Dermal Fillers
Dermal fillers are one of the most popular and effective ways to rejuvenate your skin and restore a youthful glow to your facial features.
With just a simple injection, dermal fillers can have you looking your best and feeling confident by reducing the appearance of wrinkles, facial lines, and scars. Even better, the entire process only takes 15- to 30-minutes.
Read on or contact our friendly team at Salas Plastic Surgery in Miami, FL, to learn more about how dermal fillers can provide you with near-instant results without surgery.
What Exactly are Dermal Fillers?
Dermal fillers consist of a biocompatible gel that’s injected under the skin to help smooth out wrinkles and fine lines, correct the appearance of scars, and restore volume to your lips. They are one of the few non-surgical options to quickly reverse the signs of aging and other types of skin damage.
People often refer to dermal fillers as ‘wrinkle fillers,’ and while reducing the appearance of facial wrinkles is a part of what dermal fillers do, you will find that they provide far more benefits than that—beyond even those listed above.
While dermal fillers are generally considered safe, they aren’t suitable for everyone. Some users experience minor side effects, ranging from slight tenderness to swelling that typically lasts no longer than a week.
As with any cosmetic procedure, ensuring a skilled professional performs the injection can enhance dermal fillers’ safety and overall effectiveness. At Salas Plastic Surgery, Dr. Emerick Salas, a board-certified Doctor of Medicine and member of the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, will be responsible for your dermal filler injection.
His caring team will perform an allergy screening beforehand to make sure dermal fillers are a safe option for you. Beyond this testing, the procedure requires no prep, has no downtime, and takes less than 30 minutes.
How Effective are Dermal Fillers?
The effectiveness of your dermal filler injection will be determined mainly by the type of dermal filler you receive and the expertise of the professional performing the injection. Not all dermal fillers are the same.
In addition to various brands, there is a range of dermal filler types to consider, each with differing degrees of lasting effectiveness. Some fillers will last for up to three years, while others have a significantly shorter lifespan of three months.
Other factors that can determine the effectiveness and longevity of your procedure are the location of the injection on your face and your unique metabolism. For instance, injections in high-movement areas, such as the corners of the mouth, tend to lose effectiveness faster.
Despite the significant difference in how long different dermal fillers are effective, nearly all of them offer the benefit of quick results. Poly-L-lactic acid fillers, which trade immediate impact for lasting results, are the only common type of dermal filler that will not show instant effects.
Outside of that exception, you will regain a youthful glow within moments after injection, regardless of which type of dermal filler you choose.
Types of Dermal Fillers
As mentioned above, the type of dermal filler you select will significantly affect the procedure’s effectiveness. At Salas Plastic Surgery, we offer five different types of dermal filler injections, each of which has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Polymethylmethacrylate microsphere dermal fillers, referred to as PMMA for short, are a biodegradable synthetic polymer derived from acrylic that encourages collagen production. They are the longest-lasting type of dermal filler available.
While the effectiveness of dermal fillers will always vary based on a range of factors, PMMA dermal fillers can last a lifetime, making them the only potentially permanent type of dermal filler. They work best for medium-to-deep wrinkles but can also fill in pitting or augment thin lips.
Collagen is a protein produced naturally by the body to strengthen the skin and help it maintain a smooth and healthy appearance. With a collagen-based dermal filler, more of this natural protein gets injected beneath the skin of your face, where it will revitalize your appearance in a matter of moments.
Many people seek out collagen-based dermal fillers because of how natural collagen is. However, while you will notice results instantly, collagen fillers are among the shortest-lasting dermal fillers available, with an average lifespan of two to three months.
Like collagen, calcium hydroxylapatite is a substance produced naturally within the body, primarily within the bones. When used in dermal fillers, the calcium hydroxylapatite gets condensed into a smooth, thick gel that generates instant results while also stimulating natural collagen production.
Calcium hydroxylapatite is one of the most effective dermal filler types derived from a natural source, but the range of its effectiveness varies greatly from person to person. For some, calcium hydroxylapatite dermal fillers can last a year or more without any signs of wrinkles or facial lines returning. For others, they are only effective for around six months.
Much like Polymethylmethacrylate, poly-L-lactic acid is a synthetic substance that can stimulate the natural production of collagen. When used in dermal fillers, it is best suited for patients looking to address deep facial wrinkles.
Dermal fillers that use Poly-L-lactic acid will not provide instant results but have a lasting impact. Typically, it will take about two weeks to notice any effects from the procedure, but the results can last up to two years!
You might recognize hyaluronic acid from other products in your beauty regime—it’s a popular ingredient in high-end moisturizers and with good reason. A naturally occurring component of connective tissue, hyaluronic acid is responsible for keeping your skin hydrated.
It’s also one of the best options if you’re looking for natural dermal fillers. Dermal fillers made from hyaluronic acid typically show results instantly and last anywhere from four to twelve months.
Common Dermal Filler Brands
In the same way that there are many different types of dermal filler injections available, there are a variety of dermal filler brands to consider, each of which utilizes various FDA-approved substances to offer easy and effective treatments.
Radiesse
Radiesse is a dermal filler brand that uses calcium hydroxylapatite microspheres, a naturally occurring substance in our bones, to address wrinkles in the face and hands. Potential side effects of using Radiesse include redness, swelling, itching, or bruising if used on the face.
