When it comes to injectable dermal fillers, there is a lot of confusion about what goes where and what fills what. Popular fillers like Restylane® and Juvéderm® are not the new BOTOX® or a replacement for it; fillers and neuromodulators are two highly different treatments that complement each other.
Dermal fillers smooth wrinkles by plumping skin, while BOTOX®, which consists of botulinum toxin, softens the appearance of facial lines by weakening the muscles that cause contractions under the skin. Each type of dermal filler available today has something a bit different to offer, depending on what you want to accomplish.
At Plastic Surgery Services of Fredericksburg, we offer a full list of dermal fillers including:
Juvéderm® Voluma
Juvéderm® Ultra
Juvéderm® Ultra Plus
Restylane®
Restylane® Lyft
Restylane® Silk
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What You Should Know about Dermal Fillers
At a certain age, usually in the 40s and up, a loss of fullness in the face is added to the growing list of concerns women and men want to address with non-surgical treatments. While neuromodulators create smooth skin by improving frown and squint lines, they aren’t as effective in the lower two-thirds of the face. That’s where dermal fillers have the most potential.
Restylane® and Juvéderm®, two of the most well-known brands of cosmetic facial fillers, add volume under the surface of the skin to plump creases and folds from the inside out. This makes fillers ideal for reducing crevices around the mouth and inflating lips and hollow cheeks.
New Technique for Injecting Fillers
DERMA SCULPT: Blunt-tipped microcannula
Thanks to its Blunt tip (Not sharp) and its flexibility, doctors literally slide the DermaSculpt Microcannula under the patient’s skin so that the filler can be applied with practically no pain or bruising for the patient. With no local anesthesia required, it is truly a revolution in the field because patients will now be at ease with injections!
Advantages of using a Blunt-tip microcannula instead of a sharp hypodermic needle:
- Virtually no bruising
- Considerably less pain
- Minimal downtime
- Single point of entry for wider coverage
- Production of new collagen
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.
Restylane® Lyft
Restylane® Lyft, is now approved by the FDA for cheek augmentation and the correction of age-related midface contour in patients over the age of 21. This is in addition to treating moderate-to-severe facial wrinkles and folds, such as nasolabial fold (smile lines).
The hyaluronic acid gel in Restylane® Lyft adds volume and restores surface contours to smooth away moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds. Restylane® Lyft 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.
Restylane® Silk
The Lips you want. The lines you don’t.
Finally, a filler that can help you achieve your ideal smile. Restylane® Silk is the first and only FDA approved product specifically designed for lip enhancement and the smoothing of wrinkles around the mouth in patient 21 years old of age and older.
Juvéderm® – XC, Ultra, & Voluma
This smooth gel filler is available in different versions, including Juvéderm® XC, Ultra XC, Ultra Plus, and Voluma, – all of which utilize hyaluronic acid to correct common signs of facial aging. For patients interested in treatment to restore lost tissue volume in the midface, Juvéderm® Voluma can be applied and last for up to two years – maximizing your results and minimizing maintenance appointments. Different brands of Juvéderm® are ideal for the lips, cheeks, around the mouth, or overall facial lines and wrinkles.
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
View Our Dermal Filler Photo Gallery
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 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 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 consultation appointment or ask any questions you may have.
FAQs About Dermal Fillers in Fredericksburg, VA
What is the difference between Juvéderm® and Restylane®?
Restylane® and Juvéderm® are FDA-approved hyaluronic acid dermal fillers for facial rejuvenation. Juvéderm® comes in a smooth gel, while Restylane® is slightly granular. These variances can impact the injection location. In addition, Restylane® typically lasts between six to nine months, while Juvéderm® lasts from nine months to a year.
Does Juvéderm® trigger collagen production?
While Juvéderm® primarily employs hyaluronic acid to resolve wrinkles, several studies suggest this family of filler products also boosts collagen production. Stimulating this structural foundation will make your skin will look radiant, younger, and refreshed.
Are dermal fillers reversible?
If you don’t love your results or change your mind for any reason, an enzyme called hyaluronidase quickly dissolves hyaluronic acid-based fillers like Juvéderm® and Restylane®.
How will I know which dermal filler is suitable for me?
Different fillers achieve various outcomes. At your initial consultation with our qualified medical practitioners, we’ll discuss a personalized treatment plan tailored to you. You might have one or more of these goals:
- Increase hydration to treatment areas
- Smooth facial fine lines
- Soften moderate lines in your mouth to chin area and from your nose to your lip corners
- Remodel your cheeks and chin
- Minimize acne scars
- Subtly define or enhance lips
- Restore lost facial volume
How soon will I notice the results?
You should see an immediate improvement. Your skin will look naturally dewy and revitalized.
