Dermal Filler
Brands
Juvéderm
Juvéderm is a dermal filler consisting of hyaluronic acid with the purpose of restoring lost facial volume and smoothing out dermal lines. Juvéderm offers various fillers designed to target different areas on the face. For example, Juvéderm Voluma XC is designed for deeper injections, utilized to restore lost volume in the cheek area. Juvéderm Vollure XC, on the other hand, is designed for moderate to severe dermal lines as well as other such areas including nasolabial folds. Juvéderm Ultra XC is meant for treatments taking place on the lips and lip area, targeting imperfections such as perioral lines (referring to the perioral tissue of the mouth of which lines such as marionette lines appear with age).
How long does it last?: Depending on the type of filler chosen and where it is administered, results can last from anywhere between 4 months to 2 years. For example, fillers used around the mouth area, which is prone to more facial movement, tend to last for a shorter duration than areas where there is less movement, i.e. the cheeks.
Restylane
Composed of a hyaluronic acid gel formula, Restylane offers a variety of products used to treat the lips, face and hands. Such fillers including that of FDA-approved Restylane Silk and Restylane Lyft are used to help smooth and create volume. Restylane Silk, for example, is used primarily for lip enhancement and helping to decrease the visibility of fine lines in the mouth area. The gel used for this is finer than Restylane’s other fillers. Restylane Lyft with Lidocaine, however, is formulated for deeper dermal injections with the purpose of helping to treat more apparent folds and lines. It is also used for augmentation of the cheeks, not only helping to contour the face but also to add volume to the hands.
How long does it last?: Dependent on the type of product chosen and the area being treated, the results can last from anywhere from 6 to 18 months.
Ellansé
Derived from PolyCaproLactone (PCL) microspheres which are suspended in a carrier gel composed of non-animal, bacterial or human Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC), Ellansé’s fillers are designed to produce long-lasting results. Such results stem from triggering the body’s natural collagen production. This then aids in ensuring the longevity of their fillers as, after they have been absorbed, the skin’s natural collagen is left behind to help maintain natural facial volume. This makes it beneficial in treating dermal lines, folds and wrinkles, further aiding in contouring the face.
How long does it last?: Depending on the injection site and what filler is used, anywhere from 1 to 4 years.
Belotero Balance
Used to treat the mouth area including smile and lip lines, nasolabial folds and wrinkles around the chin, Belotero Balance is a hyaluronic acid dermal filler reported to focus on smoothing moderate to severe facial lines rather than restoring volume. The flexible gel formula is said to seamlessly merge with the skin, resulting in a more natural appearance both visibly and to the touch. With very little downtime required following treatment, Belotero Balance states that patients are able to resume their daily life normally, though the speed of recovery depends on the patient and their individual needs.
How long does it last?: Typically, Belotero Balance is said to last for approximately 6 months or more, depending on where it is inserted in the face.
Sculptra Aesthetic
Formulated from poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA), the effect of Sculptra Aesthetic’s fillers are designed to gradually improve over time. Reported to help encourage the growth of collagen, Sculptra Aesthetic has been heralded to aid replenish lost facial volume, thus reducing the visible appearance of age-related issues such as shallow to deep folds (i.e. nasolabial folds) and subsequent wrinkles. Usually, this filler is administered three times over the course of a three to four month period. The microparticles of PLLA are then absorbed, thus triggering the production of collagen.
How long does it last?: Up to 2 years.
Radiesse
Contained within a gel, microspheres of calcium hydroxylapatite, or CaHa as it is also recognized, make up Radiesse’s fillers. It is designed to increase facial volume whilst encouraging the natural production of collagen. Gradually, when the gel is absorbed by the body, it leaves in its stead the client’s natural collagen. Used to treat moderate to severe dermal folds and wrinkles including nasolabial folds, Radiesse can also be utilized to restore volume in the hands. Able to be administered in conjunction with the anesthetic lidocaine, thus helping to reduce pain resulting from the procedure.
