Dermal Fillers

What are dermal fillers?

It is the procedure in which dermal fillers based on hyaluronic acid are used to help diminish facial lines and restore the volume and fullness of the face.

As we age, our faces naturally lose subcutaneous fat. The facial muscles are then working closer to the skin surface, so smile lines and crow’s feet become more apparent.

What dermal fillers can do:

• Plump thin lips;
• Soften facial creases and wrinkles;
• Reestablish structural support to the face;
• Reconstruct contour deformities in the face;
• Decrease or remove the shadow of the lower lids.

Dermal fillers can be very helpful in those with early signs of aging, or as a value-added part of facial rejuvenation surgery. When used in combination with other non-surgical treatments such as botulinum toxin can further improve your results. This combination of therapies can help prevent the formation of new lines and wrinkles.

For some patients, surgery such as a facelift, brow lift or eye lift may be the best approach. Nonsurgical rejuvenation treatments, such as soft tissue fillers, cannot achieve the same results, but may help delay the time when consideration of a facelift becomes appropriate. It is important to remember that dermal fillers are temporary treatments for facial aging and that ongoing treatments will be needed for long-term results.

Procedure steps

Hyaluronic acid is a natural substance found in your body. High concentrations are found in soft connective tissues and in the fluid surrounding your eyes. It’s also in some cartilage and joint fluids, as well as skin tissue. It is extracted and reformulated and now has become one of the most popular kinds of injectable fillers.

After careful facial assessment, the areas to be filled are planned. Injection usually takes only a few moments per site. The process of injecting, massaging, and evaluating the result is performed since, unlike botulinum toxin, the effect is immediate; and additional filler is added if needed.

Ice pack may be used to reduce swelling and alleviate discomfort. Although the area may feel a bit tender for a day or two, it is usually not painful enough to require any medication.

Source: www.plasticsurgery.org