Juvederm
Juvederm is an FDA-approved hyaluronic acid dermal filler and one of the most commonly used dermal filler brands on the market. Patients who choose Juvederm seek it out for its use of hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring substance in the body, and its immediate results. Side effects of Juvederm include tenderness in the applied areas, redness, and swelling.
Sculptra
Sculptra is the most frequently used poly-L-lactic acid dermal filler brand in Florida. Sculptra offers longer-term results by stimulating natural collagen production. While it takes longer to see results with Sculptra dermal fillers than other brands, these fillers are known to deliver results for up to three years. Sculptra’s potential side effects include swelling, lumps, and minor bleeding in some cases.
Restylane
Restylane is another dermal filler option that uses hyaluronic acid to help make your skin healthy and rehydrated. Restylane uses all-natural ingredients and offers immediate results like other hyaluronic acid dermal fillers. Side effects of using Restylane can include headaches, pain, and temporary impaired hand use when applied in that area.
Bellafill
Bellafill is an FDA-approved PMMA-based dermal filling. As a PMMA dermal filler, Bellafill uses synthetically created microspheres to fill in wrinkles and facial lines and maintain results for longer than any other type of dermal filler. Side effects of Bellafill typically last no longer than seven days and can include itching and discoloration at the injection site.
How Are Fillers Used?
Though they can be thought of and marketed as facial wrinkle fillers, dermal fillers have other applications and can even be used on other areas of your body. Whether you’re looking to address deep wrinkles or smooth out crow’s feet around your eyes, dermal fillers could be the right solution.
Facial dermal fillers are most commonly used to fill in and reduce the appearance of deep wrinkles. When injected beneath the skin’s surface, dermal fillers will add volume to your facial skin to soften wrinkles and restore a youthful appearance.
Many patients use dermal fillers to address one of the most unwanted consequences of getting older—under-eye circles. Restoring volume in the under-eye area can help lessen the appearance of dark circles and make your eyes look younger.
It can also be a solution for hereditary dark under-eye circles or thinning skin unrelated to age. However, keep in mind dermal fillers will not help with hyperpigmentation. Your doctor can help you determine the cause of your under-eye circles and whether fillers will offer optimal results.
Dark circles are not the only thing that dermal fillers effectively treat. Crow’s feet, the fine lines, and small wrinkles that can form around the sides of the eye are manageable using dermal fillers as well.
Applying dermal filler treatment to the sides of the eyes can restore volume and rejuvenate the eye’s appearance. Similarly, using dermal fillers to address the fine lines and deeper wrinkles that form around the forehead can also be effective. Forehead wrinkles can be some of the most challenging signs of aging to treat, but dermal fillers can reduce their appearance in a matter of moments.
Signs of aging in and around the cheeks can be more subtle than deep wrinkles or dark circles around the eyes. However, they can still contribute to an overall aged appearance that dermal fillers successfully address.
Over time, you might begin to notice a loss of volume or an overall sunken appearance to your cheeks, which can start to make your cheekbones more visible in an unattractive way. Using a dermal filler to address the signs of aging in your cheeks can help restore volume and give your skin a firm, healthy appearance.
Nasolabial folds, more commonly referred to as smile lines, often become deeper and more pronounced as we age and detract from even the most beautiful smile.
In the same way that dermal fillers get to work smoothing out deep wrinkles by adding volume beneath the surface of the skin, they can smooth out your smile lines and add volume to that area of your face, helping you achieve your perfect smile without signs of aging.
The loss of volume throughout a person’s facial features can be one of the telltale signs of aging, and nothing can take youth away from your overall appearance more than a loss of volume in your lips.
Applying dermal fillers to your lips can restore volume, definition, and youth to your face in a matter of moments. Dermal fillers can also help smooth out whatever fine lines or wrinkles have formed around your lips.
Although lesser mentioned, a pronounced chin crease can be just as noticeable a sign of age as deep wrinkles, with the main difference being that some people simply do not know that a chin crease is as easily treatable as wrinkles.
Dermal fillers can be applied to the chin to smooth out the appearance of creases and help add volume and shape to the lower lip for an extended time.
As you have seen above, dermal filler treatment can be a highly effective way to rejuvenate your appearance by adding volume to facial features afflicted by age. But dermal fillers can work in more areas than just the head and face and are a practical way to restore a youthful glow to your hands as well.
Over time, with a loss of volume in the tissue of your hands, telltale signs of aging such as veins, tendons, and wrinkles can begin to appear. Dermal fillers can be applied directly to the hands to address these changes in appearance and have your hands looking healthy and youthful again fast.
Contact Salas Plastic Surgery For More Information
Located in beautiful Miami, FL, Salas Plastic Surgery is a luxury plastic surgery practice equipped to handle your dermal filler procedure with care and sensitivity.
Our MedSpa is equipped to provide dermal fillers and injectables as well as a number of other services like EmSculpt NEO, lip fillers, or a DiamondGlow Facial. Dr. Salas has the expertise to apply fillers in all parts of the face and body and will help you find the best type and brand of dermal filler for your needs.
If you would like to schedule an appointment for dermal fillers in Miami or simply want to learn more about the process and other services we offer, contact us today at 305-928-7757 or stop by to view our office in person at 3050 Biscayne Blvd in Suite #601.
