Dermal Fillers

Dermal fillers are substances that are injected into the skin to replace lost volume. Typically, lost volume comes from aging. Some types of fillers we use in office include Restylane, Juvederm, Perlane, Radiesse, and Sculptra.

The general FDA indication for dermal fillers are lines around the mouth, but they are also used off label in the cheeks, lips, tear troughs, marionette lines, temples, chest, forehead, ears, hands, and other locations. In general, filler injections have no downtime and the results are seen immediately after injection. The recent addition of lidocaine in some fillers makes the injections more comfortable. Other ways of making the patient comfortable include nerve blocks, topical anesthetics and cryoanesthesia.

Hyaluronic acid fillers such as Juvederm, Restylane and Perlane are popular because not only do they show immediate results, but they can also be dissolved should a complication arise.

When having a dermal filler injection, it is important to evaluate the whole face. If you concentrate the filler in one area, it may make the face look unnatural. Therefore, it is important to have a filler injection by an experienced injector. When fillers first came on the market, the concept of line filling was popular. That is basically injecting fillers into visible lines. However, the standard of care has evolved into more of a pan facial volumization, which is injecting fillers in a way that creates natural appearing volume in the face.

As we age, our temples become hollow, our cheeks become sunken, and our chins become less prominent. Replacing lost bone and fat with filler substances can create a more youthful contour to the face. Fillers are used in patients of all ages.

For younger patients, the focus is on augmentation, such as lip augmentation. Fillers can also be used to help the contours of acne scars as well as to improve the contour of a patient’s profile. When a filler is injected into the nose, it can change the shape of the nose, making it more aesthetically appealing.

For older patients the focus of fillers is on correction and restoration of lost volume from aging. Patients of all ages can benefit from the scientific advances in filling agents, which allow for comfortable, safe volume replacement or augmentation.