Dermal Fillers
Dermal Fillers in Miami
The natural aging process causes facial skin to lose natural subcutaneous fat which results in loss of facial volume. Since the facial muscles become closer to the skin surface, muscle movements become prominent and smile lines and crow’s feet become more obvious. The smooth facial skin also stretches a bit due to the natural aging process and this adds to the loss of facial volume. With the use of Dermal Fillers, Dr. Gallo is able restore lost volume to the face, creating a more youthful and fresh appearance.
What are Dermal Fillers?
Dermal fillers are special FDA approved products that can help create a smoother, fuller appearance in the face including cheeks and lips. They differ in chemical composition, longevity and offer varying degrees of softness. Dr. Gallo, a facial plastic surgeon and expert dermal filler injector will determine the best type of dermal filler and volume of filler needed based on the patient’s areas of concern.
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What can Dermal Fillers Do?
Dermal fillers can be used to fix a number of concerns related to facial aging. This includes:
- Adding volume to the sagging cheeks or plumping up the area to restore youthful fullness
- Smoothing out deep creases from the nose to the mouth
- Filling out depressions under the eye area
- Smoothing indented scars resulting from acne or chickenpox
- Increasing facial muscle volume to fill out depressions in the lower cheek
- Reconstruct facial contour
- Soften facial creases
- Plump thin lips
Dermal Fillers for Face Lines, Wrinkles and Creases
Smiles lines, marionette lines and fine lines at occur at the corners of the mouth can result in loss of facial volume and skin elasticity. The region on either sides of the chin is affected by aging which results in sagging skin and a hollow appearance.
There are many kinds of natural and synthetic dermal fillers that can fill even most the most severe creases, lines and wrinkles and improve skin appearance.
How Do Dermal Fillers Work and How Are They Different from Botox?
Dermal fillers basically are synthetic or naturally derived materials that can be injected directly into the skin with the intention of plumping up that area. The filler can be used at the point where the wrinkle or depression is present. Depending on the type of filler, the effect can last anywhere from six months to 24 months.
Because dermal fillers and Botox both work to address facial wrinkles and lines, most people tend to confuse the two. Botox injections usually are used around the forehead and the area around the eyes to stop muscle movement that results in wrinkles. Remember that Botox have nothing to do with the plumping effect dermal fillers have.
The Different Types of Dermal Fillers
Hyaluronic acid is one of the most widely used natural dermal filler. Plumping up effect is immediate but it would only last from 3 to 18 months. Because Hyaluronic acid is naturally broken down by enzymes in the body, patients need to go and get more filler injected to maintain the results.
Synthetic dermal fillers last much longer than natural fillers and they can be either semi-permanent or permanent. Which type of dermal filler would work best for a patient depends on the patient’s specific facial needs and what Dr. Gallo feels will work the best.
HYALURONIC ACID INJECTIONS
High concentrations of Hyaluronic acid are found in soft connective tissue as well as around the eyes. Because the ingredient is found naturally inside the body, it has become one of the most popular kinds of fillers.
Hyaluronic acid can be used to improve skin contour and reduce cheek depression and crow’s feet at the corner of the eyes. These injections can be used to correct deep smile lines, redefine lip border and even out vertical lines that appear on the mouth.
CALCIUM HYDROXYLAPATITE FILLERS
Calcium hydroxylapatite is also found naturally in human bones and is often used to correct moderate to severe laugh lines and frown lines. These fillers are also used to enhance fullness of cheeks and improve other facial contours.
The good thing about calcium hydroxylapatite fillers is that they have extremely low risk of allergic reactions and produce a very natural looking result.
POLYLACTIC ACID
This is a kind of synthetic dermal filler which can boost body’s own production of collagen when injected. Polylactic acid is a stimulator and has been used in the industry for more than four decades. Generally these fillers work particularly well in the lower half of the face. Plastic surgeons have used Polylactic acid to fill creases and lines caused by laughing as well as plump thin lips.
An important thing to note here is that Polylactic fillers unlike other dermal fillers do not produce immediate effect. Because the ingredient acts as a stimulator, it gradually shows results over a period of few months. While the filler is considered semi-permanent, most patients only need occasional touch-ups to maintain the desired results.
Popular Dermal Filler Brands
Some popular dermal filler brands include:
JUVEDERM
Juverderm manufactures injectable gel fillers that restores lost facial volume and reduces fine line without affecting the patient’s ability to achieve facial expressions. The injectable gel is made using hyaluronic acid, a complex sugar that is readily found in the human body.
- Juvederm XC: This gel is injected into the facial tissues to correct facial folds ranging from moderate to severe. It mainly targets areas between the lips and nose.
