Almost everyone wants to look his or her best, and for many people that includes looking young–or at least younger than one’s actual years. Beauty products on the market help to keep skin in good condition for a younger appearance, but wrinkles may still present a problem. For those who do not want surgery, or a more extensive face lift, wrinkle fillers may be the answer to erase years from the face. Several different brand names and formulas are available as injectable products to smooth out the skin and fill in the creases, giving a smooth, younger look.
When deciding on plastic surgery, including wrinkle fillers , first and foremost, take steps to ensure the selection of a competent plastic surgeon. During the initial consultation, ask about the physician’s medical training and experience, including board-certification and hospital privileges. Ask if the surgeon routinely performs the procedure and how many patients he or she has treated.
Various Substances Used as Wrinkle Fillers
One product under the brand name of Restylane uses hyaluronic acid, which is a naturally occurring substance in the human body, thus minimizing side effects. Although it is plentiful in youthful skin, as we age we lose hylauronic acid. Injecting it into lines into the face helps to plump the skin and even it out, giving a much smoother appearance. Results typically last up to one year.
For use on fine lines, Juvaderm Ultra, also a hyaluronic acid filler, and Juvaderm Ultra Plus for deeper lines, are available. The effects of each last around eight months, and some people see results for up to one year.
A fairly new product in hyaluronic fillers, Elevess has a high concentration of the acid that makes it more durable. As an added bonus, it contains lidocaine as an anesthetic to reduce pain during injections. It is intended to fill in severe lines and winkles, and is injected into deeper layers of the skin.
A chemical for contouring the face and filling in deep wrinkles, Radiesse is a water-based gel compatible with naturally occurring substances in the body. Its results last up to fourteen months. Two other FDA approved wrinkle fillers , Cosmoderm and Cosmoplast, use human-based collagen. They also have a local anesthetic in the formula, making the injections less painful. Cosmoderm is mainly used for fine lines and Cosmoplast for the deeper furrows. They are less expensive, but treatment must be repeated approximately every six months.
Made of poly-L-lactic acid, Sculptra was created to fill in sunken eyes or hollow cheeks, and is a bit different from other fillers. A synthetic material, it has most often been used to improve facial contours when facial fat is lost through disease such as AIDS, for instance. It is effective for up to two years. Another synthetic material, silicone, is not approved for filling in facial wrinkles, but some doctors use it regardless of FDA recommendations.
What To Expect
Wrinkle fillers are injected through fine needles directly into the wrinkles. The plastic surgeon generally uses numbing creams and injections of numbing agents to the nerves before starting to fill the wrinkles. Bruising and needle marks can be covered with makeup from the day after treatment, and within two weeks all bruising should disappear. Most people can return to work the same day or the next day after treatment.
