Dermal Fillers

Hyaluronic Acid (HA) fillers have revolutionized the treatment of facial aging. These fillers come under many names including Restylane® Refyne, Restylane® Defyne, Restylane® Lyft, Restylane® Contour, Restylane® L, and all of the Juvederm® collection. All of the above products are non-animal-based and completely bio-compatible with human hyaluronic acid; therefore, no allergy test is necessary. They are all variations of Hyaluronic Acid a naturally occurring substance that is present throughout the body and binds with water molecules, which provides our skin with youthful plumpness. 

Facial aging

Facial aging involves many factors. As we age, our skin loses some of its hyaluronic acid as well as soft tissue volume. This loss of volume and hydration causes our face to appear sunken and wrinkled. Fillers can address most of these problems and to some extent are more effective than surgery for certain areas of the face. Skillfully administered, dermal fillers will volumize and restore the face immediately, enhance the contour of areas such as cheeks, temples, jowls, smile lines, and  lips. In general, the results can last between 6-18 months. The longevity is relevant to the amount and type of filler, the facial area, and your natural metabolism. All the fillers now have a local anesthetic incorporated into the HA and that makes a procedure pain free and well-tolerated. A topical anesthetic cream could also be used for extra comfort. The use of blind tip, flexible microcannulas allows for smooth and painless administration of filler without causing trauma or bruising. Hyaluronic acid based fillers are also completely reversible by injecting enzyme that dissolves HA overnight. It offers many new customers a peace of mind. 

You may be a candidate for these treatments if you wish improve the appearance of volume loss, wrinkles and folds in following areas:

• Temples, cheeks, deep nasolabial folds (known as smile lines), jowls, marionette lines, oral commissures, lips, earlobes, and hands.

What can I expect?

We will evaluate the the degree of skin damage and volume loss, assess the areas of your face to be enhanced and restored. We will discuss the aging process with you from the three-dimensional view point, and not just “the wrinkles”. We will create a comprehensive plan, tailored to your needs and aesthetical views. The topical numbing cream will be used for the sensitive areas like lips for your comfort. Using Accuvein infrared light, we will perform facial veins mapping, to locate and avoid veins, to minimize bruising and reduce healing time. The before and after pictures will be taken and kept in your file for future evaluation. We will use blunt, flexible cannulas that greatly reduce the risk of swelling, bruising, lumps and bumps.

What is the timeline for bruising and swelling?

Immediately after: Redness and some swelling are visible, and you may feel tenderness at the injection site.

Peak swelling (24–72 hours): Swelling is most noticeable during this time, and any bruising that is going to appear becomes more visible. Lips, under-eyes, and cheeks tend to swell more than other areas. Bruising may last up to 2 weeks. Using Accuvein infrared light for facial veins mapping and dermal filler cannulas greatly minimizing the chance of bruising.

You will see the volume increase immediately. However,  it takes filler 2-4 weeks to hydrate and integrate into your tissues. The longevity of treatment is dependent on many factors including the amount of filler, the type of filler used, the area of treatment, vigorous exercise and your natural metabolism. The most “movable” areas, such as lips, may require re-treatment sooner due to frequent use of the muscles of the mouth. Over time, hyaluronic acid slowly breaks down, the same way the body metabolizes its own natural hyaluronic acid.

Chewing gum will decrease the longevity of your lip filler. Smoking leads to a faster filler breakdown as the chemicals in cigarette smoke, including free radicals, increase inflammation and accelerate the breakdown of collagen and elastin; as HA fillers made from hyaluronic acid, this can cause the material to dissolve more quickly than it would in a non-smoker.