Popular Uses for Dermal Fillers

When we’re young, we feel we’ll be young forever. Then we look in the mirror one day and realize we don’t look as young as we used to. Gone is the smooth complexion, given over to lax and wrinkled skin. Gone, too, is the volume of our features, replaced by hollowed-out areas we don’t recognize.

At Med Physique Center for Aesthetics in Austin, Texas, we understand what you’re experiencing, and our expert aestheticians want to help you take years off your face. That’s why we offer a number of dermal fillers to reverse some of the visible signs of aging.

Introducing dermal fillers

Dermal fillers are injectable gels that add volume to various areas of your face and hands that may have become wrinkled, lax, or hollowed as you’ve gotten older. When you’re young, your body produces large amounts of collagen, a fibrous protein that gives your skin strength and tone. As you get older, though, collagen production decreases, leading to sags and wrinkles. Some dermal fillers can stimulate new collagen production, while others are designed to add volume in the areas deficient in the protein.

Dermal fillers were introduced in the 1970s, but they were made from bovine (cow) collagen, which presented a problem. Since the material is foreign to the human body, some people proved allergic to it. Patients had to take a sensitivity test to ensure they weren’t allergic before they could be treated. The collagen also caused a lot of swelling, and the treatment didn’t last long before it had to be repeated. It wasn’t until the early 2000s that the newer, safer gels were introduced.

What are fillers made of?

Dermal fillers can be made of a number of substances, but here at Med Physique Center for Aesthetics, we rely on several of the most common and dependable types.

1. Hyaluronic acid

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a naturally occurring substance that your skin uses to stay plump and hydrated, which means it’s well-tolerated. HA fillers have a gel-like consistency and results last from 6-12 months before the body absorbs all the particles. Most HA fillers are now infused with the anesthetic lidocaine, minimizing discomfort both during and after treatment. FDA-approved HA fillers include:

• Juvéderm® line of products
• Restylane line of products
• Belotero Balance®

2. Calcium Hydroxylapatite (CaHA)

Calcium hydroxylapatite is also a natural substance, found mostly in the bones. As part of a filler, the calcium particles are suspended in a smooth gel. The consistency of the CaHA fillers is generally thicker than that of HA fillers and generally lasts longer, too, an average of 12 months. Calcium hydroxylapatite also helps stimulate natural collagen production, allowing it to treat deeper lines and wrinkles than HA fillers. The most prominent FDA-approved CaHA filler is Radiesse®.

3. Deoxycholic acid

Deoxycholic acid normally helps your body break down and absorb dietary fat. When injected under the chin, it destroys the fat cells that give you a “double chin,” producing a more defined jawline that lasts as long as you don’t gain substantial weight. Kybella® is the only FDA-approved injectable for the chin area.

Popular uses for dermal fillers

The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has approved different dermal fillers for different conditions:

Juvéderm

By attracting water molecules from the body and binding them to skin cells, this HA filler smooths out facial wrinkles and creases, plumps up lips, fills in hollowed cheeks, and even reduces the appearance of scars. We use different Juvéderm-brand products for each of the different facial areas.

Restylane

Like Juvéderm, Restylane is a HA filler that plumps up your skin to restore lost volume and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Different Restylane-brand products treat different areas. For example, Restylane Silk plumps and smooths lips and softens mouth wrinkles. Restylane Lyft fills in tissues on your hands and cheeks, as well as addresses smile lines and marionette lines.

Belotero Balance and Radiesse

Both of these anti-aging injectables restore youthful volume and smoothness to your skin, but Belotero is used more for delicate areas, such as under the eyes and in the tear troughs. These two are among the most versatile of the dermal fillers and provide long-lasting, natural-looking results. 

Are you unhappy with your appearance each time you look in the mirror? Does every wrinkle, crease, or sag make you wish you could turn back time? If so, dermal fillers might be just the thing to brighten your face and your day. Give us a call at 512-361-2650 to set up a consultation with our aestheticians, or book online with us today. There’s no time like the present to regain your youthful look.