What Are Dermal Fillers?
Dermal fillers are gel-like substances that are injected under the skin to smooth lines, restore volume & enhancing facial contours or irregularities. This common facial rejuvenation treatment may be a good alternative to surgery in terms of cost and downtime.
What Are the Types of Fillers?
The FDA has approved a variety of filler products that can be safely used. At Wisdom and Youth, we use Juvederm® and Restylane® and will be introducing Versa®, which are injectable fillers used to replenish areas where there is loss of volume, mainly in the face. The active ingredient is hyaluronic acid (HA), which is a naturally occurring substance found in the body that stimulates collagen production in the skin, restoring unwanted lines, enhancing lips, cheeks as well as other areas.
What is the Process?
Fillers work by absorbing water molecules, which in turn fills in around the area that is injected. A numbing cream is used and the procedure takes 20-60 minutes depending on the area(s) being treated with immediate results. Treatments last typically 6 to 12 months depending on the individual before being gradually absorbed by the body.
Multiple treatments may be needed depending on the area and the look that we are trying to achieve. At Wisdom & Youth we strive to enhance natural beauty, not alter or change you, which is why in this case, slow and steady is they way to go.
What Areas Can Be Treated?
As we get older our bodies stop producing collagen and elastin, both of which contribute to the youthful look. Fillers help restore lost volume to your face and plump areas so that deep-set lines are smoothed. Here are some of the common problem areas that fillers can help with at Wisdom & Youth MedSpa:
Cheek enhancement
Lips
Marionette lines
Nasolabial folds
Jaw line conturing
Chin augmentation
Earlobe rejuvenation
Hand rejuvenation
Are There Any Side Effects?
Temporary side effects like swelling, redness or tenderness are completely normal after facial injections. Occasionally, there may be slight bruising or itching at the injection location. Reactions are usually mild to moderate and disappear shortly or within a few days of the injection.
We recommend to schedule injectable treatments two weeks before any event.
Dermal Fillers are Safe and Effective in the Right Hands
When choosing an injector, make sure you go to someone who is qualified and is equipped to address unforeseen circumstances that may occur when injecting fillers. Although rare, this may include vascular occlusions which cause initial blanching of the skin followed by redness that deepens and spreads over the course of a few hours. It is crucial to address this as soon as possible. When choosing an injector, make sure they have Hyaluronidase or Vitrase in their emergency kit and that it is not expired. These medication can be injected into the area of question and used to dissolve the poorly paced filler, restoring the blood flow. More on these medications in another blog.
Please contact Wisdom and Youth in Westport, CT for more information or to set up an appointment.
Learn more about the differences between neurotoxins and fillers here.