The popularity of dermal fillers is well-established, with more than 3 million treatments performed in North America each year. People are eager for full lips, defined cheeks, and an overall vitality and youthful glow. If you are diving into the world of dermal fillers, you can quickly become confused by the number of options available.
This post is your guide to all the ins and outs of dermal fillers. We hope it helps you understand your options and make informed choices about your treatments.
Restylane® Fillers for Natural-Looking Results
Restylane is one of the most popular and versatile lines of fillers made with hyaluronic acid (HA). Restylane fillers add volume to the lips, mid-face, back of the hands, and more.
Restylane
Restylane improves moderate to severe facial lines and wrinkles, including nasolabial folds (laugh lines) and marionette lines. This filler is also FDA-approved for lip augmentation in patients over 21.
Longevity of results: 6 months (if retreated at 4.5 or 9 months, results last up to 18 months)
Restylane Silk
This smooth-as-silk HA filler enhances and adds volume to thinning lips or naturally flat lips. Restylane Silk also refines the shape of your lips and improves vertical lines around the lips.
Longevity of results: About 6 months
Restylane Refyne™
Refyne uses Restylane’s proprietary XpresHAn Technology™ for more natural-looking, flexible movement. Because the filler looks more supple when you make facial expressions, it’s ideal for filling in the folds around the mouth and chin, such as nasolabial folds and marionette lines, as well as augmenting the lips.
Longevity of results: About 12 months
Restylane Defyne
Defyne adds contour and definition to the chin, balancing out your features. It also smooths deep lines and folds, and because it’s made with XpresHAn Technology, it preserves natural-looking expressions around the mouth and nose.
Longevity of results: About 12 months
Restylane Kysse™
Also made with XPresHAn Technology, Restylane Kysse infuses the lips with fullness and elasticity for a softer, smoother, and more supple appearance. In addition to providing natural-looking volume, Kysse can smooth out perioral lines around the lips (often called smoker’s lines) and vertical lines on the lips as well as enhance the lips’ colour. Studies show that less Kysse filler is needed to improve lip fullness than with other lip fillers.
Longevity of results: 6 to 12 months
RADIESSE®
RADIESSE works somewhat differently than Restylane fillers. It’s composed of tiny calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) microspheres that boost your skin’s collagen and elastin production for immediate results as well as long-lasting improvement. It’s a good option for those looking to smooth out moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds or restore volume loss in the back of the hands.
Longevity of results: RADIESSE can last 1 year or more.
What Affects Dermal Filler Longevity?
In addition to the type of filler used, various factors affect how long your dermal fillers will last, including:
- Your injector’s experience and expertise. Technique and skill aren’t just important to the aesthetic of your injection; they can also affect your filler’s durability.
- The treatment area. Filler injected in areas that move more, such as the lips and mouth, generally breaks down faster than in areas of less movement. The treatment area also dictates how deeply the filler is injected; deeply injected fillers typically last longer than superficially injected fillers.
- Your skin type. Skin thickness, age, and elasticity also play a role in how long dermal filler results last.
- Your metabolism. People with high metabolisms break down fillers faster than those with slower metabolisms.
- The quality of your skin care and protection. Caring for your skin and protecting it from the sun and other environmental damage is essential, even when you don’t use fillers. Diligent skin care is even more important to safeguarding your filler results and ensuring they last as long as possible.
Of course, you can’t control some of these issues, but you can ensure you choose a qualified, skilled injector. So talk with your injector about their qualifications and experience. You can also care for your skin after treatment by staying out of the sun as much as possible and wearing sunscreen every day. It also helps to drink plenty of water and eat foods rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
What To Expect During Your First Filler Treatment
It’s normal to feel apprehensive before your first dermal filler session but know that it is a perfectly safe procedure in the hands of an experienced injector. (Health Canada offers information about minimizing adverse reactions.)
At our practice, we apply a local anesthetic to the treatment area first so you are comfortable during the procedure. The session will last around 30 minutes, and you can return to your regular routine immediately. You can expect some bruising and swelling around the site, but that should resolve in a few days.
You can combine your dermal fillers with BOTOX® for total facial rejuvenation and smoother, firmer skin. This combination is often called a nonsurgical or “liquid” facelift because it addresses multiple signs of aging.
Choosing the right filler for you is key, and this is where your injector plays an important role. If you feel ready to try dermal fillers to give your confidence and appearance a rejuvenating boost, request a consultation or call us at (416) 925-7337 to schedule an appointment.
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