Dermal Fillers 💉
What are Dermal Fillers
Dermal fillers, or soft tissue fillers, are injections specifically used to make facial wrinkles less noticeable, restore volume and fullness in the face, and enhance facial contours. They work by plumping skin from beneath the surface to instantly smooth lines and wrinkles and create a subtle lift.
Most modern fillers use hyaluronic acid, a natural component in the skin that ensures hydration and plumpness. Injected as a gel, these hyaluronic acid fillers offer a temporary solution for restoring skin volume. Results can last up to 1-2 years.
Dermal fillers are considered very safe with minimal downtime. They can be used to add subtle volume to the cheeks, smooth lines around the nose and mouth (also called “parentheses” or “marionette lines”), plump thinning lips, soften vertical lines around the mouth, and fill indented scars.
Overall, dermal fillers aim to restore a more youthful facial appearance.
Why Dermal Fillers are Used
There are several cosmetic and medical reasons people seek dermal filler injections, including:
Cosmetic Enhancement:
- Replenish lost facial volume caused by the aging process, resulting in a revitalized, youthful look.
- Smooth out facial wrinkles and lines around the eyes, mouth, nose, forehead and cheeks
- Plump and define thinning lips
- Contour and accentuate facial features like cheeks and jawline
Medical & Functional Reasons:
- Correct sunken areas on the face due to fat loss from illness or weight loss
- Improve indented scars from trauma or acne
- Enhance facial symmetry
- Diminish vertical neckbands
- Dermal fillers offer minimally invasive facial rejuvenation and can be combined with muscle relaxers like Botox for a complete nonsurgical facelift effect.
How Dermal Fillers Work
Dermal filler gels are injected in small amounts using an ultrafine needle into the superficial layers just under the skin. The filler materials used today are made up of hyaluronic acid (HA), a hydrating substance that occurs naturally in the skin.
Once injected, the HA gels integrate into the skin’s deeper structural layers, attract water molecules, and expand, thus plumping the skin in a subtle way from the inside out.
Results from dermal fillers are immediate but look most natural about two weeks after treatment as the skin adjusts to the effect.
Over the next few months, the HA filler gradually hydrates, supports new collagen growth, and restores lost volume until it is naturally absorbed by the body. Touch-up injections can maintain results.
With precise injection techniques, dermal fillers can lift tissues, enhance facial contours, reduce wrinkles and folds, and restore a more vigorous, well-rested appearance. Patients look refreshed but not obviously “done.” Subtle improvements are key to creating natural yet rejuvenated looks.
Most Common Areas for Dermal Filler Injections
The skin on the lower half of the face shows signs of aging first. This is why the most popular treatment areas for dermal fillers are:
- Nasolabial folds (lines from nose to mouth): Often the first facial folds to manifest, fillers soften these “parentheses” wrinkles that make one appear tired or unhappy when pronounced.
- Marionette lines (lines at corners of the mouth): Fillers help erase these vertical lines that run from mouth corners down to the chin, making one appear angry or sad.
- Lip lines (vertical lines above upper lip): Fillers plump and smooth vertical upper lip lines.
- Cheeks: Restore midface volume loss and lift sagging cheeks with subtle filler injections. Creates a heart-shaped face associated with youth.
- Thin lips: Enhance naturally thinning lips with subtle increases in size and definition. A hallmark of youth.
- Tear troughs: Fill the hollows under the eyes to minimize dark circles and bags without surgery.
Safety and Side Effects of Dermal Fillers
When properly administered by an experienced medical professional, dermal fillers are considered extremely safe with few side effects. Potential risks include:
- Temporary symptoms like redness, swelling, bruising, or tenderness are possible
- Headache, nausea, flu-like symptoms
- Asymmetry or irregular contours in the face (typically temporary)
- Product shifting or movement from the original injection site
- Allergic reaction in rare cases
To avoid irregularities in facial contours, precision injection techniques are utilized to evenly distribute the filler gel for smooth, uniform results. Occasionally, patients experience mild swelling, redness, bruising, or tenderness at the injection point, but these typically resolve within a few days.
To reduce bruising and swelling, Dr. Lauren Nawrocki may advise patients to avoid blood thinners for 1-2 weeks pre-treatment, as well as alcohol, vigorous exercise, extreme heat or cold, and massages near injection sites post-treatment.
Excellent injection skill minimizes potential side effects from dermal fillers while providing beautiful, natural-looking results.
It’s also important filler injections be performed ONLY by a licensed provider with specific training and expertise in the intricacies of facial anatomy. Beware of cut-rate injectors without proper qualifications or access to top HA filler brands – in unqualified hands, results suffer, and so can your face.
Preparing for Dermal Filler Injections
A consultation is always required before having dermal filler injections. This pretreatment consultation allows Dr. Lauren Nawrocki to assess facial anatomy, determine the right types and amounts of filler needed for optimal outcomes, and review expectations and aftercare.
Patients receive complete information about all aspects of the filler procedure during the consultation.
This includes what filler gel will be used, the number of syringes required, cost, expected results, and longevity, aftercare to promote safety and comfort during recovery, and any special measures like avoiding certain medications/activities pre or post-treatment that could increase risks like bruising. Knowing what to expect ensures the best results.
During the Dermal Filler Appointment
The procedure is carried out in our office and generally lasts less than one hour from start to completion. Numbing cream can be applied beforehand for added comfort if desired.
