What Are Dermal Fillers?

Dermal fillers are natural or synthetic materials that are injected into the skin to create a firmer, more youthful appearance.  As we age, our skin gradually loses collagen and fat, producing lines, wrinkles, and sagginess in the epidermis.  Collagen, a natural protein, is an essential substance for skin strength and elasticity.  It provides structure to your bone, cartilage, skin and tendons. In order to combat these obvious signs of aging, dermal filler injections are used to replace the depleted natural collagen supply.  Collagen and other fillers have been used for years in lip enhancement, lip augmentation, wrinkle correction, and other skin rejuvenation procedures including: lip lines, nasolabial fold lines, smile lines on cheeks, forehead wrinkles, crow’s feet, sunken cheeks, weak chins, deep acne or scarring

How Do Dermal Fillers Work?

Dermal fillers plump up the face from underneath the skin, actually filling in the hollows and folds.  For wrinkles, filler injections produce natural volume under the crease, lifting and smoothing it out. For facial contours, Fillers correct deep folds and lift up the skin from cheeks and chin. This provides a fuller shape for the chin or a rounder, more sensual line along the cheeks. When using Fillers for lip augmentation, the gel is injected into the inside of the upper or lower lip. It is also injected along the lip line. Not only does this produce a fuller, more youthful look, it can also help prevent lipstick from bleeding into the small lines around the lips.  A few weeks after having received a dermal fill treatment, the production of your own natural collagen will likely be stimulated.

Who Are Good Candidates?

Dermal fill wrinkle therapy is perfect for those who want to smooth out the wrinkles around their mouth, or fill in the lines around their lips. You can perform a stretch test yourself at home to determine the results you can achieve through dermal fill wrinkle therapy. Simply pull your skin tight on either side of the wrinkle or line. If the wrinkle disappears while the skin is pulled, then injections will most likely be able to fully treat the line or wrinkle.

How Long Does Treatment Take?

Dermal injections usually take less than one hour, depending on the number of areas being treated. It is commonly referred to as a "lunchtime' treatment. A non-surgical and non-invasive procedure, dermal fillers do not require a local anesthesia.

Does It Hurt?

Dermal fillers are relatively painless because the gel is injected directly into the skin in very tiny amounts using an ultrafine needle. Some patients may notice a slight throbbing or even stinging following injection, but this discomfort fades away shortly after. The procedure is very simple and convenient, with practically instant results.  Following treatment, you will be able to resume your normal daily activities.

What Are the Side Effects?

There may be some slight redness at the site of injection following your treatment. Redness generally disappears after 24 hours. In some cases, there have been reports of temporary swelling or bruising, but it is not common. Other less likely possible side effects include: an allergic reaction (if an allergy test is performed, then this isn't an issue), itching, abscesses, open sores, peeling, scarring and lumpiness.

What Results Should I Expect and For How Long?

After treatment, you will notice the effects immediately. How long the effects last vary from person to person, however, most results should last 3-9 months.  To maintain the effects, touch-up injections are usually recommended two to three times a year. Treatment may be required more often depending on your skin type. In some patients, the injection may stimulate the body's own natural production of collagen, producing improvements that can last more than a year.

During follow-up treatments, usually less product is used than in the initial treatment. If ongoing treatments are not maintained, the injected filler will gradually be absorbed by your body, causing your face to return to its original definition prior to filler treatment.