The Art Of Filler

By Nicole Hayre, MD

Cosmetic Dermatology Center

. http://www.cosmetic-dermatology-center.com

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The Art Of Filler

It was Zsa Zsa Gabor who famously explained when you get older, you must “choose between your fanny or your face”. What Ms. Gabor was pointing out, was that gaining weight would keep an older face looking plumper and more youthful, while staying thin would allow facial features to look more drawn, haggard, and wrinkled. While that was true at the time thankfully it is no longer the case.

Today, women enjoy the option of maintaining a plump youthful face by having filler injected. Most fillers are forms of gels which are injected into the face to fill or support the overlying skin. This can be done to fill in hollows or smoothen wrinkles, leaving you looking younger. Over time the filler is naturally broken down by the body, and it slowly disappears. Most fillers take about one year for this to happen. Facial features are not permanently changed by using fillers.

Some of the more popular fillers include Juvederm, Restylane, Belatero, Radiesse, and Juvederm Voluma. Most of these fillers are FDA approved for diminishing smile lines (nasolabial folds). The new Juvederm Voluma is the first filler to gain FDA approval for enhancing the mid-facial region or cheeks. It has also been shown to last for up to two years.

While FDA-approved uses of fillers are limited, many skilled injectors use fillers in areas that are “off-label”. Some of these areas include the marionette lines (lines that run straight downwards from the corners of the mouth), lips, jawline, temples and under eye hollows. When multiple areas are injected creating a more youthful look for the patient, it has been called a “filler facelift”.

You could experience a little swelling, redness, and/or bruising from having fillers injected. In order to learn more about the possible risks and benefits, please consult a board-certified dermatologist. This is really the only way to know what will work best for you.