If you are thinking about getting a dermal filler treatment, you are not alone. They are one of the most performed non-invasive aesthetic treatments worldwide. One of the reasons is the short amount of time needed to perform the treatment and the fast results compared with other procedures.
Many different types of dermal fillers exist on the market.
Some of the most popular is made up of a substance found in our body like
Hyaluronic Acid – Restylane®
Hyaluronic Acid – Juvederm®
Calcium Hydroxyapatite Radiesse®
While others are semi permanents and are made with synthetic ingredients like
Polylactic Acid (Sculptra®),
Polyalkylimide (Aquamid®),
Poly-ɛ-caprolactone – Ellanse,
Polymethyl-methacrylate microspheres – Bellafil
They all have different uses, results, and duration, but the purpose is the same, contour, restore and add volume in the areas needed. It’s best to get a consultation to discuss with your provider which product is the best fit for your needs.
Dermal fillers can treat pretty much any area of your face and other parts of your body. They can make subtle changes like improving fine lines on your cheeks, neck, and lines around your lips, also known as smoker’s lines. They can also treat the deep lines that go from the corner of your lips down your chin known as “marionette lines,” smile lines or the frown lines that give you an angry look between your eyebrows. In addition, the hollowness under your eyes can be filled and give you a less tired look, and the lack of volume in your hands can be restored, giving you a youthful look.
Other more evident changes can be made like jawline contour, cheek enhancement, lip enhancement, and even a non-surgical rhinoplasty where the shape of the nose can be modified, elevating the tip and smoothing the hump; however, the size of the nose cannot be altered.
If you suffer from a lack of definition in the jawline or lack volume in the mid-face, a treatment with dermal fillers can improve this. When it comes to wrinkles, dynamic wrinkles such as lines that are caused when a facial movement is made cannot be treated. On the other hand, static lines can show improvement, but not all of them can be treated. Fine lines and medium wrinkles can be filled, however deep smile lines, marionette lines will not show enough improvement.
If you have one of the following conditions, you must avoid having this treatment:
Supplements like fish oil, vitamin E, and Ginkgo Biloba should be avoided. Also, medications like NSAIDs should be replaced for others like paracetamol, this reduces the chances of getting bruising and swelling.
One of the benefits of dermal fillers is the short amount of time it takes to do the treatment. Dermal fillers are a quick and painless procedure. Before starting a treatment, you must consult with your physician and discuss your expectations and possible questions you may have about the treatment. Once this one is done, a type of filler will be chosen to treat your area of concern and the type of anesthesia used.
You can have a topical numbing cream applied or have a full nerve blocked, but some of the filler already include in their formula lidocaine (aesthetic). This will prevent the pain you may feel during the treatment and make you feel more comfortable after this.
Once the selected area is numbed, the dermal filler will be placed under the skin little by little with a tiny needed or with a cannula, and this will depend on your injector’s technique. With some fillers, you will notice instant result while with other the definite result can take up to a couple of weeks to see.
Right after your treatment, you may experience pain and swelling in the area that can be treated with Tylenol and ice. You must avoid sun exposure for a few days and always wear sunscreen. It is also essential that you avoid any exercise for at least 48 hours and any other aesthetic treatment done in the area unless your injector authorizes it.
If you were treated with hyaluronic acid fillers, your results could be reversible. On one side, you can just wait for your filler to be absorbed slowly, or it can be dissolved with an enzyme called Hyaluronidase.
The results can be temporary or definitive; it will depend on the material your filler is made. Hyaluronic acid filler can last up to one year, and Calcium Hydroxyapatite up to two years. Others like the PMMA are considered semi-permanent lasting even five years.
Being an injectable treatment, swelling and bruising after the treatment can be produced. More side effects can be produced when the technique is not adequate but is no common and can include blindness or skin necrosis, especially when the filler is injected directly into a blood vessel.
Also, if the wrong product is used, you may feel lumps under your skin, which can go away after a few days or disappear if the practitioner makes a massage in the area.
They all have different uses, results, and duration, but the purpose is the same, contour, restore and add volume in the areas needed. It’s best to get a consultation to discuss with your provider which product is the best fit for your needs.
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