Which Areas Of The Face Can Fillers Treat?
Dermal fillers can add volume and contour practically to any area of the face and they work well for patients of all ages. Injectable fillers can enhance your current facial features by increasing lip volume and erasing deep under-eye wrinkles. They can subtly reduce the appearance of onset of laugh lines on the corners of the mouth, among other types of facial wrinkles. Fillers can likewise volumize flat cheeks and smooth deep nasolabial folds to restore many years' worth of lost volume. This variety of facial augmentation treatments is made possible due to the wide range of dermal fillers available, several of which have multiple uses.
Juvéderm® XC, for instance, can be used as an injectable cheek filler, a filler for forehead dents, or a filler for lips, among other uses within facial skin. Which type of filler is right for you depends on the areas of the face you want to alter and by how much. Our dermatologists in Boardman and Warren, OH, not only carry several of the most popular filler product lines, including Juvéderm® and Restylane® — we also advise patients on making the right choices to successfully satisfy their beauty goals.
How Dermal Fillers Work
Fillers are labeled based on their contents, the most common being hyaluronic acid fillers. Hyaluronic acid (HA) occurs naturally in the soft tissue and around the eyes, but it depletes with age, causing wrinkles and skin folds. Juvéderm® and Restylane® inject hyaluronic acid gel into the depleted areas to restore natural-looking volume and contour. The effects are immediately visible and can last for several months or more — Juvéderm® is FDA-approved to last up to a year. Hyaluronic acid can also be dissolved by injecting an enzyme called hyaluronidase. That's why we recommend this type of filler to first-time patients who seek treatments with reversible results.
Another type of filler is the calcium hydroxyapatite filler. These fillers use synthetic microparticles in an injectable gel that is relatively thick, durable, and long-lasting. In general, thick fillers are reserved for treating stubborn or noticeable cosmetic issues, such as sagging eyebrows or deep facial wrinkles. Thin fillers, such as Juvéderm® Ultra XC, on the other hand, are used for light touch ups, including subtle volumizing on the lips and under the eye following initial treatments. Dermal fillers are usually injected below the top layer of skin — depending on the extent of treatment, they may be injected deeper within soft tissue.
Filler Treatment Procedure Steps
If you’re interested in dermal filler treatments, the first step is making an appointment with our dermatologists in Boardman and Warren, OH. Feel free to schedule treatments via email, over the phone, or in person at our skin care clinic.
Pre-Treatment
Plan to arrive a few minutes early to check in and complete any required paperwork. Our providers will review your medical history and confirm that you haven't taken any problematic medications in the last week — most over-the-counter pain medications thin the blood and increase the chance of bruising. The physician will examine the areas of the body you'd like to treat while observing both the resiliency of your soft tissue and the depth of any skin folds or wrinkles. Our skin care experts will likely photograph and document the intended treatment area for before and after comparison results.
Treatment
The dermatologist may use a topical anesthetic, such as lidocaine, to desensitize the area depending on the depth and location of the injections — newly formulated Juvéderm® products contain lidocaine. When performing the injection, the physician gently guides a fine needle just below the top layer of skin. The filler contents are then released in the exact volume and location to achieve symmetry and natural contouring. Each injection takes about 15 minutes to complete; the average appointment time is 30 minutes to one hour. Depending on your goals for cosmetic skin care treatment, the physician may use one or several fillers.
Post-Treatment
After the procedure, you can return to normal activities. To avoid redness or swelling of the injection sites, avoid strenuous exercise, sustained sun exposure, and alcohol consumption for at least 24. Any swelling or tenderness can be treated with an ice pack, but ice should never directly be applied to the skin. In most cases, the side effects of dermal fillers are mild to unnoticeable, especially one day after the procedure. The results of the treatment, meanwhile, are immediately evident and tend to improve in the coming weeks. After a few months, you may need follow-up injections to maintain the results.
Which Filler Is Right For Me?
Determining the right filler(s) is a matter of explaining your aesthetic goals to the dermatologist and letting them make recommendations. Whether you have a general plan — to look younger — or a specific objective — to soften nasolabial folds — our skin care specialists will personalize your treatment plan accordingly. Our advice is to think about your face as being three-dimensional and multilayered. Consider its various elements, including the structural support of your cheekbones, the soft tissue layer that contributes volume, and the top skin layer that provides protection to the entire area.
There is no one magic filler. Instead, each has its particular strengths based on its chemical properties. Not all augmentations require a robust injectable, though. For superficial enhancements in delicate areas, such as around the lips and eyes, dermatologists prefer Juvéderm® Ultra XC or a similarly thin filler.
Fillers Vs. Botox
Botox® (onabotulinumtoxinA) is a cosmetic injectable, similar to Juvéderm® and other dermal fillers, designed to reduce wrinkles. But that’s where the similarities end. Botox® is injected into the muscle below surface-level facial wrinkles. One treatment requires several minor injections, and it takes a few days for the muscles to relax and the wrinkles to disappear. In contrast, dermal fillers are injected directly into the soft tissue of wrinkles and folds, and the results are immediately apparent. There’s no right or wrong answer as to which treatment is better. Each has its own benefits, and every patient has unique goals. In some cases, both injections are performed to achieve dual results during treatment, as per the patient’s requirements and preferences.
Why Choose Our Dermatologists?
Patients come to Advanced Dermatology and Skin Cancer Center from Boardman and Warren as well as across much of the State of Ohio. We not only deliver an array of cutting-edge skin care services, but our trained dermatology specialists can help patients determine which solutions best suit their needs. When it comes to dermal fillers, count on our dermatologists to suggest the right fillers to give you the look you want and to administer them both with precision and skill. To schedule a filler appointment, or to learn more about our cosmetic and skin care services, contact us today!