Facial Injectable Fillers

Facial fillers are products which are injected under the skin to replace volume (soft tissue augmentation) that aging has taken away, treat unwanted folds and wrinkles, lift sagging skin or create voluptuous lips – just to name a few of their uses. With aging, many areas of the face develop a flatness compared to the round, baby face look we had in our youth. Think of your face as a beach ball that gradually deflates with time.

There are literally hundreds of fillers on the market and they can be broadly divided into permanent and non-permanent. The advantage of non-permanent fillers is that if you are not satisfied with your results they can be dissolved very easily. Should something go wrong with a permanent filler you may be scarred for life. In the words of Dr. Arnold Klein, Dermatologist to the starts in Beverly Hills, “Permanent Fillers Equals Permanent Problems”.

HA fillers are non-permanent facial fillers. Examples are Restylane, Belotero, and Teosyal. The secret of these fillers is that they are composed of hyaluronic acid, a natural substance found in all species, that is already present in our bodies (cartilage, skin, eyes, soft tissues). It is a crystal clear gel, that attracts and binds water, which when injected into the skin, creates a fresher and more youthful look and is able to shape your features to produce a distinctive more personal appearance. It is the depletion of our own hyaluronic acid that results in thinning of the skin, loss of fullness of our lips, sunken eyes or cheeks, and wrinkles around the eyes and mouth.

Belotero(Merz), Restylane(Galderma), and Teosyal(Clarion, the number 1 filler in Europe), are all excellent fillers and have their own particular advantages, depending on the area being treated. We will recommend which one is most appropriate for your own individual concerns. They are all similar in price.

Teosyal (Clarion) recently released an updated version called Teosyal RHA(Resilient Hyaluronic Acid) with increased flexibility which is thought by many to allow it to give a more natural look when we are animating our faces such as smiling.

-lip augmentation or enhancement

-cheek or mid-face volume

-nasolabial folds(smile lines)

-melomental folds(sad lines, also known as Marionette lines)

-jaw conyouring and jowling

-ear lobes

-chin augmentation

-nose sculpting

-gummy smile

-neck lines

-eyebrow lift

-aging hands

-tear troughs (dark hollows under eyes)

-skin rejuvenation(Skin Boosters)

As HA fillers are basically 99% hyaluronic acid with small amounts of preservative and lidocaine (for pain management), it is extremely rare to experience an allergic reaction. In the hands of an experienced injector, the complicate rate is extremely low and the commonest side effects would be bruising and/or swelling. That being said, if not injected properly, there is the potential for severe and permanent complications such as necrosis. For this reason it is IMPERATIVE that you credentialize your injector. For more information on how to do this, please see the article written by us for Spa Canada on this website entitled “How to Credentialize Your Injector”.

Facial fillers come in prefilled syringes. The minimum you can therefore purchase is one syringe, which will often make a difference, but typically more than one may be required to achieve the desired result and meet your expectations. Should you not require the entire syringe of filler, any used product will be labelled with your name and stored for a “touch up” or use at later date. It is illegal to share syringes or inject any remaining product into someone else due to sterility reasons. This differs from Botox which is measured in units and you only purchase the exact number of units required.

The price varies as there are discounts when multiple syringes are purchased. The full treatment does not have to be done in one session, especially if you desire multiple areas (i.e. cheeks and lips). You can take advantage of some of our seasonal specials to pre-purchase syringes for use in the future. We will do our utmost to work within your budget and explain what will give you both the best outcome as well as value.

As mentioned, HA fillers are non-permanent. Several factors determine how long they last including:

-number of syringes used

-number of previous treatments

-area being treated

For example, in areas where there is minimal muscle movement such as the cheeks, temples, or under the eyes, treatments may last 12-18 months. However, other areas such as the lips may only last 6-9 months. We suggest that you do not wait until all the product is gone before having your next treatment. This way, you may require less product and you will never fully lose the effects.

Although the degree of swelling and/or bruising associated with fillers is often greater than that with Botox, you can cover up the affected area very easily with make-up and it is realistic to return to work immediately following your treatment. Bruising and swelling can be minimized if you strictly adhere to the “No No” we provide you with several days prior to your treatment. This includes alcohol, anti-inflammatories, certain vitamins and several foods.

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