Dermal Fillers

When it comes to injectable dermal fillers, make sure you get your syringes straight. There is a lot of confusion about what goes where and what fills what. Restylane® is not the new BOTOX®; it’s more like the new collagen. It is not a replacement for BOTOX; in fact, the two treatments complement each other.

Dermal fillers like Restylane actually fill in wrinkles, while BOTOX, which consists of botulinum toxin, softens the appearance of facial lines by weakening the muscles that cause contractions underneath the skin. Restylane is only one of the dermal fillers available today, and each one has something a bit different to offer, depending on what you want to accomplish.

At a certain age, usually in the 40s and up, a loss of fullness in the face and flattened cheekbones tend to be added to the growing list of improvements women and men demand from a non-surgical facelift. While Botox has made many foreheads smoother by improving frown and squint lines, it isn’t as effective in the lower two-thirds of the face. That’s where Restylane, Perlane, and Juvéderm have the most potential.

What You Should Know About Dermal Fillers

Dermal fillers such as Restylane and Perlane actually add volume under the surface of the skin to plump up creases and folds from the inside out. This makes fillers ideal for reducing crevices around the mouth and inflating lips and hollow cheeks.

We have also seen tremendous results in treating tear troughs with Restylane. Loss of tissue volume sometimes leads to tear trough depressions, which result in darker under eye circles. Restylane can improve the appearance of these dark circles and make you look younger and refreshed.

Restylane is the world’s most used, most studied cosmetic dermal filler, and has been used in over 70 countries and in more than 1.4 million treatments in the U.S.

Restylane

Restylane is a safe and natural cosmetic dermal filler that restores volume and fullness to the skin to correct moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds, such as the nasolabial folds, the deep creases that extend from the nostrils to the corners of the mouth.

It is the first and only cosmetic dermal filler made of non-animal based hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a natural substance that already exists in the human body and is used to provide volume and fullness to the skin.

Many patients have been especially pleased after receiving both Restylane and BOTOX treatments.

You may be a good candidate for Restylane if:

• You have wrinkles on your face or around your lips that you want to diminish.
• You have nasolabial folds or marionette lines or commissures that look like parentheses from the mouth to the chin.
• Your cheeks have begun to look hollow.
• You desire fuller or better defined lips, especially at the edges.
• You have acne scars.
• You have dark under eye circles, which require the “padding” of Restylane to diminish the darkness.
• You have tear troughs (a sunken area just below the inner eye corners.)

The average treatment results last six months or even longer. Restylane lasts twice as long as collagen, so treatments can typically be scheduled twice a year.

See Restylane before and after photos on the Restylane website.

Perlane

Perlane, made by the same manufacturer as Restylane, is approved in the U.S. for the treatment of moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds, such as nasolabial folds.

The hyaluronic acid gel in Perlane adds volume and restores surface contours to smooth away moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds. Perlane is composed of larger gel particles than Restylane and intended for deeper injections to volumize skin for structural support. The procedure is convenient and non-surgical, and the results are virtually instantaneous.

Juvéderm

Juvéderm is a “next generation” smooth gel, non-animal dermal filler offering a natural look and feel, as well as long-lasting results for six months or longer. Juvéderm lasts a long time because it contains the highest concentration of hyaluronic acid of all dermal fillers and is also made through a special formulation process. This process creates a smooth gel that flows easily into the skin, creating a smooth, natural look.

Fat Injections

Fat Injections from your own body are also useful in restoring a naturally full look and soft feel to the face, back of the hands, the breasts and even the buttocks. Fat can fill in hollow areas and creases for a younger, more stabilized appearance. We have seen great results using fat injections for breast enhancement.

While allergies to dermal fillers are rare, there is no risk at all of allergies with a fat transfer from one part of your body to another. The other advantage is that nothing is more natural in feel or appearance than human fat. Results can also last from several months to indefinitely.

Dermal Fillers Before and After Photos

Visit our gallery for before and after photos of dermal filler treatments.

If you have significant wrinkles and folds, a mini facelift, mid facelift, facelift, neck lift, or blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) may be necessary to achieve the results you want.

When you arrive for your free consultation, please ask about other long-term fillers that may be available and appropriate for your needs. Our board certified plastic surgeons have extensive experience with a wide variety of dermal fillers, injectables, and other cosmetic procedures.

We treat patients from Fredericksburg, Fairfax, Richmond, and beyond.

Contact us online today to schedule your free consultation for dermal fillers or to obtain advice as to which of our procedures will achieve the results you want. Or call us now at (540) 371-7730 to schedule your free consultation appointment or ask any questions you may have.