Patients Corner
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Dermal Fillers
What are dermal fillers?
Dermal fillers are injectable substances designed to
· erase wrinkles,
· augment lips,
· to
enhance volume,
· and restore the youthful
3-dimensional contour of the face.
What types of dermal fillers are there?
Dermal fillers consist of hyaluronic acids
,calcium hydroxy-appatite fillers , human fat,
bovine or porcine collagen and synthetic substances.
Hyaluronic acid fillers: The hyaluronic acid
fillers are sterile, clear, dermal iller gels made
of chemically modified hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic
acid is a naturally occurring substance found in the
fluids surrounding cells and tissues. Hyaluronic
acid is found in the human body in the skin,
cartilage, joints and the eye. In skin tissue,
hyaluronic acid fills the space between collagen and
elastin fibers. The role of hyaluronic acid in skin
is to deliver nutrients, hydrate the skin by holding
in water and to act as a cushioning agent.
Hyaluronic acid is hygroscopic which means that it
draws water very strongly to it, yielding a larger
volume effect than the material would have by
itself. Made from highly purified natural hyaluronic
acid, the gel is gradually absorbed by your body
through natural mechanisms.
Calcium
hydroxy-appatite fillers are microspheres of smooth
particles of calcium that, after injection, also
form a scaffold that is slowly filled with human
collagen.
Newer generation fillers containing
porcine collagen and poly-L-lactic acid can be used
for the same indications such as hyaluronic acid
dermal fillers with the exception of lip
augmentation where hyaluronic acid is the preferred
filler. .
What areas do the dermal
fillers treat ?
The typical areas
treated are
· the nasolabial folds (lines from
the end of the nose to the end of the lips),
·
perioral area (wrinkles around the lips),
·
wrinkles of the cheeks, and
· marionette lines
(lines from the corners of the mouth to the jawline,
accentuating the downturn of the mouth)
· lip
augmentation which provides definition to lips which
have become thin and wrinkled
· volume
replacement for “tear-trough deformity” (hollow
under-eye circles), hollow cheeks, cheek-lift,
brow-lift and
· resculpting and strengthening the
jaw line by lessening the effect of jowls and
sagging.
Are dermal fillers safe?
Dermal fillers have been proven safe if
administered by trained medical professionals.
Hyaluronic acid dermal fillers are produced by human
genes inserted into a bacterium for reproduction.
Hyaluronic acid is a highly “conserved” protein,
meaning that its genetic composition is almost
exactly the same in 97% of animal species. This
gives is an extremely low incidence of allergic
reactions, hence there is no need for pre-treatment
skin testing. There is little risk of a foreign-body
reaction with hyaluronic acid fillers and they are
completely reversible with time.
FDA approval
hyaluronic acid fillers such as Juvederm, Restylane
and Perlane have been used in millions of patients
for more than 10 years with a very low incidence of
side effects and thus are considered very safe.
Newer generation fillers containing porcine
collagen , calcium hydroxy-appatite and
poly-L-lactic acid can be used for the same
indications such as hyaluronic acid dermal fillers
with the exception of lip augmentation where
hyaluronic acid is the preferred filler. These newer
generation fillers are very injector dependent and
can cause lumpiness if improperly injected by
inexperienced injectors.
What
To expect after a dermal filler treatment?
There is mild redness and swelling after the
procedure which rapidly subsides. Try to avoid
aspirin containing products or high-dosage vitamin E
supplements for 10 days prior to the procedure to
avoid bruising which may occur especially after
treatments of the lips and cheeks.
You may
put makeup on immediately and resume whatever
activities you have planned, as long as you
appreciate that you may have bruising which may last
for up to a ten days after the procedure.
Can dermal fillers be combined with other
treatments?
Dermal fillers are
commonly performed at the same visit as Botulinum
toxin . Botulinum toxin helps with the upper
one-third of the face whereas injectable fillers
generally help with the lower two-thirds. The
combination is one of the most widely used and most
effective methods of achieving a significant
aesthetic improvement within 1-2 weeks time.
Can all skin types be safely treated with
dermal fillers?
Yes, all skin types
can be safely treated with dermal fillers |
