What Are Dermal Fillers?
There are many different kinds of fillers available. They are injected into the skin using fine needles, after a topical anesthetic is applied to the skin (some fillers also contain local anesthetics to help with any discomfort). The most common ingredient in fillers is hyaluronic acid, which is made of the same complex sugar that is found naturally in the body.
Fillers can be used to treat the hollow appearance under eyes (thus helping to reduce the appearance of eyebags), smile lines, and down-turned mouth corners. They can help to lift and tighten sagging jawlines, reduce the appearance of scars, and can even be used as a nonsurgical way to change the shape of the nose.
Dermal fillers are typically well-tolerated by patients, there is no time needed to recover after they are administered, and patients see mild, if any, side effects, such as swelling and bruising.
Are Dermal Fillers Right for Me?
Your doctor or skin care expert will evaluate what you feel are your problem areas and can advise you if fillers can help (and what type of filler would be best) or if another procedure would work better. He or she will also make sure you are a good candidate for fillers. You should:
- Be in good physical health
- Be a nonsmoker
- Have realistic expectations about what fillers can do
- Expect that it may take multiple treatments to get the results you want
- Know that fillers are only a temporary solution (although their effects can last for over a year)
To find out more about fillers and to see if they are the right solution for you, contact the office of Jeffrey C. Dawes, MD, FRCSC Plastic and Dermatologic Surgery in Calgary for a filler consultation. Call (403) 571-3141 for an appointment today!
