It is unfortunate but true. We age and as we age there are many areas on our face that overnight seem to develop saggy areas. This becomes more visible over our forehead, laugh lines, jowls and finally around our mouth. In past the only treatment available was a facelift or some type of a surgical procedure. Women are no longer willing to have a surgical procedure in their mid career. They want to postpone the inevitable by using non surgical procedures. Over the past five years things certainly have changed. A large number of fillers are available for erasing the wrinkles with immediate results. Patients simply love the instant result and the American Society now documents that Botox Cosmetic has been the number one non surgical procedure to choose - and for the first time, the number of women seeking facelifts has been dropping.
As one reads the newspapers, surfs internet and listens to the radio, the large number of options is sometimes confusing and bewildering.
There are several types of fillers available that are FDA approved for use on the face. You can find out more about each on the manufacturers websites.
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Easy to inject, used for injection of lips, short lasting, causes less swelling and bruising in the lips very popular for the lips and laugh lines.
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Easy to inject, commonly used for injection of the laugh lines, sometimes the lips. Very useful to soften the jowl lines, and can be used to build the cheek bone area too. Very versatile product and very popular because of its long duration.
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Long lasting and commonly used to build cheeks. Commonly requires more than one injection.
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Longest lasting FDA approved product in market, very versatile for laugh lines, building cheeks and soften jowl lines. Requires skin testing one month prior to injection.
Intermediate lasting: 6-9 months
- Restylane, FDA approved
Long Lasting: 9-18 Months
- Juvederm (Hyaluronic Acid) - FDA approved
- Radiesse (Calcium Hydroxyapatite) - FDA approved
- Sculptra (Polylactic acid) - FDA approved
Near Permanent: Extremely long lasting
- Artefill - FDA approved
- Silicone - not FDA approved and not safe for use in the face
Here is what works best for each area on your face:
