Dermal Fillers
Dermal fillers are injections that plump up wrinkles and smooth lines on your face. Also referred to as facial fillers or injectables, they serve as a nonsurgical option to add fullness, softening lines and creases, but they can also add volume to thin lips, sculpt the jawline, add projection to a weak chin, fill in the under-eye hollows and shallow areas of the face including the cheeks and temples, correct asymmetries, address the signs of aging, as well as improve the appearance of scars including those caused by acne. Unlike Botox, which is designed to relax the muscles that contribute to wrinkles, dermal fillers add volume and fullness.
Since they’re minimally invasive and relatively quick to do, dermal fillers are sometimes nicknamed “lunchtime procedures.” There are several types and brands of dermal fillers. This common cosmetic procedure typically produces results right away and can last months or years.
The American Board of Cosmetic Surgery estimates that more than 1 million people get dermal fillers each year, and their popularity continues to rise.
What Are Dermal Fillers?
Dermal filler injections are a type of nonsurgical cosmetic procedure. Dermal fillers plump up wrinkles, smooth lines and restore volume in your face. Your healthcare provider injects these substances just under your skin.
People choose to get dermal fillers to enhance their facial features or gain a more youthful appearance. This elective treatment usually takes less than half an hour, and recovery time is minimal. Results are seen right away and last months to years depending on the type of filler and the location.
There are several kinds of dermal fillers. Your healthcare provider will discuss your options with you. As with any cosmetic procedure, there are risks, including infection, bleeding and bruising. Health insurance plans generally don’t cover elective cosmetic procedures such as filler injections.
Why Are Dermal Fillers Used?
As you age, your body starts to lose collagen. Collagen is an important substance that exists all over your body, including in your skin, muscles, bones and connective tissues. Decreased amounts of collagen in your skin causes skin laxity (loose) and loss of volume. Skin becomes thinner, loses its elasticity and starts to sag. Your face can also lose some of the fat just beneath the surface of the skin. As a result, lines caused by facial muscles that perform repeated functions — such as frowning, laughing and smiling — become more visible. Smile lines, crow’s feet and furrowed brows appear, and skin can take on a hollow or sunken
In addition to general aging, lifestyle habits, as well as skin conditions and genetics can cause these subtle, and not so subtle changes to your face over time.
Injectable fillers can diminish some of these unwelcome effects. Dermal filler treatments use fine needles to strategically deliver dermal fillers, which are medical-grade solutions that plump up problem areas. Facial fillers add fullness and volume to give your face a younger, healthier look.
Facial Fillers Can Be Used To:
• Add volume to sagging skin
• Make your facial features more symmetrical
• Add fullness to lips and cheeks
• Fill in shallow area of the face
• Diminish lines, creases and wrinkles
• Improve the appearance of recessed scars
• Reduce the shadow effect of lower eyelids
• Enhance facial contours and jawline
• Restore damaged tissues and features after illness or injury
• Treat facial wasting related to GLP-1 weight loss drugs
• Some medications prescribed to treat medical conditions such as HIV and AIDS can cause thinness in your face. Dermal fillers can be used to restore facial volume while or after taking these medications.
What Are The Types Of Dermal Fillers?
There are many types of dermal fillers. In addition to fillers that use synthetic (manmade materials) and substances that naturally occur in your body, providers can also use fat from your own body. Healthcare providers call this procedure “autologous fat grafting,” where they remove fat from one part of your body and inject it into your face.
The types of off-the-shelf fillers include:
- Hyaluronic acid (HA) – Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring acid in your skin. It gives your skin volume and keeps it hydrated. With age, your body stops making hyaluronic acid. Results from HA injections usually last six months to a year. Restylane® is a commonly used type of HA filler.
- Calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) – Calcium hydroxylapatite is a type of filler that consists of a substance you have in your bones. Results from these fillers typically last around a year. Healthcare providers usually use CaHA fillers for deeper wrinkles. Examples of CaHA fillers include Radiesse®.
- Polylactic acid (PLLA) – Known as a “collagen stimulator,” polylactic acid stimulates collagen production. It’s the same ingredient medical professionals use to heal wounds after dissolvable stitch insertion. This is a synthetic ingredient that’s also biodegradable. Providers usually use polylactic acid to smooth deep wrinkles on your face. The results can last two years or more. Types of PLLA fillers include Sculptra®.
- Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) – These fillers consist of collagen and very small balls that stay under your skin after your healthcare provider injects them. The balls give your skin volume and keep it firm. Bellafill® is one type of PMMA filler.
- Autologous Fat Injections – These come directly from fat in your body. Doctors use liposuction techniques to extract fat from a donor area, like the stomach. The doctor will then inject the fat into another area of your body that needs it. This is the only permanent dermal filler option.
Your provider will review the types of dermal fillers and discuss the right option for you. Speak to them about setting realistic goals and the results you can expect after getting injections.
What Happens Before A Dermal Filler Procedure?
