What are Facial fillers?
Facial fillers, also known as dermal fillers, consist of synthetic injections specifically designed to fill in wrinkled or uneven areas of the face. While Botox relaxes muscles to soften wrinkles, dermal fillers actively add volume, effectively ”filling in” these areas.
Common facial fillers include:
- Juvederm
- Restylane
- Sculptra
- Radiesse
I perform all facial filler injections personally, ensuring you receive the highest level of care from a board-certified plastic surgeon.
What Common Concerns do Facial Fillers Address?
I wish there was something simple for those little lines around my mouth.
Many patients visit my office with specific concerns about their appearance. They often express issues surrounding:
- Fine lines on the face
- Wrinkled or uneven areas of the face
- Loss of volume in the face
- Recessed scars or facial depressions
- Shallow facial contours
- Thin lips
As we age, fine lines typically begin to appear in our thirties. These lines often result from muscle activity or sagging skin. They indicate areas where the body’s collagen has thinned, leading to depressions in the skin.
For wrinkles around the eyes caused by muscle activity, Botox can provide relief. However, deeper lines, such as the nasolabial folds running from the nose to the corners of the mouth, often respond better to filler injections. These fillers can soften or even eliminate these lines temporarily. It's important to remember that while fillers enhance beauty, they do not provide the same results as surgical treatments.
Office was beautiful and staff was super friendly. Xeomin and filler experience was fantastic!
How are facial fillers injected?
Injecting facial fillers involves a careful process to ensure optimal results. First, I select the appropriate filler based on your needs. I then inject the filler directly into the skin to plump up the depressed areas. For lip injections, I place the filler on the inside of the lip to create a subtle pout.
To enhance your comfort during the procedure, I first numb the treatment area using ice or anesthetic cream. This step minimizes discomfort and ensures a more pleasant experience.
During your facial filler consultation, we will discuss three key factors to help determine the best filler for you:
- Longevity
- Cost
- Ease of administration
Rest assured, your facial filler injections will always be performed by me, ensuring the highest level of care from a board-certified plastic surgeon.
Overview of Facial Fillers
When considering facial fillers, I often recommend several options based on individual needs and desired outcomes. Below is an overview of the fillers I commonly use, along with their benefits and how they are administered:
Juvederm/Restylane: Lasts 6-12 months
Juvederm is a smooth gel made of hyaluronic acid, manufactured by Allergan. Restylane is a similar product that treats the same areas. Both fillers typically last around 4-6 months and can be used for lip augmentation, nasolabial folds, marionette lines, glabella lines, tear troughs, and scars. Keep in mind that most patients require more than one syringe to achieve their desired results.
Sculptra: Lasts 2-3 years
Sculptra® Aesthetic is an injectable made from poly-L-lactic acid and has a gel-like consistency. It generally lasts longer than Restylane or Juvederm, with most results enduring up to two years. This filler is suitable for individuals with healthy immune systems and is particularly effective for correcting shallow to deep nasolabial fold contour deficiencies.
Unlike hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers such as Restylane, Sculptra stimulates your skin’s natural collagen production, helping to restore its inner structure and increase facial volume lost to aging. I administer Sculptra using a layering method through a series of injections, typically spaced two to four weeks apart, until the desired volume is achieved. Sculptra can be used in nasolabial folds, marionette lines, jowl contouring, cheeks, glabella lines, tear troughs, and scars, but it is not suitable for lip augmentation.
Most patients choose to inject the entire vial in one session, though you can opt to spread the 6 cc over two sessions within 30 days. For optimal results, Sculptra should be mixed three days before your treatment. Therefore, a $250 non-refundable deposit is required to secure your appointment, as the vial is opened and mixed in advance. This deposit is applied to your total cost.
Radiesse: Lasts 2-3 years
Radiesse is effective for filling and restoring soft tissue facial contours. Once injected, Radiesse provides immediate fullness, offering visible results after the first treatment session. This filler is suitable for nasolabial folds, marionette lines, jowl contouring, cheeks, glabellar lines, tear troughs, and scars. While Radiesse tends to be more expensive than Sculptra, it also lasts longer.
What about Injections using my fat?
You may wonder if using your fat as a facial filler is an option. While it is possible, this process is more involved than using traditional fillers. Fat injections, derived from your tissue, represent the most natural method for restoring youthfulness to your face. The procedure involves liposuction and fat grafting techniques, and most patients opt for IV sedation during the process.
The procedure begins with removing fat from your abdominal area, which is then processed and purified. After that, the fat is placed into syringes for injection into the facial areas needing volume.
The extracted fat must be carefully purified and injected at different levels beneath your skin to achieve optimal results. The fat that survives the injection process becomes a permanent enhancement, and because it is your own tissue, there is no risk of allergic reaction.
To learn more about facial fat injections, please see our Fat Transfer Procedure Info page and consider my article about Facial Rejuvenation Using Fat Injections.
What are the preoperative requirements?
To minimize bruising, patients should avoid blood-thinning medications, such as aspirin and Ibuprofen, for at least one week before their appointment. While it’s not mandatory to stop these medications, doing so can be beneficial. Additionally, patients should not be pregnant or nursing during the injectable procedure, and they should refrain from using Accutane or Retin A.
While patients who smoke can still receive facial fillers, it is in their best interest to quit smoking beforehand. Smoking can significantly compromise the healing process.
What is Facial fillers Post-Op recovery like?
Most patients can return to work right after their injections. To alleviate any discomfort, apply handheld ice packs to the treated area immediately following the procedure. You can resume all forms of exercise the day after your injections. While a small percentage of patients may experience bruising and minor swelling, these effects typically resolve within a couple of days.
What are the risks and possible complications?
Like any medical procedure, receiving facial fillers carries potential risks and complications. These may include:
- Bruising
- Swelling
- Infection
- Redness, rash, or skin eruptions
How much do Facial fillers cost?
When considering facial fillers, it’s essential to understand the costs involved. Prices can vary based on the type of filler used and the specific areas being treated. Here at CosmeticSurg in Baltimore, we offer competitive pricing for our facial filler treatments:
| Facial fillers | 2024 Price |
|---|---|
| Restylane | $700 one syringe |
| Radiesse | $1,200 one syringe |
| Sculptra | $800 for 6 cc vial |
Additionally, we provide courtesy discounts for patients purchasing multiple syringes of Juvederm, Restylane, or Radiesse. Discounts are also available when Sculptra is applied to multiple areas in one session.
Ready to explore what's possible? I invite you to schedule a personal consultation, where we can talk about your goals, answer your questions, and create a plan that's uniquely yours.
Schedule Your Consultation Today!
Together, we'll find the perfect approach to help you look and feel your best.
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Board Certified Plastic Surgery, ASPS Member
NOTICE
Patients depicted in our before and after galleries have provided their written consent to display their photos online. Every patient is unique, and surgical results may vary. Please contact us if you have any questions.