Dermal and Soft Tissue Fillers

Dermal fillers were originally designed and are still effective to smooth out folds in the deeper layer of the skin (dermis). Common areas for this treatment are the nasolabial folds (laugh lines) and the marionette lines. It was later discovered that dermal fillers could also add volume to locations such as the lips. More recently, new soft tissue fillers have been developed to augment areas that have lost volume through aging, such as the cheeks. Fillers are gradually absorbed by the body, so the result is not permanent.

They are administered by a Registered Nurse, who will first consult with you regarding the areas of greatest concern and the areas which will be best treated by using dermal fillers. Numbing cream is placed on the skin prior to any injections; this usually makes the injection of fillers almost painless. The nurse injector will use a tiny needle to inject the product in the targeted areas.

At my practice, we offer JUVÉDERM® and Restylane® products. Both of these brands are based on hyaluronic acid, a man-made molecule which replicates one of the principle substances which makes up human skin. Different patients will require different types of dermal fillers, and sometimes, a combination of fillers may be necessary to achieve the desired result. There are many other dermal fillers available on the market, some of which may offer permanent results. I feel there may be potential problems with such permanent treatments, and therefore we have restricted ourselves to the use of temporary fillers based on hyaluronic acid.

Dermal fillers are different than other injectable treatments because they are designed to add volume to the face in specific areas. Botulinum-based wrinkle smoothing injectables are designed to reduce the amount of movement in the muscles that contribute to dynamic wrinkles. Also, dermal fillers tend to last a bit longer for most patients than other treatments which temporarily inhibit muscle movement.