Injectable fillers are enormously popular as quick ways to rejuvenate the face. There are a great many to choose from and it’s worth while doing some research about how they all work, to see which one(s) would be your best choice.
Botox is also very popular – in fact it’s the most popular non-invasive procedure of all, according to the statistics collected by the ?url=/commonspot/security/getfile.cfm&PageID=29290" American Association of Plastic Surgeons . However, it is not a facial filler. It does rejuvenate the face by smoothing out frown lines, but it works differently from fillers.
Facial Fillers Using Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid is a natural substance in the body. That means that fillers containing it will not be rejected by the body as foreign. In turn, this means that no allergy testing is required beforehand. Our skin has plenty of hyaluronic acid when we are young. As we age, less is produced and this causes dryness, a cause of wrinkles and lines.
The cosmetically useful property of hyaluronic acid is that it attracts water. By attracting water to itself, hyaluronic acid keeps the injected area plumped up, as it is in a young person.
Facial Fillers Using Hyaluronic Acid
Restylane
Restylane is very high on the list of good injectable fillers for most cosmetic surgeons and dermatologists. It is a gel containing non-animal-based hyaluronic acid, and is made in Sweden. It is injected beneath the skin surface (epidermis) into the deeper layer called the dermis. Water moves to the injected area to bond with the hyaluronic acid, and this fills the dermal layer, smoothing the skin surface.
Restylane is especially used for the nasolabial folds which run between the nose and corners of the mouth; and for around the lips. Restylane plumps up the lips, making them fuller, and also smoothes out the fine lines around them.
The Restylane effects last between four and six months, gradually fading. If you have a touch-up treatment before they entirely fade, you can maintain the more youthful look that Restylane gives. The treatments are entirely safe and FDA-approved.
Captique
Captique is a filler very similar to Restylane. It is non-animal-based, using hyaluronic acid and therefore works the same way, by attracting water. It is injected into the dermis and smoothes out moderate to severe facial lines, adding volume and giving you a more youthful and fresh appearance. Like Restylane, its effects wear off after a few months, and you can renew it with a touch-up treatment.
Hyalaform and Hyalaform Plus
These two fillers are animal-based, meaning that the hyaluronic acid is derived from animal sources – specifically rooster combs. If you have an allergy to avian products it would not be a good choice for you. Hyalaform Plus has larger molecules, which makes it more effective in treating deeper wrinkles.
Hyalaform and Hyalaform Plus are used in the same way as Restylane and Captique, except they are not used around the lips. They are a good choice for treating nasolabial lines and frown lines. Results last between three and nine months.
Sculptra
Sculptra is FDA-approved to treat facial lipoatrophy (meaning loss of fatty tissue in the face). It is a synthetic and biocompatible material called poly-L-lactic acid which requires no testing before treatment. It is also biodegradable – the body breaks it down and excretes it over time.
Sculptra smoothes out the skin surface by stimulating it to produce more collagen, which gradually thickens the skin. After treatment, there is some swelling because of the water used to dilute Sculptra. Over several days, the body absorbs the water, and you can use an icepack to help reduce swelling.
Results from one treatment are not immediately visible, but become visible over time and can last as long as two years. At that time, a re-treatment can be done to maintain results. If you have lost a great deal of facial fat, three to six treatments may be necessary.
Injectable fillers should be given only by a qualified and trained person. For best results, choose an experienced cosmetic surgeon , who will examine your face, consider your health history, discuss your options with you, and then make recommendations. This way you will be safe and well-informed about your facial filler treatment.
