Dermal Fillers

Dermal fillers are natural or synthetic substances that are injected in the deep layer of skin (dermis) in order to fill in wrinkles, crevasses, or scars. To learn more, please contact the office of Dr. Younai and schedule a consultation today!

Understanding Dermal Fillers

When we pursue ways to combat the natural aging process and restore a younger, more attractive appearance, it’s only practical that we focus on altering our faces. Facial cosmetic surgeries are a huge part of any plastic surgery clinic, with numerous options available for adjusting the eyes, lips, cheeks, brow, neck, and any other region that a person feels needs improvement. However, some people don’t enjoy the thought of undergoing any extensive surgery to improve their facial features, especially since cosmetic surgeries can entail long periods of discomfort and recovery before the benefits can be fully enjoyed.

When it comes to the growing popularity of dermal fillers, though, patients can experience excellent results while not having to subject themselves to invasive surgical methods. Dermal fillers are injectable implants, wrinkle fillers, or other soft tissue fillers that go in and under the skin in order to restore a face’s more youthful state. As we age, we lose underlying tissue in our face and skin elasticity while gaining wrinkles and lines. Dermal fillers contribute to facial rejuvenation by reversing these effects.

Benefits Of Dermal Fillers

Dermal fillers provide a wide array of benefits for those seeking to improve their facial features, without requiring surgical intervention. It is important to recognize what dermal fillers are capable of, and what they aren’t.

• Restored Volume — Dermal fillers bring back appropriate size and contour to cheeks, lips, and other facial regions that have been reduced by tissue lost in the aging process.
• Reduced Lines and Wrinkles — Facial creases and wrinkles will be less visible after dermal fillers are applied, giving the face a more youthful look.
• Enhanced Lips — Lips can appear plumper and fuller with dermal fillers, with less wrinkling or surrounding lines.
• Scar Reduction — Any scarring on the face will be less visible, especially if recessed, as it is more aligned with the surrounding skin. Any contour deformities can also be evened out with dermal fillers.
• Softened Complexion — A harsh, angular face can be balanced via dermal fillers, with sunken skin also being restored to soften one’s overall visage, providing a more rested appearance.
• Immediate Results — Dermal fillers provide immediately visible results while eschewing much of the discomfort and recovery time other surgical methods require.

What Do Dermal Fillers Treat?

Types of Dermal Fillers

There is a large and growing selection of different dermal filler injections on the cosmetic market today. Dr. Younai only ever offers the safest ones (all being FDA-approved), and never suggests options that provide anything less than the best results for his patients. The following are the main dermal fillers the clinic provides, each having a different baseline effect, result longevity, and cost. Should you seek another version, bring it up with Dr. Younai during your consultation.

Some dermal fillers, such as collagen, are immediately recognizable to most people. However, there are a wide variety of options available for people interested in reducing the appearance of wrinkles, lines, and scars through the use of dermal fillers.

Hyaluronic Acid Dermal Fillers

Hyaluronic Acid Dermal Fillers are a generation of dermal fillers that last twice as long as collagen (approximately 8 months). Hyaluronic acid is a natural component of the human skin that forms the skeletal framework of a healthy and youthful skin. Aging, sun damage, and smoking diminish the amount and quality of the Hyaluronic acid skin framework, thus contributing to the formation of wrinkles and loss of skin elasticity. There are a variety of Hyaluronic acid-based dermal fillers available including Restylane, Juvederm, and Captique.

Restylane, used in more than three million treatments worldwide, is approved in the United States for the correction of very deep wrinkles, such as Nasolabial Folds, Crows Feet, Frown lines, and acne scars. Restylane is also being used for lip augmentation as well as the filling of the hollow around the eyes.

Juvederm which is another form of Hyaluronic acid corrects conditions including fine lines and Crows Feet, Forehead and Cheek Wrinkles, and fill lips, sculpture cheeks and fill deep Nasolabial Folds.

Radiesse

Radiesse is a long lasting filler composed of smooth calcium hydroxylapatite particles similar to the compounds found in bones and teeth, and suspended in a gel. Once injected, Radiesse stimulates buildup of new collagen, and the results are estimated to last about two years. Radiesse is injected in small amounts deep under the skin to fill creases, lines and wrinkles, to soften Nasolabial folds and facial lines, add fullness to the skin and fill in scars.

