INJECTABLE FIller
What Are Injectable Fillers?
Injectable fillers are substances that are injected through small needles into the skin to fill or plump wrinkles, depressed scars or facial volume loss. Areas amenable to treatment with fillers include lips, wrinkles running from the nose to the corner of mouth (nasolabial folds), folds beneath the corners of the mouth (marionette lines), lines between the eyes, grooves under the eyes, fine lines on the cheeks or around the mouth, and central cheek depressions. Fillers may also be used to treat larger areas of facial volume loss seen with conditions such as HIV.
What Types Of Injectable Fillers Are Available?
For many years, bovine collagen (derived from cows) was the only available injectable filler in the U.S. Recently, many newer forms of fillers, including human collagen, have become available. The most versatile and commonly injected filler today is hyaluronic acid, which is a natural component of all living tissue. Longer-lasting fillers that are most appropriate for deeper and larger areas of volume loss may include polylactic, calcium hydroxylapetite and liquid injectable silicone. Different fillers are used depending on the condition being treated. Your dermasurgeon is the most qualified person to decide which filler is best for your particular need.
How Long Do Injectable Fillers Last?
Corrections achieved with collagen fillers last about three months, while corrections achieved with hyaluronic acids fillers, used in optimum amounts, often persist for about six months. Corrections achieved with polylactic acid calcium hydroxylapetite may persist for 1-2 years or longer. Currently, liquid silicone is the only true permanent filler available in the United States. Its use is "off label," meaning that it is specifically FDA-approved for use other than tissue augmentation, but as such may be legally used as an injectable filler for certain unique indications. Currently, investigational study with liquid silicone shows great promise for HIV facial fat loss and acne scarring.
What To Expect During And After The Treatment
Generally, your dermasurgeon will cleanse and treat the area to be injected with a topical anesthetic cream prior to injection. You may experience slight to moderate discomfort upon injection of the filler, but most patients find the treatment very tolerable. After the treatment, mild redness, swelling and tenderness may develop and persist for a few hours to 1-2 days. Occasional bruising may develop, which usually resolves after a few days. Bruising can usually be avoided by refraining from aspirin, anti-inflammatory medications (ibuprofen, naprosyn) and supplements such as vitamin E, gingko biloba, garlic, ginseng and St. John's Wort for at least one week prior to the procedure.
What Are Possible Complications?
Rarely, bruising, overcorrection, persistent lumpiness or inflammation around the injection site may develop and persist for weeks after a procedure. If such a reaction should occur with hyaluronic acid, hyaluronidase may be injected to dissolve the filler and alleviate the problem. Allergic reactions to the older bovine collagen were common (about three percent). With the newer forms of fillers, allergic reactions are very rare (one in 5000 for hyaluronic acid). Rarely, injection of fillers may compromise blood flow to the skin, causing scab formation and possible development of a scar. This problem is very rare with the newer injectable fillers.
Can Fillers Be Used Safely With Botox And Lasers?
Yes, these modalities often compliment one another and recent studies support the safety and effectiveness of a combined approach to facial rejuvenation.
Injectable fillers are substances that are injected through small needles into the skin to fill or plump wrinkles, depressed scars or facial volume loss. Areas amenable to treatment with fillers include lips, wrinkles running from the nose to the corner of mouth (nasolabial folds), folds beneath the corners of the mouth (marionette lines), lines between the eyes, grooves under the eyes, fine lines on the cheeks or around the mouth, and central cheek depressions. Fillers may also be used to treat larger areas of facial volume loss seen with conditions such as HIV.
What Types Of Injectable Fillers Are Available?
For many years, bovine collagen (derived from cows) was the only available injectable filler in the U.S. Recently, many newer forms of fillers, including human collagen, have become available. The most versatile and commonly injected filler today is hyaluronic acid, which is a natural component of all living tissue. Longer-lasting fillers that are most appropriate for deeper and larger areas of volume loss may include polylactic, calcium hydroxylapetite and liquid injectable silicone. Different fillers are used depending on the condition being treated. Your dermasurgeon is the most qualified person to decide which filler is best for your particular need.
How Long Do Injectable Fillers Last?
Corrections achieved with collagen fillers last about three months, while corrections achieved with hyaluronic acids fillers, used in optimum amounts, often persist for about six months. Corrections achieved with polylactic acid calcium hydroxylapetite may persist for 1-2 years or longer. Currently, liquid silicone is the only true permanent filler available in the United States. Its use is "off label," meaning that it is specifically FDA-approved for use other than tissue augmentation, but as such may be legally used as an injectable filler for certain unique indications. Currently, investigational study with liquid silicone shows great promise for HIV facial fat loss and acne scarring.
What To Expect During And After The Treatment
Generally, your dermasurgeon will cleanse and treat the area to be injected with a topical anesthetic cream prior to injection. You may experience slight to moderate discomfort upon injection of the filler, but most patients find the treatment very tolerable. After the treatment, mild redness, swelling and tenderness may develop and persist for a few hours to 1-2 days. Occasional bruising may develop, which usually resolves after a few days. Bruising can usually be avoided by refraining from aspirin, anti-inflammatory medications (ibuprofen, naprosyn) and supplements such as vitamin E, gingko biloba, garlic, ginseng and St. John's Wort for at least one week prior to the procedure.
What Are Possible Complications?
Rarely, bruising, overcorrection, persistent lumpiness or inflammation around the injection site may develop and persist for weeks after a procedure. If such a reaction should occur with hyaluronic acid, hyaluronidase may be injected to dissolve the filler and alleviate the problem. Allergic reactions to the older bovine collagen were common (about three percent). With the newer forms of fillers, allergic reactions are very rare (one in 5000 for hyaluronic acid). Rarely, injection of fillers may compromise blood flow to the skin, causing scab formation and possible development of a scar. This problem is very rare with the newer injectable fillers.
Can Fillers Be Used Safely With Botox And Lasers?
Yes, these modalities often compliment one another and recent studies support the safety and effectiveness of a combined approach to facial rejuvenation.
