When it comes to cosmetic surgery, there are few social hang-ups any more. Celebrities and politicians alike admit to having wrinkle reduction treatments - the main issue now is the best method to use for making you look younger! Botox has been around for quite some time, but relatively newer are the classes of facial fillers having such success in combating wrinkles  either alone, or in tandem with Botox. Today we are looking at how women across the world are using facial fillers, some info on top brands and some pertinent statistics.

Skyrocketing demand

When you examine trends in how facial fillers are used, the most conspicuous statistic is the overall usage levels. Demand for products like these is literally skyrocketing. This is to be expected when you consider how facial fillers solve many of the issues with previous wrinkle reduction techniques:

* There is almost no downtime and very little bruising
* It is non-invasive
* They are not permanent - people can safely experiment with them, and go back to being their natural self if they choose
* They are becoming more cost-effective
* It is difficult to overdo fillers, as is possible with collagen
* They are much longer lasting than collagen
* There is no loss of facial movement

Wrinkle correction with fillers

Wrinkle correction with fillers is done mainly with hyaluronic acid products. This substance occurs naturally in the body - a 70kg person has roughly 15 grams of hyaluronic acid in their body, and around 5 grams is degraded and re-synthesised every day. The product is naturally absorbed by the body over a period of time, and the effects have usually completely disappeared after 9-12 months. The procedure is usually charged per vial of facial filler that is used.

Market trends
The facial filler market is now quite saturated - there is immense choice of very similar products. Some of the general, overall trends that cosmetic surgeons are noting in their wrinkle reduction patients that use facial fillers include:

* People who have never had cosmetic surgery before are increasingly enquiring about facial fillers
* They appreciate the choice of products in the market, but are also confused by it
* People are looking more towards the longer-lasting fillers
* Women look for clinics where they can have wrinkle reduction treatments right away, rather than having a several week wait

Juvederm and Restylane trends

When it comes to market share, Restylane is still leading over Juvederm. It has a longer lasting effect in many cases, though there can be a longer initial recovery period from the injections.
Juvederm is said by most patients to have a better, smoother feel and pliability than Restylane, although the wrinkle reduction effect doesnt last as long. There has been a significant increase in men seeking Juvederm and Restylane treatments - around 9% of patients were male in 2007, and this was expected to grow to 15% by 2009.

For both Juvederm and Restylane, the naso-labial fold is the most popular area of facial filler application. They represent around 44% of total treatments. While Restylane is far more popular for correcting smile lines than Juvederm, the percentage of patients that use the main two facial filler products for forehead lines is fairly equal.