Types of Dermal Fillers
For those looking for non-surgical and non-invasive options for cosmetic procedures, facial fillers can provide a solution. Facial fillers, also called dermal fillers, are chemicals that are injected into the skin to smooth wrinkles and hide them. Because there are so many types of dermal fillers, the staff at the office of Dr. Rimma Finkel wanted to put together this short guide to help you explore your options.
The Treatment
A face filler injection is usually done as an outpatient surgery using numbing drugs. The operation might take up to an hour to complete. For up to a week, you may have slight pain, bruising, and swelling. For the greatest results, you may require a touch-up injection once the swelling has subsided. The duration of the impact is determined by several factors, including the kind of wrinkle and filler used.
People with weakened immune systems or who use blood-thinning drugs should avoid facial fillers, also known as soft tissue fillers (anticoagulants).
Different Types of Dermal Fillers
The most common dermal fillers include…
- Hyaluronic acid (Restylane, Juvederm, others) – The most popular wrinkle filler is a natural component of the skin’s connective structure. The effects usually endure for 6 to 12 months.
- Hydroxylapatite calcium (Radiesse) – This filler is used to contour the jawline, restore cheek volume, and treat deeper creases and skin folds. When used for contouring, the results can last up to a year, and when used to fill wrinkles, they can last up to three years.
- Fat Grafting – Liposuction is used to remove fat from the lower abdomen or other areas using this approach. It is then injected into the face, temple, lips, or forehead using tiny incisions. The consequences might last a long time. However, because the body reabsorbs some of the fat, attaining the desired outcomes typically necessitates many sessions as well as overfilling the site.
- Soft tissue filler that is permanent (Bellafill) – Deep creases around the mouth are treated with this filler. Because this form of filler is not absorbed by the body, it does not need to be injected again. As a first-time face filler procedure, permanent soft tissue filler is typically not indicated.
- Lactic acid polymer (Sculptra) – This product is intended to replenish face volume that has been lost as a result of age or sickness. Two or three sessions are recommended. The effects last for about two years.
Dermal Fillers: How Do They Work?
There’s Botox and then there’s the rest when it comes to dermal fillers.
Botox: Botox works by freezing your face tissues in place, preventing lines and wrinkles from forming. It only works on areas of your face that are smooth at rest and show indications of age only when you move them. The procedure may not work if the lines and wrinkles appear even while you are not making facial gestures.
The Rest: Your dermatologist will select a specific dermal filler for your face or lips based on the chemical composition of the many types of dermal fillers. Injectable fillers serve to replenish your skin’s decreased collagen and elastin levels, as well as encourage their renewal.
Because the chemical is identical to what your body generates naturally, hyaluronic acid fillers are relatively safe to use. HA acts to lubricate your joints as well as give your skin a smooth look.
When doctors inject HA filler into creases and lines, it provides volume and shape to the face tissue, reducing the appearance of aging. These dermal fillers are particularly helpful in areas of the skin that are too thin, such as the “parentheses” around the lips and nose.
Types of Dermal Fillers
Hyaluronic Acid
Because it is known to encourage the formation of natural collagen, hyaluronic acid is one of the most popular injectables. This makes HA more effective, especially because the substance absorbs fluid like a sponge and results in smoother skin.
The effects of HA fillers might last anywhere from 6 to 12 months. Certain products, like Voluma XC, may produce benefits for up to two years. If you’re unhappy with the therapy, your dermatologist can use hyaluronidase to reverse it.
Hyaluronic Acid injectables are marketed under the following brand names:
- Juvéderm Ultra XC (also contains lidocaine to minimize discomfort, is effective as one of the types of fillers for lips
- Juvederm Voluma XC/ Juvederm XC/ Juvederm Volbella XC
- Perlane or Perlane-L
- Restylane-Lift/ Restylane Silk / Restylane / Restylane-L (also effective for the lips)/ Restylane Refyne/ Restylane Defyne
- Belotero Balance
- HylaForm
- Prevelle Silk
- Captique
- Esthélis
- Elevess
- Puragen
Synthetic Dermal Fillers
In response to the increased demand for injectables, numerous types of synthetic fillers that claim to erase the indications of age are now widely available. Each of these fillers employs a different chemical and acts in a different way to rejuvenate your skin. Because these fillers are synthetic, you should be aware of the risk of negative side effects. Furthermore, if you are unhappy with the outcomes, you may require surgical assistance to undo the treatment.
1. CALCIUM HYDROXYLAPATITE – IN THE FORM OF RADIESSE
The calcium hydroxylapatite filler was originally created for use in facial reconstruction and dentistry. Radiesse is a biosynthetic product that imitates a naturally occurring substance. It works by encouraging the creation of new collagen and has a low risk of generating allergic reactions or negative effects. Radiesse stays in place after it is put into the skin and is unlikely to move. You should expect to observe the results of the injectable for up to 12 months following treatment.
2. POLYLACTIC ACID – SCULPTRA AVAILABLE
Sculptra, like Radiesse, is a dermal filler that stimulates the production of new collagen in the skin. Polylactic acid (PLLA) is the major component of the filler, and you may require numerous treatments spaced four to six weeks apart. Because the chemical is biodegradable, you’ll need to reapply it frequently to keep the benefits going. Your dermatologist will decide the number of sessions required based on the severity of the visible lines and wrinkles.
