What You Should Know About Dermal Fillers

If you are looking to turn back the hands of time or enhance your facial features without going under the knife and spending thousands of dollars, dermal fillers offer a fast, cost-effective way to accomplish just that.

Facial fillers are safe, highly effective, long-lasting cosmetic treatments that provide a fuller, fresher, more youthful appearance – in only minutes, with little to no downtime. These days, you can choose between more pronounced enhancements or go for a more natural look with the latest cosmetic injectables on the market.

While dermal fillers are straightforward cosmetic treatments, there is a lot to know if you are thinking of trying filler. Even if you are a veteran of this cosmetic procedure, new dermal filler products emerge all the time, which may be an even better option for reaching your desired results.

In this article, we offer important information on the different types of dermal fillers available, where they should be used on the face, and why people of all ages and aesthetic concerns are choosing dermal fillers over more invasive plastic surgery.

Why Do People Choose Dermal Fillers Over Plastic Surgery?

Injectable fillers have become an increasingly popular cosmetic treatment option for those looking to improve their physical appearance. Honestly, there isn’t much that dermal fillers can’t do to enhance your appearance and restore youthful skin.

Dermal fillers can help if you want to…

Plump, reshape, enhance, or contour your lips.
Fill in hollow, sunken areas such as your cheeks or temples.
Correct facial symmetry in the nose, chin, jaw, and other areas.
Smooth out lines and creases in the chin.
Improve eye bags and dark eye circles.
Smooth out wrinkles, smile lines and marionette lines.
Restore overall volume to the face, usually in the cheeks or temples.
++ much more.

Millions of men and women of all ages choose to get injected with dermal filler each year. To better understand why more and more people choose dermal filler over plastic surgery procedures such as a facelift or blepharoplasty, let’s play a game of “would you rather.”

Would you rather have weeks of downtime from things you enjoy, such as working out, or only need a day of limited activity?
Would you rather have to take numerous personal days from work or pop in on your lunch break and return to the office the same day?
Would you rather spend upwards of 8 to 15 thousand dollars or a few hundred dollars to achieve a more youthful appearance?
Would you rather wait months to see the final results of your procedure or have an instant improvement in your appearance?
Would you rather have a procedure requiring general anesthesia or one that only calls for a local numbing anesthetic?

If any of the latter scenarios sound more appealing, dermal fillers are certainly worth considering. While plastic surgery procedures such as a facelift or eyelid surgery offer premium, long-lasting results and might be a better solution if you have advanced aging later in life, they do come with downfalls such as higher cost, risk of more complications, longer recovery, and a delay in results.

On the other hand, fillers are a less invasive way to change the contours of the face or reduce the marks of aging. With dermal fillers, no surgery is involved, and downtime is minimal to none. You won’t have to take time off work, block off your social calendar, or drain your savings account.

Despite not replicating the effects of a facelift, fillers are incredibly effective when administered by a board-certified, highly skilled professional, providing a range of facial cosmetic benefits that can put off the need for surgical interventions.

What Are The Different Types Of Dermal Fillers?

It may seem all fillers are the same, but they aren’t. While all dermal fillers are made of a gel-like substance injected with a tiny needle providing an immediate and natural-looking result, dermal filler brands and formulas vary by primary ingredient and longevity and can have a different look or feel depending on where it is injected.

To make things even more confusing, fillers aren’t universal, meaning they can’t all be injected in the same areas. For example, softer fillers are used in the lips, while sturdier fillers might be desired to enhance cheekbones. That is why it is crucial to consult with a trained professional who can recommend the best dermal filler based on your needs and desired outcome.

Here is a short breakdown of the different types of dermal fillers and formulas you can choose from.

Hyaluronic Acid Fillers

Hyaluronic acid is a substance that exists in your body naturally. At optimal levels, hyaluronic acid acts as a cushioning agent and can attract up to 1,000 times its weight in moisture. Unfortunately, age depletes the amount of hyaluronic acid your body produces, resulting in a loss of skin volume and structure, which makes your wrinkles more visible.

Hyaluronic Acid (HA) fillers, known primarily under the brands Restylane® and Juvederm®, are the most commonly used type of FDA-approved dermal fillers. They integrate smoothly into the skin tissues, restoring facial volume and structure and smoothing wrinkles and fine lines.

HA fillers are recommended for anyone that wants to:

Replenish skin moisture for a more youthful and hydrated appearance.
Have instant and natural-looking results, with effects lasting up to six months or more.
Restore volume and obtain structural support, helping combat the effects of aging.

There isn’t only one formula of Restylane® and Juvederm®; there are many, and which you choose depends on the severity of your aging and where it is injected.

