Injectable fillers typically contain primarily hyaluronic acid, which provides immediate benefits by increasing the skin's retention of moisture, but more significantly has recently been proven to stimulate the body's natural collagen production over significant periods.
Skin is inherently elastic, and in the vast majority of cases, after the body has fully absorbed the filler, the skin recovers and returns to its original state. Many cosmetic treatments are also designed to stimulate the body's natural production of collagen and hyaluronic acid.
Hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers like Restylane® and Juvederm® boast many youth-preserving benefits, from smoothing facial lines to restoring lost volume. But, did you know that these fillers also actually stimulate your body's own collagen production?
Duration of JUVÉDERM® after repeat injections
Studies have shown that treatment with dermal fillers stimulates new collagen formation in the areas treated. Collagen is a structural protein that gives skin its strength and durability.
With dermal fillers, most people think your skin will become wrinkly or saggy if you stop getting injections. This is not necessarily true. The effects of the fillers will wear off after months or years, but the treated area is likely to return to its original state.
HAc filler stimulates collagen type 1 and elastic fiber synthesis through the TGF-β/Smad pathway. The role of HAc-HAp composite fillers in photoaging in animal models and their effects on skin, including elasticity and tensile strength, should be investigated.
Diaz says hyaluronic acid-based fillers, like Juvederm, can last anywhere from six months to a whole year. “Consistent treatments will give you optimal results and you may need less filler over time,” he says.
Calcium hydroxylapatite (Radiesse).
This filler is used to contour the jaw line, restore volume in the cheeks, and treat deeper wrinkles and skin folds. The results last up to a year when used for contouring and 3 years when used to fill wrinkles.
Fillers are a great option for patients seeking a softer, more youthful look. However, if used improperly or over used, fillers can have negative long term consequences. In fact, patients who do not properly use filler could actually speed up their skin's aging process, resulting in older looking skin.
Using injectable filler for large-scale body contouring or body enhancement can lead to serious injury, including long-term pain, infection, permanent scarring or disfigurement, and even death.
Depending on the filler used, you can enjoy a younger looking face for 2 years but that should depend on your priorities. The results of either of the aforementioned fillers can vary from one person to the next.
“The short answer is no,” says Dr. Miriam Hanson, board certified dermatologist and cosmetic expert in Austin, Texas. “Wrinkles do not become worse after having dermal fillers.” Dermal fillers comprise a family of injectable medications that restore volume in areas of the skin where it has been lost.
Initial results from collagen restoration treatments are usually visible immediately. However, new collagen growth can take anywhere from four to 12 weeks to complete.
There is a very common misconception that dermal fillers can make skin sag, however we can safely say that this is FALSE. People assume that once they have been fully absorbed by your body you will be left with loose, hanging skin leaving you looking even older than you did previously.
Poly-L-lactic acid (Sculptra) is an injectable filler used to replace lost facial fat. This synthetic polymer has been used for many years in dissolvable stitches and bone screws. This product stimulates the body's own collagen for better skin texture and a longer-lasting result.
Sculptra Filler is innovative because it causes the body to create its own collagen, making it a “volumizer” instead of a filler. It's injected into areas of concern just like a filler, but that's where the similarities stop.
Generally the results of Juvederm last longer overtime as you add more product. This is partly because of collagen production and partly because some of the Juvederm is still present. So, when you build up the product over a 6 month period, it tends to last longer and longer.
Composed of hyaluronic acid, a substance that's naturally found in the body, more people are discovering that fillers can help slow down the effects of the natural ageing process. Over time, as facial movement increases in areas like the lips or cheeks, it causes the filler to break down and dissolve at a quicker rate.
The Results Improve Over Time
Because these injections stimulate your body's production of collagen and elastin, the final results of treatment won't be seen for several weeks. Even as the hyaluronic acid is processed by your body, healthy collagen and elastin grow at a more significant rate.
As well as stretching of the skin, excessive use of fillers can result in longer term damage including wrinkling of the lip and disturbance of the attachment of the facial fat pads and some degree of irregularity and ageing of the skin, he explains.
Dermal fillers are made of hyaluronic acid gel. When injected, the filler can feel firm or harden. This can be alarming for patients since most want their fillers to feel soft.
The simple rule? “Lines of expression need botulinum toxin. Lines at rest need filler.” Dr. Schulman says that while Botox is a great choice for hitting those “crease points” where muscles contract, fillers are best for deep lines that are present even when facial muscles are not contracting.
Many plastic surgeons say that Juvederm and Restylane are the most durable and longest-lasting fillers available. Both contain hyaluronic acid and are good for smoothing wrinkles and lines. Hyaluronic acid carries 1,000 times its weight in water and makes the skin look young, supple, and soft.