Dermal fillers help to diminish facial lines and restore volume and fullness in the face.
As we age, our faces naturally lose subcutaneous fat. The facial muscles are then working closer to the skin surface, so smile lines and crow’s feet become more apparent.
The facial skin also stretches a bit, adding to this loss of facial volume. Other factors that affect the facial skin include sun exposure, heredity and lifestyle.
Dermal fillers can be very helpful in those with early signs of aging, or as a value-added part of facial rejuvenation surgery.
There are several different types of dermal fillers. The most common types are:
A dermal fillers procedure includes the following steps:
You may be a good candidate for dermal fillers if you:
For some patients, surgery such as a facelift, brow lift or eye lift may be the best approach.
Some patients may want to consider fat injections, which use fat harvested from the patient’s own body which can then be re-injected to enhance facial fullness, fill creases or build up shallow contours.
Fat injection requires a more extensive procedure than “off-the-shelf” soft tissue fillers.
A “donor area” must be determined (such as the abdomen or buttocks) and liposuction is used to extract the fat. The suctioned fat can then be transferred to the face, as a graft.
The grafted fat then has to redevelop a blood supply in order to survive. About 50% of the fat injected will survive, and the surviving fat will last forever.
In the face, most of the transferred fat usually survives, but the results can be a bit less predictable. Typically, multiple fat transfer procedures will be needed to achieve desired results.
The use of fat transfer involves additional discomfort in the donor area. This is a minor surgical procedure that can be performed in the surgeon’s treatment room or in an operating room.
The decision to use fillers is extremely personal. You will have to decide if the benefits will achieve your goals and if the risks and potential complications of dermal fillers are acceptable.
Your plastic surgeon and/or staff will explain, in detail, any risks.
You will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that you fully understand the procedure, as well as the risks and potential complications.
Severe complications from dermal fillers are uncommon. Potential risks vary depending on the specific filler used and the relative permanence of the filler substance and include:
These risks and others will be fully discussed prior to your consent.
It is important that you address all your questions directly with your plastic surgeon. Although good results are expected from your procedure, there is no guarantee that you will be satisfied with your results. Because significant complications can occur from dermal filler injections, it is important to be in the care of a board certified plastic surgeon who understands the risks and is trained and prepared to deal with any complications that may occur.
In some situations, it may not be possible to achieve optimal results with a single procedure. Most fillers do dissipate over time. To maintain your correction, you will need to consider repeating the injection process at intervals.
The decision to use fillers is extremely personal. You will have to decide if the benefits will achieve your goals and if the risks and potential complications of dermal fillers are acceptable.
Your plastic surgeon and/or staff will explain, in detail, any risks.
You will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that you fully understand the procedure, as well as the risks and potential complications.
Severe complications from dermal fillers are uncommon. Potential risks vary depending on the specific filler used and the relative permanence of the filler substance and include:
These risks and others will be fully discussed prior to your consent.
It is important that you address all your questions directly with your plastic surgeon. Although good results are expected from your procedure, there is no guarantee that you will be satisfied with your results. Because significant complications can occur from dermal filler injections, it is important to be in the care of a board certified plastic surgeon who understands the risks and is trained and prepared to deal with any complications that may occur.
In some situations, it may not be possible to achieve optimal results with a single procedure. Most fillers do dissipate over time. To maintain your correction, you will need to consider repeating the injection process at intervals.
Recovery time varies for each patient and for each type of filler injected. You can resume most activities right away, but it is generally recommended that you avoid intense physical activity for the first 24-48 hours to minimize swelling and bruising. Be sure to discuss your specific recovery plan with your physician prior to scheduling your injections.
Your initial appearance after treatment with any dermal filler may include:
Most conditions can be alleviated with topical icing and massage and will improve within a matter of hours or just a few days. Some reactions may require more aggressive treatment with medications or injections. Be sure to discuss your recovery and treatment plan with your physician.
When your own fat is the injected filler, the healing process is longer and may take a few weeks. Get more information about fat injections.
The results of soft tissue augmentation using dermal fillers are apparent immediately and will last from several months to several years depending on the filler used and the patient injected. Maintaining good overall health and maintaining healthy and strong skin with appropriate products and skin treatments will improve the results and longevity.
For some patients, surgery such as a facelift, brow lift or eye lift may be the best approach. Nonsurgical rejuvenation treatments, such as soft tissue fillers, cannot achieve the same results, but may help delay the time when consideration of a facelift becomes appropriate. It is important to remember that dermal fillers are temporary treatments for facial aging and that ongoing treatments will be needed for long-term results.