The five Juvéderm® products that are most typically used include:

Juvéderm XC®: Ideal for moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds, especially nasolabial folds (the area between your nose and mouth) and smile lines.
Juvéderm Ultra XC®: This product can also be used to correct nasolabial folds but is most commonly used in the lips to achieve a poutier, fuller, more symmetrical smile.
Juvéderm Vollure XC®: Another popular filler used to increase lip fullness and correct perioral lines (also known as lipstick lines.)
Juvéderm Voluma XC®: If your cheeks are an area of concern, this is the filler your injector might choose to lift, contour, and correct age-related volume loss in your cheeks and midface area.
Juvéderm Vollure XC®: Adds volume to smooth moderate to severe facial lines, wrinkles and folds, including nasolabial folds.

The four Restylane® products that are most typically used include:

Restylane Refyne®: Softens fine lines, nasolabial folds, and marionette lines.
Restylane Defyne®: Helps smooth moderate to severe nasolabial folds and marionette lines.
Restylane Silk®: Designed for smoothing mouth wrinkles and lip augmentation.
Restylane Lyft®: Commonly used to restore volume in the cheeks, midface, and hands for a smoother and fuller appearance.

Calcium Hydroxylapatite Fillers

Calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) is a naturally occurring mineral in our bones and teeth. When used in dermal fillers, it is specially formulated to be a safe and biodegradable gel that can be injected into the skin to restore facial volume and treat wrinkles.

Most typically known under the brand name Radiesse®, calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) fillers
are recommended for anyone that wants to:

Stimulate collagen and elastin production.
Experience long-term improvement in skin quality.
Have instant visible results that can last up to a year or more.

CaHA filler is generally thicker than a hyaluronic acid filler, making it excellent for deeper wrinkles and skin folds, as well as contouring the jawline and restoring volume to the cheeks. CaHa filler, such as Radiesse®, is also FDA-approved to treat wrinkles on the back of your hands.

Additionally, CaHA filler has some advantages that other fillers don’t. For starters, CaHA filler offers longer-lasting results, delivering benefits for around 12 months for most patients. Some say their results have lasted for up to two years! CaHA filler also stimulates the production of collagen and elastin, which decreases with age, improving skin elasticity and strength.

Additionally, CaHA filler has some advantages that other fillers don’t. For starters, CaHA filler offers longer-lasting results, delivering benefits for around 12 months for most patients, some saying their results have lasted for up to two years! CaHA filler also stimulates the production of collagen and elastin, which decreases with age, leading to an improvement in skin elasticity and strength.

Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)

If you have tried other fillers and want a more long-term solution to smooth deep wrinkles, PMMA filler might be your best route. Unlike other dermal fillers, which offer results that fade after about six months, PMMA filler won’t fully metabolize for roughly five years.

This type of soft tissue filler, often known as Bellafill®, is made up of collagen and a synthetic substance called polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) microspheres that forms into a ball beneath the skin, giving structure to the enhanced area to maintain a smooth appearance while increasing the production of the body’s own collagen.

Bellafill® PMMA filler is approved by the FDA to be used for:

Wrinkles and fine lines
Mid-face volume loss
Cheek and eye hollows
Acne scars
Nasolabial folds

The main ingredient in the Bellafill® injection (collagen) is naturally-occurring, but unlike HA and CaHA, Bellafill injections also contain polymethylmethacrylate, which isn’t naturally occurring in the body. Polymethylmethacrylate is synthetic but has shown to be a safe and tolerable injectable material.

Poly-L-Lactic Acid (PLLA)

Commonly known as Sculptra, this is another synthetic dermal filler designed to stimulate the body’s natural collagen production to restore facial volume and improve the skin’s overall texture and tone.

Unlike other fillers that work by adding volume to the skin, Sculptra gradually stimulates the production of collagen in the deep layers of the skin, providing natural-looking, long-lasting results.

PLLA is particularly beneficial for people with the following:

Sunken cheeks
Hollow temples
Deep facial wrinkles caused by aging, illness, or weight loss

Sculptra treatment usually requires multiple sessions spaced a few weeks apart, and the results can last up to two years. Sculptra is also ideal for people who prefer gradual, subtle improvement over dramatic, immediate change.

Autologous Fat Injections (fat grafting)

Fat grafting is another source of filler material that involves removing fat from one part of the body through liposuction and then injecting it into areas of the face that have lost volume.

Fat grafting offers a unique set of benefits that sets it apart from other filler products. First, the “filler” comes straight from your body, making fat injections safe from side effects like an allergic reaction.

Additionally, results are mostly permanent when a certified plastic surgeon performs this procedure correctly. We say mostly because the procedure’s longevity varies slightly from patient to patient based on their area of concern and whether or not all fat cells survived the procedure. Because of this, multiple sessions may be required to achieve the desired outcome.

