) can be safely injected to treat loss of volume in most areas of the face and are injected at a superficial level. Many individuals feel comfortable experimenting with HA fillers, as the results can be easily reversed with the enzyme hyaluronidase.
Our favored HA fillers are Restylane, Juvederm, and Belatero:
Restylane: Restylane is most commonly used to fill lines around the nose, mouth and the tear troughs beneath the eyes. Restylane Lyft, which is a variation of Restylane, provides more volume for the cheeks, while Restylane Silk is highly effective at augmenting the lips.
Juvederm: Juvederm Voluma XC helps to augment and contour the midface. Juvederm XC targets fine lines around the nose and mouth, and both Juvederm Ultra XC and Juvederm Volbella XC augment the lips.
Belatero: This low-density filler blends into the skin’s tissue to subtly fill in moderate-to-severe lines and wrinkles, such as those found above the lips.
HOW LONG DO DERMAL FILLERS LAST?
Restylane lasts from 12-18 months. Juvederm may last between 1-2 years, while Belatero has a shorter longevity, lasting between 6-12 months.
HOW ARE DERMAL FILLERS DIFFERENT TO BOTOX?
Like Botox, dermal fillers can help to smooth out creases and lines on the face but do so by adding volume, rather than relaxing muscles. Dermal fillers can also help to subtly sculpt the face and enhance facial symmetry by filling out hollows or replenishing sunken areas.
Both dermal fillers and Botox represent safe, highly effective techniques of rejuvenating and refreshing the face and can be combined for truly remarkable results.
