When patients are looking for wrinkle and age spot reduction, they often look at fractional laser resurfacing and other skin invasive skin tightening techniques. Facial fillers, or dermal fillers, can often replace laser and surgical treatments. A variety of facial fillers are now available, and patients should speak with a qualified dermatologist or physician about which is best for them.
Dr. Tahl Humes is the owner and medical director of VITAHL Medical Aesthetics in Denver, Colorado. Dr. Humes, who performes both surgical procedures and facial fillers, says that she prefers Juvederm because her patients have less swelling and bruising than with other varieties. Juvederm is a smooth gel non-animal dermal filler with the highest concentration of hyaluronic acid available. Dr. Humes says that she prefers Juvederm, but uses Restylane on a rare occasion as well.
As the body ages, it’s normal to see a decrease in the volume appearance of the cheeks because of either fat loss in the face or because of reabsorbtion of bone. This often causes a hollow appearance in the cheeks. Dr. Humes prefers Radiesse or Sculptra for this larger area because these products are better for larger areas. Radiesse and Sculptra are both non-hyaluronic acid based fillers used in recontouring the face. To get the most out of facial fillers, patients often combine large area treatments with individual line treatements.
Dr. Humes recommends Sculptra treatments to her patients who want to keep their filler treatments under wraps. Sculptra treatments done over a period of three months offer a more gradual change. As a bonus, Sculptra stimulates natural collagen slowly and helps to keep a more natural look. With this type of treatment, others won’t quickly notice that the patient has had treatments.
With the many options available with fillers, doctors are now able to meet the needs of almost every patient. Facial fillers are a temporary solutions, though. Some may only last six months while others may last as long as two years. Patients interested in facial contouring, resurfacing, or lifting should speak with their doctor about facial fillers to see if this choice is right for them.
