Fillers for Beginners: The Guide You Need

*Thanks to Cosmedica Professional Skin Care Centres For Sponsoring This Guest post*

Fillers for Beginners: The Guide You Need

Dermal fillers create the plump, youthful appearance we love and can give your lips just the right balance between pouty and sensual. These popular treatments have been around for decades, but continued refinement and advanced formulations now make them more effective and longer lasting than ever.

If you’ve been thinking about getting filler injections for the first time or just want to learn more about the treatments, this guide is for you.

A Brief History

Tracing the history of fillers could make for an interesting blog post by itself. Doctors have been using fat taken from the body as a filler for more than 100 years, and in the mid-20^th century physicians starting using silicone as an alternate filler, but, at that time, with undesirable results. Here are some key developments in the modern timeline of fillers:

1981: The U.S. FDA approved bovine collagen for use in cosmetic injections to improve volume. (Yes, bovine means cow.) Because some people are allergic to collagen derived from cows, injectors needed to perform sensitivity tests before treating patients. A couple of these filler product names include Zyderm and Zyplast.

Early 2000s: Hyaluronic acid (HA) forever changes the use of fillers. HA is a natural substance already found in our bodies that helps hydrate our skin. Early on it was normal to feel discomfort during treatments, but later generations of fillers are pre-mixed with lidocaine to numb the area.

2004: The FDA approved Sculptra® Aesthetic for cosmetic use. This filler is made using Poly-L-lactic acid, which the body naturally produces, particularly after exercise, to firm muscles and collagen in the skin. This product often can be used deeper in the skin than other fillers.

How Do They Work?

Fillers restore lost volume to your face and can plump and smooth areas where sun exposure and aging cause wrinkles and lines, such as nasolabial folds. As early as age 25, our bodies start producing less collagen and elastin, which are the building blocks of youthful-looking skin. Research suggests that by our late 20s, the body stops replenishing collagen altogether. Yikes!

Something to note: Facial fillers work in a completely different way than BOTOX® injections. Fillers do exactly what the name implies: fill areas that have lost volume, and you can see the results immediately. BOTOX, on the other hand, works by immobilizing muscles whose repeated movements create wrinkles such as worry lines and crow’s feet. The results take several days to a week to show up.

Which Fillers Work Best?

The answer to this question is best provided by an experienced, qualified injector. That’s because different fillers work well for different concerns. The newest types of fillers are made specifically for certain areas, and different product lines have unique features that may make one brand better than the other. Royal College-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Otto Weiglein says people getting dermal fillers in Burlington at his Cosmedica Professional Skin Care Centres have the option of TEOSYAL®, which, he explains, adapts to dynamic facial movements.

“What makes the TEOSYAL line unique and different,” he says, “is that it stretches with the skin’s movement and allows the face to move naturally. No more lumps, bumps, or frozen artificial looks!”

Dr. Weiglein notes that other filler product lines, such as JUVÉDERM® and Restylane®, are also popular with patients.

How Long Do Fillers Last?

The answer to this question really depends on how your body reacts and which hyaluronic acid is used, but most dermal fillers last between six to 18 months. The longevity of fillers is also influenced by the area of the body where they’re used.

A Final Word of Advice

Ultimately, your most important considerations about fillers is who you select to inject the product and where the treatment is performed. An injector’s technique is much more important than the type of filler being used. Never, ever consider having any kind of injectable treatment at a beauty spa or salon. Make sure a certified nurse injector or physician always performs your treatment.