WHAT IS A FILLER?
As the face ages, tissue sag and wrinkles develop. Most people are aware of the options available to help combat this natural aging process, among them neuromodulators such as Botox® and Xeomen® as well as filler injection.
The soft tissue of the face consisting of skin, subcutaneous fat, muscle, fascia, etc. can be likened to a multilevel sandwich of bread, lettuce, tomato, meat, cheese, etc. Fillers are semi liquid/gel substances that can be strategically injected into the various layers of the facial soft tissue in order to diminish aging folds, wrinkles and sagging as well as to augment cheekbones, jawbones, brows and nose, among other areas.
A youthful face is accentuated by convexities that reflect light while aging one is marked by concavities that create dark shadows. I often liken rejuvenating a face to shadow chasing.
There are basically two types of fillers: permanent and temporary. Injectable fillers can be utilized to augment cheek and jawbones, smooth out wrinkles, fill out hollows, plump up lips, enhance noses, rejuvenate hands and smooth out irregularities, et cetera. More unique areas that may be treated include earlobes, balls of the feet, transverse cervical lines (“necklace” lines), etc.”Liquid facelift” is a marketing term used to describe the end appearance after undergoing multiple and strategic filler injections in and around the face to minimize the appearance of jowls, tissue sagging , folds and untoward shadowing.
DERMAL FILLERS ARE COMMONLY USED FOR:
Facial droop, folds and wrinkles: Dermal fillers are an excellent ally to BOTOX® Cosmetic and Xeomen® injections because they correct a different type of wrinkle. The latter correct Swinkels caused by muscle activity where is fillers and lasers treat those static wrinkles occurring from natural aging, environmental factors and the sun. Combine the two treatments with laser skin resurfacing, and virtually all your wrinkles can be erased.
Restoring facial volume: As we age, our face naturally loses volume and what fat we have migrates downwards because of gravity. This imparts a drawn out and tired appearance. Dermal fillers can be used to fill in areas that have lost volume, restoring a youthful fullness to your face.
Lip augmentation: The lips also tend to lose volume as we age, which is especially important to women. Thin lips can convey an older, less inviting appearance. Dermal fillers are a fantastic choice for restoring needed volume to lips. Of course, adding volume to the lips will not shorten an otherwise long upper lip or drooping lower lip. Surgical alternatives must be explored in these cases.
Facial reshaping: Some people do not have the facial shape they desire, and in many cases this can be at least partly corrected with dermal fillers which can give the appearance of higher cheekbones or a stronger chin.
Belotero® – A relative new HAD to come to the shores. It can be used to produce beautiful results especially around the eye area since it minimizes any Tyndall effect from appearing.
This is a bothersome complication whereby the substance swells up due to its water retention capacity which, in turn, imparts a swollen, puffy look around the eyes along with a bluish tinge.
Paradoxically, this can have an aging effect which is contrary to the original intent of the patient! One of the advantages of HAD is that it is easily reversible with an enzyme called hyaluronidase (Wydase).
Collagen-based products (Zyplast™, Zyderm™, Cosmoplast™, Isolagen™, etc.) – Last anywhere from 6 weeks to 3 months. They produce very acceptably nice results, but they have been essentially supplanted by the Hyaluronic acid derivatives (HAD), which are sugars naturally found in the body. This is because HAD’s last longer and can be removed with the simple injection of an enzyme.
