Dermal Fillers vs Facelifts
We’ve come along way in the past 20 years. Barbaric facelifts are no longer the only way to correct wrinkly, sagging skin. Dermal fillers are working wonders for millions of people, postponing-even eliminating the need for plastic surgery.
“Fillers have dramatically changed the game,” says Dr. Ariel Ostad, a New York dermatologist. Dermal fillers can be injected into crow’s feet, marionette lines, thinning lips-the best part is that it all can be done during your lunch hour, with no invasive surgery and little recovery time.
Of course fillers do have their limitations like the need to get new injections every 4 to 6 months, but in my opinion this is considerable better compared to facelifts. With facelifts your skin will continue to age in unpredictable-even unnatural ways. The main advantage of dermal fillers is their ability to create a very natural youthful appearance.
The method behind facelifts was to eliminate wrinkles by pulling back the skin, which tended to tighten and flatten the appearance of the face. I don’t know about you but I’ll pass on the flattened face. Dermal fillers address the real reason behind an aging appearance; lose of facial fat and bone density. As we age the face slowly looses its layer of fat and the bones begin to shrink. This results in sunken in cheeks and weak jaw line, but more importantly sagging wrinkled skin. By directly correcting these issues the look of dermal fillers is more youthful and natural than what was previously attainable with facelifts.
What Can Dermal Fillers Treat?
So where can we inject this wonderful stuff? This depends on the filler, but the broad answer is lines and wrinkles. They can also be used to plump and define lips and fill hollow areas on the face. Here are the areas where they work best:
•lines from the nose to the mouth (nasolabial fold)
•lines from the mouth to the chin (melomental fold)
•lines above the upper lip
•frown lines (best combined with Botox Cosmetic)
•in the lips for volume and definition
•to restore volume to cheekbones or cheeks
•in some situations, under the eyes
•to fill out the backs of the hands and make veins look less prominent
In Pictures: Seven of the Most Popular Injectable Facial Fillers
What are exactly are Dermal Fillers?
Good question!
Restylane (Medicis) and Juvederm (Allergan) are the best and most popular dermal fillers. They are both sterile gels consisting of non-animal, cross-linked, hyaluronic acid (HA) and are made in a laboratory. HA is a natural sugar found in skin. They contain no human or animal DNA and have the best safety profile of all the fillers currently on the market. It’s very important to inquire what products your physician uses. Only board certified doctors and nurses are authorized to purchase and inject dermal fillers.
The National Laser Institute Med Spa offers all of these dermal fillers at the most affordable prices in the industry. If you have more questions we offer free consolations call 800.574.5914 or use the menu on the right to schedule your free consultation.