That said, fat grafting is more involved than an off-the-shelf dermal filler and is considered invasive because it involves surgery or liposuction to harvest the fat. You will be put under general anesthesia during the procedure. Following surgery, you may need drainage tubes or a compression bandage while you heal, and you can expect the areas to be slightly swollen and tender for several weeks. You will need to miss a few work days and plan to take it easy for about two weeks following the procedure.

What Cosmetic Dermal Fillers Go Where?

As you read, several different types of facial fillers are available, each with their own unique set of benefits and considerations. Because each filler has a different texture and performs differently once injected, selecting the appropriate dermal filler is crucial.

Your doctor can advise which dermal filler will safely give you the desired results. However, it’s still good to have a general idea of what dermal filler your injector will likely use.

Here is a short summary of the best filler for each cosmetic concern.

Best Filler To Smooth Fine Lines, Wrinkles, Brow Furrows, And Crow’s Feet

Juvéderm®: A hyaluronic acid dermal filler
Restylane®: A hyaluronic acid gel filler
Sculptra: A poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) synthetic substance
Botox®: While not a dermal filler, botox injections are worth mentioning if you are looking to smooth lines and wrinkles on the forehead, brow furrows and around the eyes. This neurotoxin works by paralyzing the facial muscles to limit movement and reduce visible wrinkles. Dysport, Xeomin, and Jeuveau are brands that offer similar results.

Best Filler To Smooth Frown Lines

DAXXIFY™: A long-lasting peptide treatment that’s different from other wrinkle reducers. Results have been shown to last on average 6 months, and up to 9 months for some.
Juvéderm®: A hyaluronic acid dermal filler.
Restylane®: A hyaluronic acid gel filler.

Best Filler To Smooth Under The Eyes And Tear Troughs

Juvéderm®: A hyaluronic acid dermal filler.
Restylane®: A hyaluronic acid gel filler.
Fat injections: Filler that is harvested from your own fat.

Bet Filler To Lift And Enhance Cheeks

VOLUMA®: A hyaluronic acid injectable gel filler with lidocaine.
Restylane®: A hyaluronic acid gel filler.
Restylane® Lyft: A dissolvable hyaluronic dermal filler.
Best Filler To Smooth Marionette Lines
Juvéderm®: A hyaluronic acid dermal filler.
Belotero®: A hyaluronic acid dermal filler.
Restylane®: A hyaluronic acid gel filler.
Defyne: A hyaluronic acid gel filler.

Best Filler To Plump And Define The Lips

Juvéderm® Ultra: A hyaluronic acid dermal filler that is thinner than the Ultra Plus.
VOLBELLA®: A hyaluronic acid filler for delicate skin.
Fat injections: Filler that is harvested from your own fat.

Best Filler To Rejuvenate Aging Hands

Radiesse®: A calcium hydroxylapatite volumizing filler.

Best Filler To Soften Nasolabial Folds

Juvéderm®: A hyaluronic acid dermal filler.
Belotero®: A hyaluronic acid dermal filler.
Restylane®: A hyaluronic acid gel filler.
Radiesse®: A calcium hydroxylapatite volumizing filler.
Vollure: A long-lasting hyaluronic acid facial filler.
Sculptra: A poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) synthetic substance.
Bellafill®: A polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) filler.

Best Filler To Smooth Vertical Lip Lines

VOLBELLA®: A hyaluronic acid filler for delicate skin.
Belotero®: A hyaluronic acid dermal filler.
Restylane Silk®: A hyaluronic acid filler with lidocaine.

Best Filler To Smooth Chin Wrinkles

Belotero®: A hyaluronic acid dermal filler
Radiesse®: A calcium hydroxylapatite volumizing filler.
Juvéderm®: A hyaluronic acid dermal filler.
Restylane®: A hyaluronic acid gel filler.

Best Filler To Fill Acne Scars

Juvéderm®: A hyaluronic acid dermal filler
Bellafill®: A polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) filler.
Radiesse®: A calcium hydroxylapatite volumizing filler.

Conclusion

With a variety of dermal filler options available and so many different brands and formulas within each brand to choose from– there is no doubt a dermal filler that can address every unique aesthetic concern.

But with so many options also comes a lot of confusion. Exactly why it’s essential to choose

a certified professional with experience in injectable fillers. This will guarantee safety and ensure you put the right filler in the right places to achieve the best results possible.

We know selecting the best filler for your aesthetic concerns can be a daunting task. Especially if you are looking to treat more than one area. Luckily, you don’t have to pick your dermal filler alone. Our experienced injectors will be able to tell you which dermal filler is best for your unique needs.

Contact us today to schedule a consultation and learn how dermal fillers can help you look and feel your best without surgery or downtime.