How long does it last?: Approximately a year, and sometimes more.
Aquamid
Aquamid is a hydrogel dermal filler that stays true to its name due to being comprised of 97.5% water with the rest being made up of 2.5% cross-linked polyacrylamide. Aquamid is biocompatible and non-allergenic. Due to its status as a non-absorbable filler, it does not degrade like fillers composed of hyaluronic acid, for example. Such absorbable fillers are usually known to cause side effects including noticeable bumps. Aquamid, on the other hand, due to there being no microparticles present in the gel, no granulomas result following treatment. This helps Aquamid to build volume without the hardening of surrounding dermal tissue, allowing a smooth, natural finish. It also, therefore, permits normal facial movement. It is injected with a fine needle, further reducing any discomfort experienced during the treatment.
How long does it last?: Aquamid provides immediate results lasting from anywhere between 3 to 12 months. Due to being non-absorbable, results may even last longer than this without requiring further treatments.
Matridur
A non-animal product derived from an equal combination of hyaluronic acid and cross-linked hyaluronic acid, Matridur is a dermal filler used to treat dermal imperfections. The injection of this filler encourages microparticles to develop. Such microns have been used in operations to increase the rate of healing, thus being extremely beneficial following soft tissue treatment. Matridur also comes in another formulation known as Matridex, the latter utilized to target lines including those that appear around the mouth area such as perioral lines. It is made up of cross-linked hyaluronic acid and dextranomers, also known as dextran molecules. It can be used to treat crow’s feet, commonly referred to as laughter lines, found around the eye area.
How long does it last?: Depending on where the client is treated, the results from Matridur can typically last for 6 to 9 months. Matridex, on the other hand, can last from anywhere between 12 and 24 months.
Prevelle
Animal-free hyaluronic acid filler Prevelle Silk, mixed with lidocaine, is used to treat various dermal imperfections. These include lines including perioral lines, those found on the forehead, marionette lines, lip and smile lines, crow’s feet, nasolabial folds and creases that form between the brows. Prevelle Silk contains a decreased amount of hyaluronic acid with the goal of producing less swelling following administration.
How long does it last?: Approximately 3 to 4 months.
Teoxane
Teoxane offers a variety of fillers under the name of Teosyal, marketed as a newer version of hyaluronic acid fillers which are labelled as ‘RHA resilient hyaluronic acid’. Fillers crafted from Teosyal RHA are reportedly more resilient than those typically formed from regular hyaluronic acid due to their ability to help the skin hold its form following external stress such as stretching or any kind of modification. This allows for normal facial movements and a natural-looking volume. Due to its decreased absorption rate, the chosen filler therefore also supplies the client with visual results that remain for a longer duration of time. Though the results following treatment are immediately visible, the appearance is designed to improve over time.
How long does it last?: Depending on which filler is chosen, up to 22 months.
Varioderm
A gel made from non-animal derived hyaluronic acid (NaHa), cross-linked HA, and four concentrations of non-animal HA, Verioderm offers a range of fillers manufactured from streptococci bacteria. Products in their range include Varioderm Fine Line which targets dermal lines on a superficial level including those around the eye and mouth area. Varioderm itself is used to smooth nasolabial folds, the contours of the lips, frown lines and other medium to deep facial wrinkles. Varioderm Subdermal, on the other hand, is utilized for the correction of facial contours including adding volume to the cheeks, chin and nasolabial area.
How long does it last?: Dependent on the filler the client chooses and the site of injection, anywhere between 6 to 16 months.
Xeomin
A purer version of the toxin used to formulate botox, Xeomin (or, to be more precise, incobotulinumtoxinA) treats facial wrinkles by preventing movement in the targeted areas that cause such age-related imperfections. The main difference separating Xeomin from other fillers on the market is that it is not designed to add volume but rather target muscle fibers, thus preventing the movements associated with causing visible wrinkles.
