COSMETIC FILLERS

Injectable Fillers

As we age, our faces begin to show the effects of gravity, sun exposure and years of facial muscle movement, such as smiling, chewing, and squinting. The underlying tissues that keep our skin looking youthful and plumped up begin to break down, often leaving laugh lines, smile lines, crow's feet or facial creases over the areas where this muscle movement occurs.

Soft tissue fillers, most commonly injectable collagen (Restylane® or Juve'derm®) or fat can help fill in these lines and creases, temporarily restoring a smoother, more youthful-looking appearance. When injected beneath the skin, these fillers plump up creased and sunken areas of the face. They can also add fullness to the lips and cheeks. Injectable fillers may be used alone or in conjunction with a resurfacing procedure, such as a laser treatment, or a recontouring procedure, such as a facelift.

 

Restylane® and Juve'derm®

Restylane and Juve'derm are natural cosmetic fillers that restore volume and fullness to the skin to correct moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds. It is made of hyaluronic acid which is a natural substance that already exists in the human body.

After treatment, the patient may have redness and swelling that normally lasts less than 7 days. Sunbathing and cold outdoor activities should be avoided. They have been used to correct wrinkles and enhance the appearance of the lip border. One example is treatment of nasolabial folds, which are the lines from the nose to the corners of the mouth.

 

Fat

Fat is most often used to fill in "sunken" cheeks, to enhance the lips, correct marionette lines and nasolabial folds around the mouth. It involves extracting fat cells from the patient's abdomen, thighs, buttocks or elsewhere and reinjecting them beneath the facial skin. After treatment, many patients are able to resume normal activity immediately. You can expect some redness, swelling and bruising in both the donor and recipient sites.

Please call the office (383-1499) for additional information and schedule your complimentary consultation.