DERMAL FILLERS
Over time, your face changes in many ways. This is part of the normal aging process, but genetics and environmental factors also play a role. You may notice a change in the appearance of your skin, typically in the form of deepening lines and wrinkles.
The cheeks flatten as the skin begins to sag. Temples becomes depressed. One develops jowls on the lower face. Lines develop over the nasolabial folds. Tear troughs become more prominent. Once you schedule your treatment with our practice, we can develop a treatment plan for you.
Parentheses lines are static lines that appear when your face is at rest. This happens over time as your skin loses some of the building blocks (hyaluronic acid and collagen) that give the skin its structure. We have developed techniques to improve the appearance of these lines.
Over time, the lips may lose volume and thin. However, many people seek out lip augmentation because they naturally have thin lips and simply desire more fullness. We use topical anesthetics to numb the lips. We can also do a dental block for maximum comfort.
Fillers may last from six months or up to two years depending on various factors such as a patient’s metabolism, activity and amount and brand of fillers injected. Brands we use include Juvederm, Restylane which are premium products. We also have other brands such as Belotero, Radiesse.
In general, lip fillers only last more or less six months since we move and use the mouth a lot (chewing, talking). The same type of fillers injected under the eyes or around the mouth may last longer like 9 months. If we place only 1 syringe of Voluma in each cheek, it will only last about a year but if we put more than 2 syringes, it may last up to 2 years. It will be less if one is let’s say a marathon runner or who works out a lot.
Yes, people with receding chins can have fillers injected into the chin area. We inject it on top of the bone. We also inject over the jaw area to provide some definition while respecting facial balance and ratio. Injecting one syringe usually lasts one year while two syringes may last up to two years. Jaw contouring requires usually more than 2 syringes. Restylane Lyft, Juvederm Voluma and Radiesse are some of the popular products we have for the area.
Most facial fillers are hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers, which is akin to the naturally-occurring substances in our body. HA fillers can only be dissolved with a prescription medicine that only a medical doctor can administer in Oregon. Brands that we use include Juvederm and Restylane, Belotero. Voluma and Volbella are some of our most popular fillers. They possess Vycross technology which make them long-lasting and durable. Restylane Defyne and Refyne are also popular which has XpresHAn technology which makes them flexible and versatile. We also have the newest Restylane Kysse filler which is great for the lips. Facial fillers may cause rare complications such as vascular occlusion. Adverse reactions maybe delayed so rest assured that our doctor is well-prepared to handle these type of adverse events. We also have Radiesse which is comprised of calcium hydroxylapatite which also stimulates collagen.
Our blog section listed pre- and post- instructions for dermal or facial fillers.
Common adverse effects include bruising, mild discomfort and numbing sensation. Most facial fillers are already pre-mixed with lidocaine (a numbing agent). Make sure to tell your doctor if you have an allergy to lidocaine as well as other drugs and agents. Rare complication is vascular occlusion that can lead to tissue death. Signs and symptoms include blanching and extreme pain. If this happens, call your doctor right away to reverse this emergency complication. If your injector does not mention this possible complication and is not prepared to handle this complication, do not let him or her inject you. Medical doctors are well-trained to manage these type of complications.
Shopping for price when it comes to fillers can get you into trouble. You will not get the same result from one injector to the other. Anyone can use the same paint brush or make up but get different results. Since we have different brands of fillers there are different price points. Fillers placed under the eye (tear troughs) is also higher compared to the lips since it is a more complex procedure. If you sign up on our email list, you may get updates about deals from us and the manufacturers. We honor rewards programs such as Alle from Allergan (formerly Brilliant Distinctions) for Juvederm, Galderma Aspire for Restylane and Merz Xperience for Belotero and Radiesse.
Hyaluronic acid fillers can be dissolved using hyaluronidase. Other fillers are not easily dissolvable like Radiesse but over time they will dissolve as we do not use permanent fillers in our practice. Fillers can block lymphatics and an artery which can cause a lot of dissatisfaction so choose wisely.