What are Dermal Fillers?

Dermal fillers have gained the name “liquid facelifts” because they can add volume and a youthful appearance to aging faces without the downtime of a surgical facelift. Dermal fillers cost less, but the treatments must be repeated over time to maintain the facial fullness.

The injection of dermal fillers can take years off your appearance and make you look as young on the outside as you feel on the inside.

There are several different types of temporary dermal fillers on the market today that can increase facial fullness, fill deep creases and frown or laugh lines and even stimulate collagen growth. Some are natural substances found in the body, while others are synthetic:

·         Hyaluronic acid (natural): such as Juvéderm and Restylane

·         Calcium hydroxylapatite (natural): such as Radiesse and Radiance

·         Polylactic acid (synthetic): such as Sculptra

·         Collagen (natural): such as CosmoDerm, Cosmoplast, Zyderm, Zyplast

·         Human fat can also be harvested from your own body through liposuction and injected into different areas of your face

The type of dermal filler used will depend on how you want to improve your facial appearance. For example, you may need Restylane to fill facial wrinkles and folds around the mouth or Sculptra to treat hollow cheeks and the loss of facial fat. A qualified doctor can determine which treatment will be the most effective.

The injection of dermal fillers does not usually require long recovery times; most people can resume normal activities after the treatment. There might be a bit of swelling or bruising, but these typically fade within a few days. You’ll see results very quickly with most dermal fillers, except for Polylactic acid, which takes several months to produce results because it is stimulating collagen growth.

Note: BOTOX is not a dermal filler. BOTOX is used to relax the facial muscles to soften frown lines. 

To learn more about the pros and cons of dermal fillers, please contact Dr. Fan at 77 Plastic Surgery] to schedule a Cosmetic Consultation so we can determine if a dermal filler treatment might be right for you. Call 415-655-7546 or visit 77plasticsurgery.com.