3 Things To Know About Dermal Fillers

While many people have naturally smooth skin, cheek fullness, and plump lips, others rely on their doctors for a little augmentation and contour with dermal fillers. These injections typically cost less than cosmetic surgery, provide long-lasting results, and have an excellent safety profile. Here are three things to know about dermal fillers.

Not A Neurotoxin 

Botulinum toxin, a neurotoxin, is used in the manufacturing process of one of the most popular cosmetic injections. These injections reduce the appearance of wrinkles by paralyzing the muscle tissue. Conversely, dermal fillers smooth the skin by actually filling the wrinkles with hyaluronic acid, which also gives your skin a hydrated, plump appearance.

Hyaluronic acid is also used in beauty products such as serums and creams; however, these products only help moisturize the skin. They cannot replace volume loss because they are topically applied. Only injections of hyaluronic acid and other approved fillers can restore facial volume. Your body naturally produces hyaluronic acid; however, the amount it produces declines as you get older. In addition to hyaluronic acid, collagen and calcium products are other active ingredients in fillers.

Enhance Collagen Production

Aging causes your collagen production to decline. This raises your risk of developing wrinkles and fine lines. Certain dermal filler injections can help stimulate your body's ability to produce collagen to further help enhance fullness and a youthful complexion.

After your injections, collagen growth is typically enhanced at and around the injection sites. Because of this, you may require fewer injections to achieve the same results. Collagen fillers are especially effective in eliminating fine lines around the eyes, known as "crows feet." They also help reduce the appearance of the fine lines and wrinkles around your lips, which can be caused by smoking.

These lines not only make people look older, but they are also responsible for "lipstick bleed." After your filler injections, you can wear your favorite lipsticks and lip glosses without worrying that they're going to migrate into the lines and wrinkles around your mouth.

Collagen fillers, like hyaluronic fillers, give you a subtle younger look without a dramatic appearance change and without looking as though you have had "work done." If you are seeking a natural way to enhance your appearance without looking overdone, dermal fillers will plump up your face without dramatically changing its shape or contour.

Uses

In addition to improving the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, fillers can also be used to improve the appearance of your nasolabial folds, also known as "smile lines." They can also be used to smooth out the skin after scarring has occurred as a result of a severe form of acne known as cystic acne.

In addition, some people develop fat loss in their faces, which can make them look gaunt and sunken in. Fillers can help correct the appearance of facial fat loss, by plumping up the hollows of the cheeks and improving the appearance of sunken eyes.

Fillers are also commonly used to "plump up" the lips, which may be one of their most common uses. Certain lipsticks and other over-the-counter products can plump up your lips, but the effect is very temporary, lasting only up to a couple of hours. These products typically contain natural products such as cinnamon, mint, and even the substance found in hot peppers. 

To learn more about dermal filler treatment, make an appointment with your dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon. He or she will examine your skin and recommend a treatment plan that will help take years off of your appearance. At your appointment, you can also discuss cost, what to expect after getting your fillers, and how long the results will last.