Dermal fillers are popular treatments for treating static facial lines and wrinkles as well as lifting and contouring the face in appropriately selected cases. Fillers works to fill out wrinkles and lines by the injection of a substance called hyaluronic acid which is a natural substance found in our skin.
During aging process, skin loses its natural hyaluronic acid, in addition to fat & muscle atrophy and loss of collagen, leading to a loss of volume and the formation of wrinkles and sagging skin. Dermal fillers are effective in replacing volume lost. Hyaluronic acid allows the correction of wrinkles due to volume loss, associated with ageing skin, commonly in the nasolabial folds, lower eyelids and lips. It can also be used to restore the loss of physiological volume, commonly in areas such as cheekbones, and temporal fossa.
The benefits includes: correction or smoothing away of wrinkles and facial lines, due to volume loss associated with ageing skin commonly in the nasolabial folds, lower eyelids, lip enhancement, perioral wrinkles, subtle cheek enhancement and reshaping subtle nose contour defects.
Dermal Fillers are popular as the effects are instant, and return to normal activities is immediate. Results last between 6 and 12 months depending on multiple factors.
What Filler is best?
There is no easy answer for this question as each filler has different advantages and disadvantages. Contemporary facial cosmetic surgeons, like Ms. Lwin, use multiple fillers to assist the various problems associated with facial ageing. It is rare that any contemporary facial surgeon uses only a single filler. In reality, it is important to separate the marketing media hype from the true clinical science of injectable facial fillers. It seems that each time a knew filler is FDA approved, it is hyped as the best and longest lasting filler in history, that is until the next month when the next filler comes out. In reality, they are all good for specific indications. Generally, they are made of the same ingredients and do the same thing and preference are specific to patients and the surgeon.
All doctors and patient want fillers to last long, as filler science progress the longevity of fillers is increasing. Although we want things to last long, sometimes it is a good thing that they go for what looks good rather than what is in style today and may not be good in 5years time. Due to this Ms. Lwin only uses fillers that will eventually be absorbed by the body. Ms. Lwin has knowledge of multiple fillers and will personalise their use to your specific needs.
What are the common FDA approved facial fillers?
- Juvederm, juvederm ultra, juvederm ultra plus (stabilised hyaluronic acid)
- Restylane, Lyft (stabilised hyaluronic acid)
- Volbella, Volure
- Autogenous fat
- Voluma
- Refyne
- Defyne
- Versa
- Radiesse (Hydroxyapatite)
- Sculptra (Poly lactic acid)
- Belotero
What can fillers do?
Many patients misunderstand fillers and sometimes confuse them with Botox. Fillers are substances that are injected under the skin or lips to plump up the tissues. For the lips, fillers can provide an increase in lip size as well as enhancing the definition. They can also plump out lipstick line that develop in many female patients.
For skin wrinkling, fillers are usually used for nasolabial folds (laughlines) or bigger, deeper wrinkles. Fillers can also be used to augment facial anatomy to make bigger cheeks, chin or to fill in defects and scars.
How are fillers administered?
These are injected through small needles. All patients are first treated with numbing cream on the area to be injected, then several small injections of local anaesthetic are given to totally numb the lips and the related areas for a truly painless procedure.
The filler is then injected in the lips, wrinkles or folds. The actual injection only takes minutes. Ice is placed on the lips immediately after the injections to stop general swelling and most patients are able to return to work the next day. Rarely, some patients experience more significant swelling. For this reason, a first time filler patient may want to be treated on a day where they don’t have big plans for the next several days. It is also a good idea to refrain from aspirin or drugs that reduces clotting for one to two weeks to decrease bruising when injecting fillers.
Ms Lwin recommends having the patient return in two weeks to check the results and make sure everything is symmetric. Occasionally a touch up may be performed at the follow up appointment. It is important to view filler injection as a sculpting process and in some cases multiple appointments are required to provide that special, natural, result that patients desire.
How long does filler last?
There is no correct answer to this question as each patient metabolises fillers differently. Research has shown fillers such as Restylane and Juvederm lasts up to 12 months. Radiesse has been shown to last over a year and silicone and Artefil are permanent. Ms. Lwin does not use permanent fillers, in her practice for obvious reasons eg. Patient change their minds with time, and age-related changes still occurs. Fillers may not last as long in areas of increased movement such as around the mouth. Different fillers will last different periods of time in different patients. One thing is for sure is that newer fillers last considerably longer than the first generation of fillers.