Cosmetic Facial Fillers gain popularity as an alternative to Plastic Surgery
How do you choose a Safe and Effective Cosmetic Filler?
Cosmetic facial fillers have become a popular option as a non invasive way to improve the appearance of the skin’s texture and smooth the skin surface. Last year almost a million filler treatments were performed in the United States up 20 percent from the previous year according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. With so many new cosmetic fillers being approved it is difficult to make an informed choice about the type of filler that would provide the best result s for the areas treated. The purpose of cosmetic facial fillers is to restore a smoother and more youthful appearance by softening animation lines and filling the creases over the areas where muscle movement have created deep folds.
Collagen was the first widely used cosmetic facial filler and was considered the gold standard for over twenty years. The downside to collagen was mainly the short term benefits and the fact that allergic type reactions were not uncommon. Today there are over 100 cosmetic fillers available worldwide with a much smaller number commonly used with FDA approval in the United States.
The most important fact to remember about cosmetic fillers is that the longevity of the results depends on the type of filler, age of the patient, skin quality and the site injected. There are fillers today that are lasting 2-4 years but do not work in all areas of the face. In order to cover the broad area of cosmetic fillers in a brief article I will review the most commonly used fillers and their treatment indications along with some advantages and disadvantages.
Hyaluronic Acid Fillers: Probably the most commonly injected fillers today are: Restylane, Hylaform and Juvederm. These gel like fillers have essentially replaced collagen as the number one injectable because of the safety and longevity of these products. The most common sites of injection of hyaluronic acid fillers include plumping of the naso-labial fold (laugh line) area, chin, cheek and lip areas. The areas around the eye have gained recent popularity with the hyaluronic acid fillers. Depending on the areas treated one can expect a 4-7 month longevity of the result.
Dermal Stimulators: Sculptra is a relative newcomer as a cosmetic filler however, the actual product is a biodegradable material that has been around as a dissolvable suture material for over 20 years. Sculptra actually stimulates collagen resulting in correction of the wrinkle over time with a longevity of the product up to 4 years. It is best used in areas of the face where volume replacement is needed such as the chin, cheek and under the eye areas. Sculptra has a very high patient satisfaction rate because of its ability to soften the signs of aging in a natural way with a significant longevity of the result.
Synthetic Fillers: This category is most controversial because of the nature of the products being injected. The longest standing filler in this category is silicone which has been used for over 40 years with mixed results and significant complications if a problem arises. The newer types of synthetic fillers combine the use of collagen and synthetic material (Articol, Radiance) with the allure that results will be extended because of the synthetic component. These combination products are used on a limited basis by physicians who feel comfortable with injection of synthetic materials.
Collagen Fillers: Once touted as the gold standard the popularity of Collagen has diminished significantly due to better products with longer results. There have been improved formulations (Cosmoderm, Cosmoplast) with bio engineered collagen, however the longevity of the product is still less than other fillers used on the market today.