- Juvederm Ultra XC: This injection is specially designed for the lips and surrounding areas, resulting in greater fullness.
- Juvederm Ultra Plus XC:
- Juvederm Voluma XC: The deep injection is used for the cheeks to make you look younger
- Juvederm Volbella XC:
- Juvederm Vollure XC:
RESTYLANE
- Restylane Defyne:
- Restylane Refyne:
- Restylane Lyft : Restylane Lyft is another popular hyaluronic acid based filler. However, the gel is thicker than most dermal fillers which means, it is best suited for deeper facial wrinkles and folds, specifically those around the frown lines, nose and mouth.
- Restylane: These injections produce positive outcomes for facial wrinkles around the nose and mouth. It offers longer lasting results and is often used to plump and sculpt lips.
- Restylane Silk:This hyaluronic-based injectable filler is designed for filling wrinkles around the mouth and defining the lips. It contains lidocaine, which is an anesthetic that eases the pain and discomfort of the actual injection process.
SCULPTRA
Sculptra is meant to produce subtle yet longer lasting results, it is generally used to replace lost collagen. The entire treatment typically consists of three injection sessions over a span of a few months.
Who is the Right Candidate – When Should You Get Dermal Fillers?
Most people consider dermal fillers to correct signs of aging that cannot be treated with the help of simple skincare products. Natural aging, effects of gravity and sun damage along with other factors eventually will take a toll on your skin. There’s no question that dermal fillers can improve the appearance of fine lines and help you achieve a more youthful, supple skin appearance that simply is impossible with ordinary skincare products.
Patients can consider dermal fillers when the first signs of aging become prominent. If patients find that their facial skin has lost elasticity and they have sunken features that are prone to wrinkles, creases, they can think about getting dermal fillers.
In addition to improving skin elasticity and boosting cellular turnover, dermal fillers can eliminate deep creases and lines that leave facial skin looking aged. The biggest advantage of using dermal fillers to restore facial volume and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles is that the natural appearance of the face will not change dramatically.
The Dermal Filler Treatment Process
A dermal filler procedure involves the following steps:
1. FACIAL MAPPING AND ASSESSMENT
The plastic surgeon (Dr. Gallo) will evaluate facial appearance and skin tone and then determine the areas of the face that are supposed to be augmented. Injection points on the face are marked prior to the procedure and before and after photographs are taken.
2. CLEANSING AND PREPARING THE SKIN
The desired injection sites are cleansed with an antibacterial solution. Local anesthetic ointment is then applied to the skin so that filler injections can be easily tolerated.
3. INJECTING FILLERS
The process of injecting dermal fillers only takes a few seconds. Depending on the number of injection sites and the kind of results desired, the dermal filler procedure can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour.
The treated site may feel a bit tender for a couple of days but most patients do not require any medication. There is typically very little downtime.
The Recovery from Dermal Filler Treatments
Recovery time for dermal fillers would vary according to patient’s medical condition and the type of filler used. Since the procedure is performed under local anesthesia, patients can resume most daily activities right away.
It is recommended that patients avoid intense physical activity for the first two days to speed up recovery and minimize bruising and swelling. Temporary pain and redness can be addressed with topical icing. Some patients might require more aggressive pain medication.
Some patients consider natural fat injections as dermal fillers. These injections use fat extracted from the patient’s own body to enhance facial fullness, fill creases and smoothen shallow contours. While fat injections work as dermal fillers, the natural fat injection process requires a more extensive procedure than other popular dermal fillers.
Most of the natural fat injected into facial skin can survive as graft. If patients decide to use their own fat as injected filler, the healing time is much longer and it might take a few weeks for the results to become fully visible.
The Results to Expect from Dermal Fillers
The results of the procedure are visible immediately and can last from 3 months to 24 months, depending on the type of filler used.
Hyaluronic acid fillers when injected adhere to the skin and absorb water which helps restore volume. The results from Hyaluronic injections are fully visible almost instantly and provide the most natural contour of the lips and mouth.
Polylactic acid fillers replace lost collagen over the period of several weeks and work within the deepest skin layers. This results in subtle correction and results are known to last for more than two years. Calcium hydroxylapatite once injected also gives immediate volume and restores youthful facial contour. The results start out great and continue to get better with time.
Getting Results
It is important that patients address all questions directly with the Dr. Gallo before starting treatments. Patients need to confirm whether or not they are a good candidate for the procedure. Similarly, they should ask how long of a recovery period they can expect and what kind of help will be needed during the recovery. It is also necessary to ask about the options that are available in case the patient is not satisfied with the results or there are unexpected complications.
Contact Gallo MD
in Midtown Miami
Address
115 NE 32nd Street, Suite
102-A, Miami, FL 33137