ArteFill® (Artecoll®)

ArteFill® (Artecoll®) is the first so-called “permanent dermal filler” currently being considered for use by the FDA. ArteFill is made of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) microspheres (miniature beads) that are suspended in bovine collagen. When an ArteFill injection is given, the solution not only acts as a dermal filler, but its micro-spheres also stimulate the body to produce its own collagen. As the injected collagen slowly degrades naturally, the newly produced collagen replaces it. This gives ArteFill® long-lasting, almost permanent results. The greatest difference between ArteFill® (Artecoll®) and other dermal fillers is the durability of results. Studies have shown that patients who received an ArteFill® (Artecoll®) injection showed an improvement in the nasolabial folds five years after treatment. There has not been extensive clinical experience with this product in the United States yet.

Sculptra

Sculptra is specifically formulated to restore facial volume in patients with Lipodystrophy or wasting of facial fat volume as a result of HIV. It is a more painful injection than other types of filler and usually requires a dental block. The results are not immediate and most people will require several sessions. To maintain the volume, Sculptra injections need to be repeated in about two years.

Other Treatment

FAT GRAFTING

Fat injection was one of the earliest techniques used for augmenting skin and soft tissue. Fat is harvested from another area of the body, cleaned, filtered, and then injected in very small amounts in the dermis or subcutaneous tissue. Although some of this fat reabsorbs with time, most of it does remain. The survivability of the injected fat graft depends on the location, amount, and technique of injection.

In general fat injection is used to augment the soft tissues in all areas of the body, including under the eyes, lips, cheeks, scars, as well as to fill in dents or depressions in other areas of the body.

Consultation

When you choose Dr. Younai as your physician for a dermal filler procedure, he will have you schedule a consultation session to make sure you are as confident and comfortable as possible. He will review your health history, including any previous surgeries (cosmetic or otherwise), and then perform a rundown of your current physical status and lifestyle. He will inspect and measure your facial features while determining your goals and desired results concerning the dermal fillers, in order to help you establish realistic expectations.

He will also give an overview of the many different types of dermal fillers available and recommend which ones may be the best options for you. If, for some reason, you do not appear to be a good candidate for dermal fillers, Dr. Younai will provide many alternatives to help you restore the youthful visage you’ve been dreaming of.

Preparing for Treatment

Fortunately, dermal fillers don’t require as much preparation as many other cosmetic procedures do. Being so minimally invasive, it is a quick method for facial reconfiguration that also provides faster recovery. However, there are still precautions all patients should take to ensure no undesirable complications occur.

For instance, during your consultation, Dr. Younai will see if you have any particular past injuries or surgeries or current lifestyle issues that might interfere with the procedure or results. Any smoking and drinking alcohol should stop fully at least two weeks before any dermal fillers are applied. They should not be resumed for at least two weeks after, either. Before all cosmetic procedures, you should abstain from blood thinners, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or various herbal remedies and vitamins that can cause excessive bleeding.

Specific preparation may be required for different types of dermal fillers, which will be discussed during your initial appointments.

The Procedure

Recovery

Oftentimes, dermal fillers don’t even need any downtime from patients during recovery. A return to daily activities and routines can be had almost immediately—though Dr. Younai will recommend avoiding strenuous activity for a while. If any bruising or swelling occurs, it should be mild, and follow-up appointments will help ensure no complications have arisen from the procedure.

The minimal invasiveness of the procedure is one of the reasons it is so popular, as people don’t have to make significant alterations to their work schedule or lifestyle while still enjoying the aesthetic improvements.

Results

Because of the variety of dermal fillers available, the results will be as diverse as the treatments. Be sure to use your consultation appointment to clarify what to expect from each dermal filler option, and choose the one you (and Dr. Younai) feels is most appropriate. Treatment results can last anywhere from just a few months to up to several years. There may be some side effects from dermal fillers. Normal ones include bruising, redness, swelling, tenderness, itching, and rashes. If these continue for any extended period or worsen, be sure to contact the our office to schedule a checkup.