Dermal fillers are substances used to restore volume, giving a more beautiful youthful appearance to the face. The dermal fillers are widely used to restore facial contours, reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, creases, to plump thin lips and to enhance hollow contours. What dermal filler can do is depending on the type of the used filler and the state of the skin.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF DERMAL FILLERS?

• Restore volume and fullness in the face

• Soften and restore facial lines

• Reduce and improve the appearance of fine lines, creases and recessed scars

• Enhance lip fullness

• Add volume to the skin creating youthful appearance

• Remove frown lines between the eyes

• Treat and fill acne scars

• Reduce crows feet and wrinkles around the nose and mouth

• Plump out hollow cheeks

• Reshape nose tip or chin

• Add shape and contour to the face

• Replace soft tissue volume loss

WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF DERMAL FILLERS ?
As the dermal fillers have the property to return the dermis to its original youthful state, nowadays they are very popular amongst those women who want to stop the aging process and to remove the signs of aging. There are many types of fillers that restore and reshape the obvious signs of facial aging, delivering long lasting results. Today there are many types of dermal fillers, some based on natural substances derived from the human body, others are synthetic forms of these substances and some may contain synthetic, biocompatible compounds.

The dermal fillers can be divided into three main categories:
1 collagen based fillers
2 hyaluronic acid based fillers
3 calcium hydroxyl apetite fillers

Depending on the period of time the filler will be effective the fillers can be divided to:

• 1 temporary fillers that substitute the natural tissues - they last for a period between 3 and 9 months

• 2 temporary fillers that stimulate the formation of new tissues - they can last up to 1 year

• 3 permanent fillers - most of the permanent fillers contain non-biodegradable particles which usually stay constantly in the injected place.

Hyaluronic acid - It’s a natural substance found in the human body. Hyaluronic acid plays an important role in the way your skin looks, feels, and functions. Hyaluronic acid creates volume in the face, giving it a healthy, youthful appearance. Hyaluronic acid injections work by filling the space between collagen and elastin fibers within the skin, which replenishes the natural volume lost with aging. As hyaluronic acid is clinically produced the risk of allergies is very low. Nowadays the fillers containing hyaluronic acid are the most popular.

Hydroxyl apatite is heavy dermal filler. Hydroxylapatite is used mainly to treat deep creases, frown lines as well as to enhance the fullness of the cheeks. It is a mineral like compound that is naturally found in human bodies.

RADIESSE
Radiesse /previously known as Radiance/ is popular dermal filler that delivers immediate, long lasting result. It’s a form of hydroxyl apatite and is completely biocompatible. It is made of a synthetic substance containing microspheres of calcium hydroxylapetite. As it is very “heavy” Radiesse is mainly used to fill deeper creases, to enhance fullness of the cheeks and other facial contours. Radiesse is injected into the skin through a simple and minimally invasive procedure giving immediate, visible improvement of folds and wrinkles, and providing long-lasting and beautiful results. This filler not only fills in wrinkles, but it stimulates the body to produce new collagen which is essential for a healthy and young-looking skin. Because Radiesse is strong facial filler, it can last up to two years or more.

RESTYLANE
Restylane - based on hyaluronic acid. It’s crystal-clear, non-animal, biodegradable gels. An anti-wrinkle treatment with Restylane is not permanent but a long-lasting. It can be effective for up to 1 year or more after the treatment of wrinkles. Restylane works great to plump thin lips and fill in facial creases, it’s also appropriate for surface wrinkles and concave scars. Restylane is FDA approved and is widely used for soft tissue augmentation. As it is not animal based the risk of allergic reaction is very low and it’s safe to use instantly without pre-testing. Restylane is very popular as it adds volume to the skin without affecting the natural expressions for example like the treatment with Botox. The filler is the most popular dermal filler in the world that is used to contour the face and to enhance the beauty of the face instantly.