3. POLYALKYLIMIDE – IN AQUAMID FORM
Aquamid, unlike Radiesse and Sculptra, causes collagen to spontaneously form around itself. Natural collagen eventually covers the injected gel entirely. Aquamid is a semi-permanent and biocompatible chemical that is unlikely to react with human flesh. It’s also radio transparent, which means you may safely have X-rays following the procedure. Polyalkylimide has a longer duration of action than most other dermal fillers.
4. MICROSPHERES OF POLYMETHYL-METHACRYLATE (PMMA) – AVAILABLE AS BELLAFILL
Bellafill was originally designed to support implants in the surgical profession. If you choose this procedure, you may expect semi-permanent results, with the dermatologist requesting touch-ups at regular intervals. To sustain the beneficial outcomes, each fresh injection is put below the prior treatment. Bellafill is a well-known brand name for facial fillers.
Dermal Collagen Fillers
Collagen is a naturally occurring protein that maintains your skin smooth and free of wrinkles.
Because erosion of collagen and elastin causes lines and wrinkles, physicians first synthesized collagen from bovine sources that was almost identical to human collagen.
The biggest disadvantage of this treatment approach was the requirement for an allergy test prior to doing the surgery. Furthermore, the collagen in the skin would break down in a month’s time, and the therapeutic results would fade quickly.
Scientists have now developed a synthetic collagen filler that works similarly to the substance generated naturally in the body but lasts longer.
Collagen fillers for the face are also known as:
- Evolence
- Fibrel
- Zyplast
- Cosmoderm
- Zyderm
Dermal Autologous Fillers
Autologous injectables are made from the tissues of each particular patient, as the name implies. As a result, allergy or adverse responses to these dermal fillers are uncommon, and they are generally safe to use. Doctors may take fat or blood from you and refine or process it before injecting it back into the regions of your face that require it.
The following are the most prevalent choices:
1. MICROLIPOINJECTION/ FAT INJECTABLES
If you decide to sign up for this anti-aging therapy, the complete procedure should take between 30 and 90 minutes. The doctor uses a small needle to harvest fat cells after giving a topical anesthetic to your abdomen, buttocks, or thighs.
Doctors then purify and process the cells. Fat cells are carefully put into the hollows of your cheeks, beneath your eyes, into the lips, or into the forehead during your next appointment.
Although these dermal fillers are safe and effective, their effects are just temporary. This is because your body absorbs fat cells over time. You may also need to return for follow-up treatments at regular intervals.
2. VAMPIRE FACELIFTS / PLATELET RICH PLASMA (PRP)
Platelet-rich plasma facelifts employ materials drawn from your blood to make an injectable substance that can help reverse age symptoms. The benefits of these fillers last for 12 to 18 months, and you may require 2 to 4 treatments spread at 4- to 6-week intervals in the beginning. The entire procedure takes around 60 minutes, from the collection of a little amount of blood from your forearm to the injections in your face.
Microneedling may be used instead of injecting the serum to get more effective outcomes. PRP rejuvenates the worn-out layer of collagen and elastin, allowing it to begin producing new collagen and elastin.
3. PLACENTAL STEM CELLS
The most powerful stem cells are found in the placenta and the umbilical cord. Scientists are testing whether these cells might be used as a new sort of dermal filler. Stem cells differentiate into the types of cells found in the surrounding tissue. They were able to regenerate the layer of collagen by injecting it.
Various types of stem cell therapies are currently accessible. Here are a few examples:
- MZ Skin is a product made from sheep placental cells.
- Novo Solutions MD employs human umbilical cord cells that have been purified before injection.
- Amniotic tissue from discarded placentas and umbilical cords was used to create stem cells.
- Plant-derived stem cells act like the placenta.
Antibody Injectable Technology
The Antibody Technology is a cutting-edge treatment for aging indications. This method is based on the idea that your immune system produces antibodies to help you avoid becoming sick. Bacteria, viruses, unknown proteins, poisons, and other pathogens are all targets for these cells. Antibodies are extracted from sources such as the egg yolk of the ostrich, which has the world’s most powerful immune system.
When antibodies are injected into problem regions of your face, they seek to inhibit ceramidase, an enzyme that hinders your skin from producing natural ceramides. Ceramides are crucial for controlling the skin’s moisture levels, and when they act properly, they can keep the skin moist.
Types of Dermal Fillers – Dr. Rimma Finkel
The confidence we have in ourselves, and frequently in our looks, may either keep us from taking advantage of opportunities that life presents, or it can give us that additional edge that allows us to seize every opportunity. Dr. Rimma Finkel MD can assist you in gaining the confidence you desire. She specializes in breast reconstruction and aesthetic surgery, as well as cosmetic and reconstructive surgery of the face and body and body contouring.
Dr. Finkel and her team of enthusiastic specialists may give a unique viewpoint on your operation as one of Phoenix’s few double-board certified female cosmetic surgeons. Any cosmetic, age-related, or reconstructive needs you have will be met in a stress-free, worry-free atmosphere where your safety is paramount.
Don’t wait any longer, schedule your consultation with Dr. Finkel today!