Dr. Lauren Nawrocki uses special ultrafine needles to minimize discomfort during injections. Most patients describe filler injections as creating a pinching sensation, followed sometimes by mild pressure at the injection site. No general anesthesia is required.
Conversation helps pass the short treatment time quickly. Ice packs help reduce swelling and tenderness. Patients can usually go back to their usual activities straight after the treatment but are advised to hold off strenuous exercise or alcohol consumption for 12-24 hours post-treatment, along with certain medications that can increase bruising.
After the Dermal Filler Appointment
Immediately after dermal filler injections, do NOT manipulate or massage treatment areas. Hands off freshly filled faces! This allows the smooth distribution of the filler gel without irregularities. Some lingering swelling and redness are normal initially.
Within two weeks, new contours and reduced lines and wrinkles emerge as swelling dissipates. While HA filler results can last up to 2 years for some products, regular follow-up appointments every 6-12 months (depending on the area treated and product used) help maintain outcomes.
This also stimulates your collagen for a subtle lift and enhanced facial definition over time. Maintaining subtle refinements over the years keeps patients looking refreshed and naturally beautiful as they age.
Dermal Fillers Before and After
Longevity of Dermal Fillers Results
On average, smoothing and plumping from quality hyaluronic acid dermal fillers lasts from 9 months to 1 year or more. Results vary based on individual factors like age, skin type, lifestyle, and injection areas. The skill of the injector and HA filler chosen also impact longevity.
For instance, lip augmentation with Juvéderm can last up to 1 year, while Voluma filler for cheeks and midface volume loss can last up to 2 years for some patients.
Consistency is key for maintaining a refreshed yet natural appearance, so regular touch-up appointments every nine months to a year (depending on product and injection sites) continue enhancing results while preventing an overly filled look. This stimulates collagen, too, for a subtle lift over time.
Important Safety Information
As with all medical aesthetic treatments, there are risks involved with dermal filler injections when improperly administered. To ensure utmost safety, dermal fillers should ONLY be injected by licensed medical professionals with specific training and expertise in the intricacies of facial anatomy.
Beware bargain injectors without these qualifications or access to top HA filler brands – unqualified hands increase risks and compromise aesthetics.
Potential side effects include temporary bruising, redness, swelling, tenderness, headache, nausea, and flu-like symptoms. Avoiding blood thinners for 1-2 weeks pre and post-treatment helps minimize bruising risk.
Rarely, facial fillers could be accidentally injected into underlying structures like muscles or blood vessels by untrained and inexperienced providers, potentially blocking blood flow and causing tissue damage or even blindness in severe cases. Select properly credentialed injectors ONLY!
Like all medical procedures, risks can occur despite the highest standards and care. Seek emergency help immediately and notify your provider for severe swelling, vision changes, extreme pain, numbness, blistering or lesions in the skin, or any worrying signs appearing days or weeks later.
Cost of Dermal Fillers
The cost of dermal fillers can vary widely depending on the type of filler used and the area being treated. Temporary fillers made of hyaluronic acid tend to be more affordable than longer-lasting options.
However, they usually need to be repeated more frequently to maintain results. Permanent and semi-permanent fillers, while more expensive per treatment, may be more cost-effective in the long run since results can last for years.
Generally speaking, injecting smaller areas like lips or tear troughs costs less than filling and contouring larger areas like cheeks or hands. When considering dermal fillers, consult an experienced cosmetic provider about the options and overall expected treatment and maintenance costs for the results you hope to achieve.
Choosing a Dermal Fillers Provider Near Me
When considering dermal filler injections for facial rejuvenation, the skill and experience of your provider make all the difference in maximizing impressive yet natural-looking results while ensuring safety.
To competently inject dermal fillers, providers must possess extensive knowledge of facial anatomy, injection methods, specific filler characteristics and longevity, and potential risks – expertise that takes years to develop properly.
Seeking properly credentialed providers boasting advanced dermal filler training and a consistently positive reputation for beautiful outcomes helps ensure treatment success.
Top providers like Dr. Lauren Nawrocki also utilize only premium-quality, FDA-cleared hyaluronic acid fillers for reliable safety profiles and durable yet natural enhancements. Don’t trust just anyone with a needle to inject your face. Do your due diligence when selecting dermal filler providers for the best experience and prettiest results possible.
Schedule a private consultation with Dr. Nawrocki to determine which dermal fillers are right for fulfilling your cosmetic goals.
Dermal fillers are proven to refresh facial appearance and restore lost volume associated with youth and beauty. Made from hyaluronic acid that occurs naturally in the skin, today’s highly advanced dermal fillers provide subtle yet impressive smoothing and plumping of wrinkles/folds while also naturally enhancing facial contours for restored elegance and confidence.
Modern dermal fillers treat signs of facial aging with virtually no downtime. When precisely administered into superficial skin layers by expert injectors like Dr. Lauren Nawrocki, dermal fillers gently lift tissues over time for a red carpet-ready refresh that looks beautifully natural. Maintaining subtle refinements every 9-12 months promotes lasting facial rejuvenation.
To determine which advanced dermal fillers are right for your cosmetic goals, schedule a private consultation with the filler expert Dr. Lauren Nawrocki of Green Relief Health Med Spa & Medical Weight Loss.
Customized treatment plans aim for natural yet impressive improvements during both initial and follow-up visits for the utmost safety, aesthetics, and satisfaction in the long term. Discover for yourself why so many patients trust Dr. Nawrocki for facial rejuvenation tailored to your unique beauty.
