What Are the Latest Fillers and How Do They Differ?
What Are Dermal Fillers
Dermal fillers are a wrinkle reducing treatment that aim at keeping skin plump and evenly hydrated. They are injected into the soft facial tissue, specifically the dermis, the middle layer of skin. Unlike Botox, however, these fillers do not affect one’s nerves or muscles. Instead, they immediately plump up the skin by restoring volume and hydration to the dermis. These non-surgical options for wrinkle treatment differ in their permanence from other procedures that last longer but may look less natural.
Soft-Tissue Support
Hyaluronic acid fillers include Juvederm® and Restylane®. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance present within the skin and provides support and hydration of the skin. Hyaluronic acid fillers instantly smooth away wrinkles around your mouth and nose. These fillers can provide soft tissue volume restoration along with lip enhancement.
Radiesse® is a calcium-based gel that works with your body to stimulate your own natural collagen for lasting results. An injectable filler, Radiesse® contains tiny calcium-based microspheres which are made of components similar to those found naturally in your body. Eventually, your body will absorb these tiny calcium-based microspheres and leave behind your natural collagen.
Different Formulas, Different Firmness
Radiesse® is for moderate-to-severe wrinkles and supports fullness in your face’s contours. Radiesse® is a thicker gel and is meant to provide support to the areas where it gets injected. Juvederm® and Restylane®, on the other hand, are acid-based, which help smooth surface-level wrinkles and scars. The difference between Juvederm® and Restylane is that Juvederm®’s smoother formula is better at addressing fine lines and wrinkles, whereas the bulkier nature of Restylane® is better at adding volume.
If you’re trying to solve a specific problem with your fillers, it’s important first to understand what’s causing it. For example, if you’re looking to make up for lost volume in your cheeks, but you don’t understand why your cheeks are sagging in the first place, you risk a filler session that ends with unnatural-looking results.
Which Type Is Best for You?
If you’re considering investing in dermal fillers for the first time, it can be so easy to go big or go home. But if you want the most natural look you can find, you’re going to have to be patient. Multiple sessions that inject a small amount of filler in the desired treatment are the way to go when you want to invest in fillers. Collagen used to be used regularly for injectable dermal fillers, but isn’t used much anymore mainly because collagen doesn’t last very long, thus requiring frequent injections. In addition, collagen may cause allergic reactions in some patients. For this reason, hyaluronic fillers are now the most commonly used fillers for wrinkle treatment. One of the biggest benefits of hyaluronic fillers is that their thickness can be adjusted to achieve the desired aesthetic result.
Understanding the causes and setting realistic expectations of the process and outcomes of dermal filler wrinkle reducing treatments will result in the most natural results from your fillers. Schedule an appointment to consult with one of our dermatologists about which solution could be best for you.