Injectable fillers improve skin contour and produce a more youthful appearance by restoring lost volume.
Several forces - including exposure to sun, alcohol, and tobacco - cause the skin to lose structure and volume. Injury, illness, and various medications may also have negative effects on the skin; in some patients, loss of volume may be due to fat loss, known as lipoatrophy.
From whatever cause, the resulting wrinkles and contour irregularities are associated with aging. Injectable fillers reverse many of the aging effects by restoring volume and improving contour.
There are numerous injectable fillers available. Your specific needs and desires dictate which filler is best for you. Here is a list of some of the more commonly used fillers as well as some information about each.
Collagen Replacement Therapy® CosmoDerm® CosmoPlast® Zyderm®
- Collagen is the most abundant natural protein found in the body
- First FDA approved wrinkle correction treatment to not require a pre-treatment skin test
- Immediate treatment possible
- Made from natural human collagen
- CosmoDerm® & Zyderm® - treatment for fine lines
- CosmoPlast® - treatment for deeper lines & lip enhancement
- Minimal down time
- CosmoDerm® & CosmoPlast® are formulated with an anesthetic
- Treatment results can last up to six months
- Re-treatment required to maintain results
Restylane® Perlane® Juvéderm™
- Hyaluronic acid gel – natural complex sugar found in all living cells
- Hyaluronic acid gel absorbs water, increasing skin volume & density
- In office procedure
- Restylane® gel particles are smaller – designed for treating finer lines
- Perlane® gel particles are larger – designed for treating deeper lines
- Juvéderm™ gel particles are smoother – designed to last longer
- FDA approved
- Eventually, all injected hyaluronic acid gel is metabolized
- Restylane®, Perlane®, & Juvéderm™ effects may last six months or longer
- No allergy testing required
- Contain no animal proteins
- Most common side effects: temporary injection site redness, swelling, firmness, lumps/bumps, and bruising
- Most side effects are minor and resolve within a few hours to a few days
- Immediate results
- Re-treatment required to maintain results
Sculptra®
♦ Injectable poly-L-lactic acid
♦ FDA approved synthetic material
♦ Sculptra® stimulates new collagen production
♦ Used to treat lipoatrophy & deep facial lines
♦ Adds volume around eyes, lips, cheeks, & neck
♦ Treatment results can last for up to two years
♦ Treatment results appear gradually over a few weeks time
♦ Re-treatment required to maintain results
♦ Side effects include injection site bruising, tenderness, redness, & swelling
♦ Side effects usually resolve in 3-7 days
♦ Best results seen 3 months after treatment
Radiesse®
Ο Synthetic calcium hydroxylapatite core suspended in a gel of glycerin and sodium carboxymethylcellulose
Ο In office procedure
Ο Calcium component may be visible on some x-rays
Ο Immediate results
Ο Longer lasting – up to 18 months or more
Ο Best for deeper nasolabial folds & facial lipoatrophy (cheeks)
Ο Most common side effects: short-term bruising, redness & swelling
Ο Re-treatment required to maintain results
To learn about another technique for the treatment of facial lines, wrinkles, and volume loss, see the section on fat injection.