Before your dermal filler treatment, you’ll have a consultation with your provider. You may wish to see a medical esthetician, aesthetic nurse, dermatologist, or other healthcare provider who specializes in caring for skin. They’ll examine your face and ask about your esthetic concerns and goals, and what areas you’d like to enhance.
They may mark your face with a pen or marker to show where the injections will be administered. They may also take pictures of your proposed treatment areas. Your provider will recommend specific treatments, as well as recommend the appropriate type of filler, or fillers in some cases, before reviewing possible side effects and recovery time.
During this consultation, your provider will also ask about your medical history. It’s important to tell them if you’re taking any medications, as some drugs can increase the risk of complications after getting fillers. Notify your provider if you have:
- Allergies
- History of bruising or bleeding after similar procedures
- Neurological problems
- Skin conditions
- Current medications and/or supplements
- Previous cosmetic procedures
What Happens During A Dermal Filler Procedure?
Your dermal fillers treatment will be administered in your provider’s office. Some choose to get dermal fillers in a medical spa (also called a medspa or medispa). This is a medical clinic (with a medical director) that delivers cosmetic procedures in a spa-like environment.
Before your treatment your provider will clean your skin and may apply a lotion or cream with an anesthetic. The anesthetic numbs the area so the treatment will be more comfortable.
Using a thin needle, your provider then injects small amounts of the dermal fillers under your skin. The needle will pinch or sting however, the pain is minimal during these injections and throughout the procedure. Depending on the procedure(s) performed, your provider may inject the fillers in several areas. The whole process can take a few minutes or up to an hour depending on the size, and number of areas being treated.
What Happens After A Dermal Filler Procedure?
After receiving dermal filler injections, your provider will once again cleanse your skin. They may give you an ice pack to minimize swelling and redness, as well as to ease any pain.
You may have bruises, swelling or discomfort after getting the injections. These side effects are mild and go away in a few days.
The results of soft tissue augmentation using dermal fillers are apparent immediately and will last from several months to several years depending on the filler used and the patient injected. Maintaining good overall health and maintaining healthy and strong skin with appropriate products and skin treatments will improve the results and longevity. That said, everyone’s results are different. How long it takes to see results (and how long they last) depends on several factors, including the type of treatment you received.
What Is The Recovery Time After Dermal Filler Treatments?
Everyone’s recovery time is different. Your recovery time depends on factors including:
• Number and size of areas treated
• Type of filler used
• Your overall health
Most people can get back to the activities they enjoy right after getting dermal filler injections. Your provider may recommend taking a break from rigorous exercise or physical activity for a day or two, though.
What Happens Before A Dermal Filler Procedure?
The total cost of your treatment will depend on how many injections you get and the type.
According to the most recent data from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the average cost for one syringe of the following fillers is:
• Hyaluronic acid: $684
• Calcium hydroxyapatite: $717
• Polylactic acid: $853
• Platelet-rich plasma: $981
• Polymethyl-methacrylate microspheres: $1,058
• Fat grafting: $2,508
In general, it’s best to avoid professionals that claim to offer services for much less than the average rate in your area. This could signal that they’re offering illegal services, are unlicensed, are using inferior fillers (that could be from foreign countries such as China and contain contaminants) or lack experience.
Always check for licenses, board certifications, and examples of previous work before you commit to the procedure.
What Are The Advantage Of Dermal Filler Treatments?
Dermal fillers are a minimally invasive, highly effective way to address skin volume and textural concerns. Most see results of dermal fillers immediately. The injections usually take less than an hour, and you can get them right in your provider’s office. Because it’s a nonsurgical treatment, recovery time is minimal.
Depending on the type of filler, results can last months or even years. Some fillers work for more than two years. Dermal fillers are also typically less expensive than elective surgical procedures.
Hyaluronic Acid Injections tend to have the shortest duration, lasting for 6 to 12 months. Calcium hydroxyapatite fillers last a bit longer, usually about 9 to 15 months.
Aging, sun exposure, smoking, and other factors may also cause your results to fade more rapidly. To prolong results, make sure to wear sunscreen or wear protective layers when outdoors.
What Are The Risks Of Dermal Filler Treatments?
Serious complications are rare, and some of these side effects are only temporary. But as with any cosmetic procedure, there are risks however, almost all of these potential issues can be avoided by simply locating a licensed and skilled injector.
When done incorrectly or in excess, the filler may migrate, causing dimpling, lumpiness, or other concerns. Ensuring you get treatment from an experienced professional, such as a licensed medical esthetician / aesthetic nurse, dermatologist or plastic surgeon, can help minimize undesirable results.
Other potential side effects include:
• Asymmetrical appearance
• Bleeding, bruising, redness, pain and swelling
• Damage to your skin, which can cause scars
• Infection
• Lumps or bumps under your skin
• Numbness
• Pimples that look like acne
• Rash and itching
• Rarely, people have vision problems following dermal filler injections (If you experience problems with your eyesight, along with weakness, discomfort or pain on one side of your body, get immediate medical help)
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