Dermal Fillers

A beautiful face is a silent commendation.

Hyaluronic acid-based fillers

yaluronic acid is the most popular filler ingredient, so you have lots of choices.

Juvéderm has different formulations of dermal fillers, each with a different level of “liftability” for different areas of the face.

Juvéderm XC smooths smile lines around your nose and mouth (nasolabial folds, smile lines, and marionette lines), lasting up to a year.
Juvéderm Ultra XC plumps lips for about 6 months to a year.
Juvéderm Volbella XC adds subtle volume and smooths vertical lip lines for up to a year.
Juvéderm Voluma XC contours the cheeks and lasts up to two years.
Juvéderm Vollure XC softens nasolabial folds and lasts up to 18 months.

Restylane fillers are also divided into different products that target specific areas for treatment. It may require a few days more to take effect, when compared to Juvéderm.

Restylane Silk volumizes lips and smooths fine lines around your mouth and lasts about six months.
Restylane Refyne softens nasolabial folds and can last up to a year.
Restylane Defyne fills deep wrinkles and folds, lasting up to a year.
Restylane Lyft, formerly called Perlane, is used for for cheeks and hands; off-label, it can be used for a nonsurgical nose job. Results can last 10–18 months.
Restylane Kysse adds volume to the lips and smooths lip lines for up to one year.
Restylane Contour corrects midface contour deficiencies, restoring cheek volume and shapeliness.

The RHA Collection (called Teosyal in Europe) is a relatively new line of hyaluronic acid fillers that was designed to more closely mimic natural hyaluronic acid than traditional fillers, to provide an exceptionally natural appearance. RHA fillers last up to 15 months.

RHA 2 is FDA approved for correcting the appearance of moderate folds. It’s also a good choice for lip augmentation and lip lines.
RHA 3 is a firmer formula, for treating moderate to severe facial folds like the nasolabial folds (smile lines).
RHA 4, the firmest, is injected into the deep dermis, to address deep wrinkles and severe folds, including marionette lines, and to build the chin and jawline.

Belotero is a thinner hyaluronic acid–based filler commonly used for delicate areas, like under the eyes. It can also fill in fine lines throughout the face and neck, including lip lines, cheek lines, and horizontal neck lines. Results last for about six months.

What are dermal fillers?

Dermal fillers (or soft tissue fillers) can be used to plump lips, smooth wrinkles and folds, and fill in the under-eye hollows known as tear troughs. They can also add volume to cheeks, reduce the appearance of pitted acne scars, and sculpt the jawline. Some people even choose to get a nonsurgical nose job using injectable fillers.

The face loses subcutaneous fat and muscle volume with age. For patients who are seeing the early stages of age-related volume loss, a "liquid facelift" that combines injectable fillers with a neuromodulator like Botox can restore a more youthful appearance, delaying the need for a plastic surgery procedure like facial fat transfer.

That said, dermal fillers will not provide the same level of facial rejuvenation as a cosmetic surgery like a facelift; the results are more subtle and more temporary.

Hyaluronic acid is the most popular FDA-approved filler ingredient because it's so easy to dissolve in the event of a complication. Fillers can also be made of collagen, calcium hydroxylapatite (Radiesse), poly-L-lactic acid (Sculptra), or polymethyl methacrylate microspheres (Bellafill).

What happens during a dermal filler treatment?

First, you and your injector will discuss your desired result and the best type of filler to create it, as well as potential risks. This is a great time to ask how much filler you'll need and get a more specific cost estimate, to avoid sticker shock when you go pay your bill.

Once you’ve worked out these details, your provider will clean the treatment area and apply a topical anesthetic, if needed (though most fillers contain lidocaine already).

They will then slowly inject the filler with a needle or blunt-tipped cannula, gently massaging the area with their fingers to distribute it before continuing with more injections, for even distribution. Each injection only takes a few moments, and the entire cosmetic procedure takes about 15 to 20 minutes, unless you are having an extensive treatment like a liquid facelift.

You’ll see more volume or smoother skin immediately. If it's your first time getting fillers (particularly lip fillers), your injector may be conservative about how much filler to use and suggest that you return once the swelling has gone down, to assess your result and see if you want more volume. In fact, if you're getting Sculptra, you can expect to need a series of multiple treatments over a few months, as new collagen develops.

When they're done, they may give you a small, light ice pack to hold against your skin to alleviate discomfort, tenderness, or immediate swelling or bruising. Just don't apply too much pressure.

How much downtime will you need?

You won't need any actual recovery time, but it's very common to have mild bruising and swelling at the injection site, so you may want to take some social downtime. It can take a few days and a few weeks for these side effects to resolve. Bruises can usually be hidden with makeup, but it's still not recommended to get fillers too close to a big event.

Avoid sun, heat, workouts, and alcohol for at least 24 hours after treatment, to avoid making the swelling worse. Some doctors recommend arnica gel or cream, to reduce pain and swelling.

Are dermal fillers better than Botox?

A lot of people think injectable botulinum toxins like Botox and Dysport are fillers, but they work in an entirely different way: while fillers add volume, neurotoxins like Botox relax muscles to smooth lines, wrinkles, and creases (and prevent more from forming).

Botox is FDA-approved to treat crow’s feet, frown lines, and forehead lines, and can be paired with fillers during the same appointment for optimal facial rejuvenation results. During your consult, discuss your aesthetic goals with your provider to see which treatment is a better option.