JUVEDERM
Juvederm - Dermal filler used to restore a smoother, younger look. It is from the group of the hyaluronic acid fillers. Juvederm is a great choice for those who want to enhance the lips’ size, to correct deep wrinkles and to remove facial lines. Juvederm can also be used to contour cheeks areas and chin. It is injected under the skin to instantly restore the skin’s volume and smooth away facial wrinkles and folds. Juvederm is the first FDA-approved hyaluronic acid dermal filler that is proven to be safe and effective, the result may last for up to 7/ 8 months.

ARTECOLL
Artecoll /also known as ArteFill /is another very popular dermal filler in Europe but unfortunately it is still not FDA approved in the USA. It is used as an injectable micro-implant for long-lasting subdermal augmentation, which includes the correction of wrinkles and of other defects in the connective tissue - Artecoll is mainly used for correction of small subdermal and osseous defects. This filler is made of polymethylmethacrylate microspheres that are suspended in bovine collagen and as it is collagen based, the patients should be tested for allergy to bovine collagen prior to the treatment.

HYLAFORM
Hylaform is another very popular and widely used dermal filler made from a highly purified form of hyaluronic acid that mimics the effects of natural hyaluronic acid. When injected just below the surface of the skin, Hylaform adds volume to the skin, smoothing unwanted lines and wrinkles. When Hylaform gel is injected into an area on the face, it naturally replaces the hyaluronic acid in the skin which is lost with time. The results with this filler are immediate and long lasting.

EVOLENCE
Evolence is collagen based soft tissue filler that restores a natural, youthful appearance by replenishing the lost collagen, adding volume and smoothing wrinkles and folds. Evolence is injected just below the skin’s surface, where it replaces lost collagen and adds support to your skin’s own remaining collagen network. The results are long-lasting and the risk of allergic reaction is low.

ISOLAGEN
Isolagen is very popular filler used to fill in deep wrinkles, fine lines, deep folds and scars. Isolagen is derived from the patient’s own tissue and cannot be rejected by the human immune system.

Before the treatment with dermal filler you should:

• Make sure that the surgeon is a licensed physician and has completed extensive training and examinations in plastic surgery

• Make sure you inform your physician for your state of health, lifestyle and desires

• Make sure you discuss the outcome of the soft tissue augmentation and any risk or potential complications

• Make sure you that you have informed your doctor about any past treatments with injectable fillers, Botox or previous plastic surgeries.

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT DURING THE TREATMENT?
First your physician will carefully evaluate your facial appearance and skin tone, he/ she will examine the areas of your face to be augmented with injectable filler.
Depending on the type of the filler that will be injected, a numbing cream or a local anesthetic may be needed, even though that some fillers contain an anesthetic agent.
The surgeon will inject the filler under the skin into the previously marked areas.
The filler will remains in the skin where it binds water to produce a lift and firmness to the treated areas.
You may experience some discomfort for a few seconds.
After the treatment you may experience minimal discomfort like: mild swelling, bruising, redness or temporary numbness.

HOW LONG DOES THE RESULT LAST?
The length of the time that the dermal filler will last depends mainly on the type of the filler used and the area injected. Most of the facial fillers last up to eight months. The continued aging of the face and variables in the absorption of fillers will affect how long the result will last. If you are not happy with the result you shouldn’t repeat the treatment and your appearance will return to its original condition. Unlike the permanent implants or the general plastic surgeries, the dermal fillers can leave you a choice when the effect of the treatment has worn off.

REMEMBER:

• You can combine dermal fillers with other anti-aging procedures like chemical peel or dermabrasion only after consultation with a physician.

• Keep in mind that collagen fillers posses a high risk of allergies because collagen is a protein with animal origin.

• After treatment with dermal filler you may experience slight redness, swelling and bruising but is usually settles by the following day.

• Always ask your physician for the advantages and the disadvantages of every type of dermal filler, depending on the result you want to achieve.

• Keep in mind that each filler has its own risk profile.