What is Dermal Fillers?
Dermal fillers are used by cosmetic facial surgeons to reduce the signs of aging, minimize skin depressions and scars, and address fine lines and deep wrinkles or folds in the skin of the face. Fillers can also be used on hollow areas below the eyes.
Types of Dermal Fillers
Hyaluronic acid is a natural component of the skin’s connective tissue. Its safety and effectiveness have made it the most common filler used in cosmetic facial procedures. Injections of hyaluronic acid can soften fine lines and creases and restore fullness to the skin.
The difference between hyaluronic acid products is the size of the particles, which are designed to address different wrinkle depths: smaller particles for fine lines and larger particles for deeper wrinkles and folds.
Calcium hydroxylapatite treats deeper wrinkles and skin folds. It can help the doctor contour the jawline and restore volume in and around the cheeks. These injections may last up to three years when used to fill wrinkles and up to one year when used for contouring.
Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) consists of microspheres suspended in a collagen-based gel. The gel provides immediate volume that lifts the skin to soften wrinkles and acne scars. The microspheres stay in place and provide structural support for smoother-looking skin.
Poly-L-lactic Acid was developed to treat severe facial wasting in HIV infection, this treatment is now FDA-approved to address facial aging. Injections last up to two years.
Human Fat can be harvested from the person’s own body and reinjected to enhance facial fullness, fill in deep creases, and build up shallow contours. Using fat injections is more involved than other injectable fillers since it requires liposuction to extract the fat before injection. Fat injections are somewhat unpredictable in how long they last and vary from patient to patient and the location of the injection.
What is Botox?
Botox is a protein made from Botulinum toxin that temporarily paralyzes muscle. In small doses, it can reduce skin wrinkles and help treat a range of medical conditions, including eyelid spasms and some types of migraine.
How Does Our Botox Works?
A combination of factors can cause facial lines. It’s not just about the cellular changes that may occur, or reduction of collagen, or damage caused by free radicals from the sun and the environment.
Repeated muscle contractions from frowning, squinting, or raising eyebrows cause the skin to furrow and fold, gradually resulting in the formation of facial lines. Botox works beneath the surface and temporarily reduces the underlying muscle activity that causes moderate to severe frown lines, crow’s feet, and forehead lines in adults – to help them look better.
How Long Does a Botox Injection Last?
The effects from Botox will last three to four months. As muscle action gradually returns, the lines and wrinkles begin to reappear and need to be treated again. The lines and wrinkles often appear less severe with time because the muscles are being trained to relax.
What Are the Side Effects of Botox?
Temporary bruising is the most common side effect of Botox. Headaches, which end in 24 to 48 hours, can happen, but this is rare. A small percentage of patients may develop eyelid drooping. This usually ends within three weeks. Drooping usually happens when the Botox moves around, so don’t rub the treated area for 12 hours after injection or lie down for four hours after the procedure.