How long does it last?: Xeomin has been reported to last for approximately 3 months, but the effects may last for a longer or shorter duration than this.
Dysport
Made from abotulinumtoxinA and used primarily for reducing the visibility of frown lines ranging from moderate to severe in appearance, Dysport is designed to be administered in five points above and between the brows, thereby preventing the contractions of muscles there. This reduces the appearance of age-related frown lines and allows the non-treated areas of the face to maintain normal movements, therefore providing the client with a more natural appearance rather than a ‘frozen’ expression.
How long does it last?: Approximately 4 months, though results can vary client-to-client.
Jeuveau
Formulated from prabotulinumtoxinA-xvfs, Jeuveau is utilized to treat moderate to severe frown lines, otherwise known as glabellar lines, by preventing muscle movement in the treated area, thus smoothing the appearance of wrinkles present there. By reducing such lines, this gives the client a less severe, more youthful appearance. Manufactured by Evolus, Jeuveau has reportedly undergone multiple studies to demonstrate and trial its effects on clients.
How long does it last?: Approximately 3 to 6 months.
Revolax
Sourced from highly-purified, non-animal derived hyaluronic acid, Revolax’s fillers come in the form of a gel. With cross-linked HA, Revolax outlines that both this and its pliant consistency contribute to its ability to amalgamate into the skin and thus provide long-term volume where it is injected. Revolax states that the dense composition of their filler enables minimum migration, in other words, heightened likelihood of the product remaining close to the area where it was initially administered.
How long does it last?: Depending on which filler is used, anywhere between 9 and 18 months.
Artesense
Coated microbeads of PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) and natural collagen make up Artesense dermal filler. Injected via a technique known as tunneling, the collagen that Artesense contains helps to trigger the body’s natural production of collagen as tissue is prompted to form around the beads of PMMA, holding them in place for long-lasting results. This helps to smooth marionette lines, mouth corners that droop, lip and chin augmentation, scars and wrinkles, primarily those that appear in skin that is on the thicker side. Though results are said to take up to a few weeks to become apparent, treated wrinkles disappear over the course of 2 to 3 months as the process takes place.
How long does it last?: Results have been known to last for up to 10 years and even beyond. However, this varies from person to person.
Decoria
Created from purified and stabilized synthetic hyaluronic acid, Decoria offers three products which include Decoria Essence, Intense and Voluma. Essence is used to treat nasolabial folds, frown lines, the lips and lip area. Intense, on the other hand, is utilized for the lips, nasolabial folds and facial augmentation while Voluma is used just for enhancing and contouring the face. The fact that the hyaluronic acid in Decoria’s fillers has been stabilized aids it in providing longer-lasting results.
How long does it last?: Decoria can last up to 12 months, dependent on where it is administered in the face.
Surgiderm
Utilising ‘3D Hyaluronic Acid Matrix Technology’, Surgiderm’s non-animal HA fillers are said to be highly cross-linked, providing a slower degradation rate and therefore longer-lasting results in comparison to other HA fillers. Its stabilized structure also allows for a more uniform application when administered. Surgiderm offers a variety of dermal fillers which include, but are not limited to, Surgiderm 18 which is used to treat fine lines around the mouth and eye area, Surgiderm 30 which targets deeper wrinkles and subsequent lines as well as the lip border, and Surgilift Plus which is manufactured for treating the face and neck as well as the hands and décolletage.
How long does it last?: Anywhere from 9 to 12 months.
Side Effects
As with any dermal filler, side effects are a normal part of the process. Though temporary, side effects may include swelling, bruising, irritation such as redness or itching, bleeding and the possibility of infection as with any procedure. Asymmetry can also take place following treatment, depending on a filler’s ingredients. For example, sometimes it is known for medical personnel to overfill areas, for example, the lips due to the fact that ingredients such as hyaluronic acid are able to be absorbed over time, leaving a natural appearance when this process has taken place.