Dermal Fillers: A Minimally Invasive Wrinkle Reducer

Aging affects everyone, but there are steps you can take to slow its impact. If you prefer to avoid major cosmetic surgery, dermal fillers may be the skincare offering for you.

Also known as injectable fillers or soft tissue fillers, this approach is used by more than 1 million Americans every year, according to the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery.

“Injectables are a popular way to regain a more youthful appearance without breaking the bank,” says Dr. Heidi Harrington, a board-certified, fellowship-trained plastic surgeon at Beaufort Memorial Plastic Surgery & Aesthetics. “They provide immediate results that give up to two years or more of enhanced confidence.”

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What Are Dermal Fillers?

Dermal fillers address crow’s feet and other fine lines on your face. The goal of this treatment is to restore volume to your face and reduce wrinkles in the process. In most cases, there is no need for a trip to the operating room. The entire process takes place during a regular office visit with your plastic surgeon.

During this medical aesthetics procedure, the plastic surgeon cleans the target area. In some cases, you may receive an anesthetic to numb the area of your face or hand being treated. Your surgeon then injects a gel-like substance under your skin.

Currently, FDA-approved fillers are available for anyone age 22 or older. Based on where you inject the filler, benefits include:

• Decreased eyelid shadow
• Enhanced facial contours
• Improved appearance of indented acne scars
• Plumped lips, cheeks, jawline or back of hand
• Reduced facial wrinkles and skin folds
• Restored facial volume
• Smoothed nasolabial folds (lines that stretch from the side of the nose to the edges of your mouth)

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What Are the Different Types of Injectable Fillers?

Today, there are several types of FDA-approved dermal fillers. Each uses a different material to reduce wrinkles.

“Like any other type of plastic surgery, choosing a filler is a personal decision,” Dr. Harrington says. “The best filler for you depends on your desires and your individual aesthetic goals.”

Choices include:

• Calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) — This substance naturally occurs in the bones and elsewhere. When it’s added to a gel, the combination forms a thick filler that reduces deep wrinkles. It may even encourage your body’s collagen production, further enhancing your skin’s appearance. In most cases, the results last approximately one year.
• Hyaluronic acid (HA) — Typically, these are soft, gel-like fillers that provide results for 6 to 12 months or longer. Over time, your body absorbs the hyaluronic acid filler, which is a naturally occurring substance in your skin.
• Poly-L-lactic acid — A synthetic material, poly-L-lactic acid is also used in dissolvable stitches. Unlike other fillers, this option only stays in your body for a few days before dissolving. However, it works hard while it’s there, helping your skin produce collagen. This natural collagen continues to reduce wrinkles for two or more years.
• Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) — These unique fillers are tiny balls made of synthetic material and natural collagen. When these are injected under your skin, they remain in place indefinitely, helping your skin look firmer and tighter.

A final option offers years of positive results. Known as autologous fat grafting, this injectable is derived from your own body. Before injection, your plastic surgeon removes fat through liposuction. This is then purified before being injected into your face.

“Unlike other injectables, facial fat grafting requires surgery,” Dr. Harrington says, “but it’s the dermal filler procedure of choice for many.”

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Expected Results from Dermal Fillers

Following your dermal filler procedure, you typically return home the same day. Then you return to your daily activities with fewer wrinkles and healthy, natural-looking skin. Results are often immediate, and repeated procedures can help you maintain a more youthful appearance.

With any form of injectable, you may experience mild to moderate pain after the anesthetic wears off. Recovery is very quick with most techniques, though it can take a couple of weeks to recover fully from fat grafting.

In rare cases, dermal fillers cause an allergic reaction or other complications. The most common side effects that affect the injection site include:

• Bruising
• Pain
• Swelling

“Any side effects are usually minor and resolve in a short amount of time,” Dr. Harrington says, “leaving you feeling confident and ready to get back to life.”

Factors When Choosing an Injectable Provider

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reports that the cost of dermal fillers can range from $715 to $901. However, cost isn’t the most important factor to consider when choosing a provider. Skill is.

When considering injectables, seek a plastic surgeon with the following:

• Board certification from the American Board of Plastic Surgery
• Connection to an accredited surgical facility
• Experience injecting your filler of choice
• Personality and bedside manner that put you at ease

“I always encourage my patients to do their homework,” Dr. Harrington says. “Call around and interview potential providers. Meet them in person. Make sure you’re comfortable putting them in charge of your face. If you’re uncomfortable with their credentials or bedside manner, keep looking.”

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A Quick Look at Dermal Fillers

Dermal fillers provide a minimally invasive way to add volume to your face or hands, restoring a more youthful appearance for months or even years.

1. Your plastic surgeon can inject dermal fillers during a regular office visit. Benefits include reduced wrinkles, improved appearance of acne scars and plumper lips.
2. Some injectables are natural materials, while others are synthetic. Recovery is usually very quick, and results can last several months to one or two years or longer.
3. If you’re considering dermal fillers, seek a qualified plastic surgeon with experience and a personality that makes you comfortable every step of the process.

Call 843-707-8020 or request a plastic surgery consultation online.