What are the different kinds of dermal fillers?

Juvéderm and Restylane

These are hyaluronic acid (HA) gel products that last for up to 6–12 months. They are often used for correcting the nasolabial folds (smile lines), and for lip plumping. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a naturally occurring sugar that you have in your body. HA has many roles but the primary role is to pull water into your skin giving you plumpness/fullness. These fillers can be dissolved if necessary.

Juvéderm Voluma

Juvéderm Voluma is the first and only filler FDA-approved to instantly add volume to the cheek area. It gives you a subtle lift, helping to restore contour and a more youthful profile in patients over the age of 21. It typically lasts 1.5 to 2 years. This filler can be dissolved if necessary.

Juvéderm Ultra Plus

This HA filler is designed for a deeper injection than Juvederm Ultra. It works well for severe facial wrinkles and folds. It typically lasts 6-12 months. This filler can be dissolved if necessary.

Belotero

Belotero is an HA filler. It can be used like Juvederm and Restylane, but is also very good around the eye area, in the “tear trough.” It typically lasts 3-4 months or longer. It is unique in that it can be placed very superficially without showing through the skin. This filler can be dissolved if necessary.

Restylane Defyne

Restylane Defyne helps smooth out deep laugh lines in the nasolabial and marionette areas. With its innovative cross-linking technology, Restylane Defyne is a hyaluronic acid dermal filler that helps restore a more youthful, natural appearance while maintaining your natural expressions. Defyne could be used on lips, chin and jaw rejuvenation without compromising natural movement of the face. It typically lasts 6-12 months. This filler can be dissolved if necessary.

Restylane Lyft

Restylane Lyft is a hyaluronic acid dermal filler which is used to correct wrinkles and volume loss in the face and hands. This filler is specifically designed to add fullness to the cheeks and midface area as well as the back of the hands. This filler can be dissolved if necessary.

Restylane Kysse

Restylane Kysse is the first lip filler designed with XpresHAn Technology™ for flexible movement and natural-looking volume proven to last for up to one year. This filler can enhance the texture and color of the lips while maintaining a full range of expressions. This filler can be dissolved if necessary.

Radiesse

Radiesse is made of calcium hydroxyapatite (bone material). It has a thicker consistency and is best for deeper tissue placement. It typically lasts 6-12 months. This filler cannot be dissolved if necessary.

Theosyl ® RHA-2, RHA-3, RHA-4

Resilient Hyaluronic Acid (RHA) fillers differ from traditional fillers in their ability to recoil and spring back to their original shape after being pulled, stretched, or altered with normal movements around the face and mouth. Because the RHA products move with your face and more closely resemble the hyaluronic acid that naturally exists in your body, it will take longer for this product to break down, producing results that may last longer than traditional fillers.

Sculptra

More of a volume-stimulating agent than a filler, Sculptra is made of poly-L-lactic acid, a liquid form of surgical suture material. It gradually stimulates your body to make new collagen in the treated areas. It is excellent for re-volumizing sunken areas of the face – especially the cheeks, the eyebrow and temple areas. It typically lasts 1-3 years.

  • Before and After Fillers for Nasolabial (Smile Lines) Folds (actual patient)
  • RM before and after Botox Masseters and fillers to jaw
  • Chin Augmentation with Fillers
  • Before and After Lip Augmentation with Microcannulas (actual patient)
  • IMG_3228
  • JL before and after Sculptra
  • GG Sculptra and Lip Fillers
  • BR Before and After Fillers to Cheeks and Lips
  • Actual Patient

Are dermal fillers safe?

Yes. Allergic reactions to dermal fillers are rare. The track record of safety with the injectable HA gel products is excellent, with a very low rate of complications.

Where can I use Fillers?

  • Facial lines, folds (like those smile lines and the marionette/puppet lines on your lower face), and loss of volume
  • Fill in your temples and add volume to your midface and cheeks
  • Rejuvenate and plump up your lips
  • Back of your hands to make them look more youthful
  • Scarring from acne, surgery or other causes
  • Indentations on your body that were caused by injury or surgery.
  • Earlobes. If the hole was torn (not completely) or to ensure your stud earrings are pointing forward and not down.
  • Enhance the shape of your jaw
  • Your chin to make it larger
  • Dark circles
  • Many other areas and reasons

How do I decide which filler to get?

Each filler has specific features that are suited to certain facial applications. Some need to be placed deep in the tissue, others can work right underneath the skin surface. Some can be placed in the lips or near the eyes – and some can’t. Come and see us for an in-person consultation, and we’ll help you sort this out.

Will I bruise?

You might., but we are experts in the use of microcannulas for fillers. Microcannulas are blunt tip and flexible to minimize pain, bruising, and tissue injury. You can help to minimize this by avoiding things that increase bruising – like aspirin, Motrin, Advil, Vitamin E, fish oil supplements and alcohol. Also – don’t have fillers within 3 weeks prior to any important social events. If you bruise you can use Arnica Montana or consume pineapple to decrease the length of time the bruise is visible.

Are dermal fillers painful?

Usually, people tolerate them very well. We use blunt tip microcannulas that minimize pain, discomfort and bruising. Most of the fillers have lidocaine mixed in the gel, which numbs the area upon injection. Also, numbing cream and ice can be used to help make the injection be more comfortable. Let us know if you are needle-phobic or highly anxious – there are some additional things we can do, with advance notification.

Will dermal fillers replace a facelift?

No. Dermal fillers do not lift or tighten tissues as a facelift would. But fillers work very well indeed for the patient who either notices a few lines & wrinkles and is not ready for a facelift, or for the patient that has already had a facelift and wants to maintain the improved appearance for as long as possible. Botox®, dermal fillers, skin care and surgery each play a specific role in helping to treat the areas of your concern.

Will I have a lot of swelling?

It depends on the product used, the amount of product used, and your body. There is often some swelling for the first 2 or 3 days, after which things usually settle down, giving the desired appearance.

What if I change my mind after having the dermal fillers?

One of the nice things about the HA group of fillers, like Voluma®, Juvederm® (Ultra or Ultra Plus), Restylane®, and Belotero®, is that we can “undo” them, if necessary. There is an injectable agent that can “erase” the fillers.