Fillers
Fillers encompass a variety of compounds intended to diminish lines and restore volume to the aging face. As we age, fat loss beneath the skin in areas around the eyes, cheeks, and lips leads to a thinner and more hollowed appearance. By restoring that volume with fillers, the face returns to a more youthful look that can appear refreshed and natural. Fillers are very useful in providing patients with subtle improvements without subjecting them to surgical procedures. Fillers are temporary and are gradually absorbed by the body over a period of several months. Common fillers used by Dr. Galanis include Juvederm Ultra®, Juvederm Voluma®, Restylane®, Restylane Silk®, Radiesse®, Sculptra®, and Bolitero®.
What Are Fillers?
Dermal fillers are an injectable treatment that is used to restore the plump, plush, youthful texture and volume of the skin. These injectable treatments are minimally invasive and non-surgical, making them an ideal alternative to a traditional facelift or other procedure. Fillers are generally most appropriate for people who have mild to moderate concerns. When applied by a skilled hand, you can easily restore your youthful beauty and achieve specific aesthetic goals, such as contouring the face.
The Main Goal: Treating Aging Skin
The main goal of an injectable treatment is to address the appearance of aging skin. As we age, the texture, laxity, and density of the skin also change as we begin to produce less skin-supporting proteins like collagen and elastin in the sub-dermal layers of the skin. Many factors are attributed to skin aging, including genetics, medical conditions, stress, and other lifestyle choices.
However, the most important factor that determines skin aging is the level of collagen in your skin. Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body and is responsible for helping body tissues maintain their shape. When there is less collagen in the skin, there is also typically less volume, which means the skin begins to wrinkle and sag. Although some beauty products may be designed to counteract these signs of aging, the most effective treatment is typically with dermal injectables.
How Injectable Fillers Work
There are several brands of dermal injectables that are used to restore your youthful appearance, such as Juvederm, Restylane, Radiesse, Sculptra, and Belotero. A consultation with Dr. Galanis will help determine which injectable treatment is ideal for your needs. Many people who want to restore the youthful volume of their skin opt for a hyaluronic acid-based injectable that will naturally restore the appearance of the skin, while those who want to contour their appearance or correct advanced concerns may use products with more powerful ingredients.
A dermal filler injectable treatment works by injecting a small amount of formula into the subdermal layer of the skin, typically right beneath the skin surface. This immediately increases the volume of the skin in these areas, which fills in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
WHO IS A CANDIDATE
- Patient who has lost volume in specific areas of the face including temples, midface area, cheeks, and cheekbones.
- Patient unhappy with “tear through deformity”/dark circles under eye.
- Patient dissatisfied with size or asymmetry of lips.
- Patient with deep nosolabial folds (lines running from the side of the nostril to the side of the lips).
- Patient with recessed scars.
Where Can You Use These Injectables?
Mid-Face
The mid-face refers to the area beneath your eyes down to your jawline, which can include concerns such as low cheek volume, sagging jowls, and nasolabial wrinkles. For treating this area of the face, it’s common for an injectable product to be placed in the cheeks. By filling in the volume of the cheeks, the hollowness in the mid-face, sagging in the jowl, and wrinkles around the nose and mouth will all be restored to a more youthful appearance.
Lips and Mouth
One area of the face that can quickly betray your age is your mouth. The lips themselves can lose volume as a result of the aging process, which makes them become thin and creates concerns such as vertical lip lines. Perioral lines, which are lines around the mouth, can also contribute to an aging appearance.
Many injectable products are formulated specifically to be used on the lips and mouth. You can treat lipstick lines, smoker’s lines, smile lines, a weak vermillion border, marionette lines, and chin wrinkles with injectable products. You can also contour the lips to be fuller or have a more perfect shape.
Eye Area
The area around your eye can also be treated with these injectable products. In particular, both tear troughs and crow’s feet can be addressed with the right volume restoration treatment. Treating the tear troughs or the dark circles beneath the eyes can create a significant anti-aging result by making you appear less tired. Injectable treatments can also smooth the fine lines at the corners of the eye and even lift the brows.
Hands
One product, Radiesse, can be used to restore lost volume on the back of the hands. You might not think about it, but the skin on the back of the hands can make you appear much older than you actually are. The hands may be the first area of the body that gives your true age away. By restoring lost volume in the back of the hands, you can appear much more youthful.
TECHNIQUE
Fillers are administered in the office setting with a small needle. Often numbing cream is applied before injecting facial fillers to minimize discomfort. The type and amount of filler injected vary based on the anatomy and the region of the face.
FAQFillers
Yes, it’s very common to use a single dermal injectable in multiple areas of the face at one time. Using these treatments on all areas of concern at one time can create a more comprehensive anti-aging effect. Sometimes, using a dermal injectable on multiple areas of the face is called a “liquid facelift”, which can be used to contour your appearance or completely rewind the clock.
The vast majority of people who use dermal injectables will be able to notice immediate results. These products have a gel-like consistency that immediately adds artificial volume to your skin, so you will leave your appointment looking significantly younger.
Over the first few days after your treatment, the filler ingredients will be absorbed by your skin, which will then trigger processes that increase collagen production. As your collagen production increases and matures, the results of your treatment will improve. Most people will see the final results of their treatment within one to two weeks of their appointment.
The best way to maintain the results of your treatment is to schedule regular treatment appointments. Scheduling regular appointments will ensure that you can enjoy consistent results around the clock. For most people, one appointment a year or once every six months for certain products can produce consistent results.
Dermal injectable treatments are very simple. Most of the time, your appointments will only take about 30 minutes to complete. Some products are formulated with lidocaine for your comfort, but we also commonly use topical numbing creams before the injections to keep you comfortable during your treatment. These treatments are well-tolerated – in fact, most formulas are considered non-allergenic.
Unlike invasive treatments or surgery, you will not need to make any significant preparations for your treatment. We may ask you to temporarily stop taking blood-thinning medications about a week before your treatment and to avoid alcohol, tobacco, and spicy foods for at least 24 hours before your appointment. Other than that, you should arrive at your appointment fresh-faced and ready for treatment.
Some dermal injectables are designed to have results that can last for up to two years or longer, while other fillers may only produce results that last for six months. In general, the longevity of your results will depend on the brand used for your treatment, your lifestyle and unique biology, and the area where the injectable is used.
For example, those who use dermal injectables on the lips may only have results that last for six months while those who use injectables on the mid-face may see results for over two years. Younger people tend to have results that last slightly longer than older people. Similarly, people who lead very active lifestyles may have higher metabolisms that work off the formulas more quickly than more sedate people.
Recovery
- Outpatient surgery completed in under an hour.
- Results are immediate; bruising is rare with most fillers. Bruising and swelling are more common with lip injections but should resolve by 1-2 weeks. results should last 3 months to 2 years depending on the filler used.
- Pain is variable but typically minimal; numbing cream may be used to minimize discomfort.
- There are no restrictions on daily activity; avoid strenuous activity, and alcohol consumption for 24 hours
- You may return to work immediately.
- You will be seen in the office two weeks after the procedure.
Restore Your Youthful Beauty
Most people who have age-related concerns are good candidates for dermal injectables. If you are bothered by fine lines, wrinkles, skin laxity, and other visible signs of aging, a consultation with Dr. Galanis will be able to pinpoint the dermal injectable that is ideal for restoring the beauty of your youth. From your cheeks to your lips to your hands, dermal injectables are ideal for your moderate aging concerns.
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