As the body ages, subcutaneous fat is naturally lost in the face. This places the facial muscles closer to the surface, so the crow’s feet and smile lines become more obvious. The loss of facial volume increases even more due to the stretching of the facial skin. The other factors with a role in aging include lifestyle and heredity. If you are interested in a facelift without the need for surgery or just smoothing a few wrinkles or fine lines, this may be your ideal solution. Millions of individuals across the globe have used dermal fillers for a smoother, more youthful and relaxed facial appearance. Dermal fillers in Beckley, WV are valuable for decreasing the appearance of early aging. Dermal fillers provide numerous additional benefits including:
• Softening facial wrinkles and creases
• Removing or decreasing the shadow from the lower lids
• Decreasing the appearance of recessed scarring
• Plumping up thin lips
• Reconstructing facial contour deformities
• Enhancing contours
• Filling in sunken cheeks
The aging of your skin results in a loss of collagen and hyaluronic acid (HA). This is what provides your face with volume and structure. The loss of hyaluronic acid causes wrinkling and sagging of the skin. This is where dermal fillers in Beckley, WV become so important. Dermal fillers are an injectable gel containing hyaluronic acid. They can stimulate the growth of new collagen and provide weak facial features with volume. Each filler is unique yet similar. All dermal fillers will gently lift and plump your skin for the restoration of collagen lost due to the process of aging. Dermal fillers also help your body produce natural collagen for a more youthful and natural appearance. The FDA has approved fillers because they are safe and minimally-invasive. You will see the results immediately after completing your treatment at our practice in Beckley, WV.
Your treatment will usually require between 20 and 40 minutes. The amount of filler you will need is based on the areas you are having treated and how much facial volume you have lost. The best candidates to receive dermal fillers are in good physical health, have made the commitment to good skin health, do not smoke, have realistic goals for improving their aesthetics and have a positive outlook. The procedure is fast, simple and takes place in our professional office in Beckley, WV. The results include a more youthful appearance and a noticeable improvement in the restoration of facial volume. Although the procedure is both safe and effective, a medical professional with specialized training, experience and a good understanding of facial anatomy is necessary to choose and inject the right filler for your needs. This will ensure your safety and results.
The Procedure for Dermal Fillers in Beckley, WV
Your procedure starts with an initial consultation with the medical professional. You will need to be prepared to talk about:
• Your goals and expectations
• Current and past medical treatments, drug allergies and medical conditions
• All current medications, herbal supplements, vitamins and drug, tobacco and alcohol use
• All past treatments with botulinum toxin therapy, soft tissue fillers, non-surgical facial treatments such as lasers and any facial surgery you had in the past.
During your consultation, our medical professionals in Beckley, WV will most likely perform the following actions.
• Perform an evaluation regarding any pre-existing conditions and your general health
• Measure and examine your face
• Take photographs for comparison after your treatment
• Talk about your available options
• Recommend the best treatment option for your needs
• Discuss the expected results of your procedure
• Explain what will happen during your treatment
• Recommend the best filler for your needs and explain why
• Discuss how long your results should last
You need to ask questions during your initial consultation. Understanding all about dermal fillers is very important. You may feel a little anxious or even excited about your procedure. These feelings are natural and you need to explain how you feel to the medical professional. Your treatment will take place in a variety of different steps. These are:
• Step One: This is the evaluation phase. If a packaged soft tissue filler is being used, your skin tone, facial appearance and the areas being augmented will be evaluated by the medical professional. Markings will be made on your face at strategic locations for the filler injection sites. The areas being treated will be photographed.
• Step Two: An antibacterial agent will be used to cleanse the injection site. If the filler does not contain lidocaine, your skill will be chilled with the use of a cold instrument prior to the injection of a local anesthetic or the application of an anesthetic ointment for numbing your skin. This should take any pain out of the process.
• Step Three: Only a few moments are necessary for each injection. This involves injecting and massaging each site while evaluating your results. When necessary, additional filler will be used. The length of your procedure depends on how many areas are receiving treatment. This is usually between 15 and 60 minutes.
• Step Four: Once the desired results have been achieved, any markings will be removed.
You will be able to see your results immediately. Depending on the dermal filler selected, your results can last from several months to a few years. The best way to increase how long your filler lasts and your results are to use high-quality skin care products and maintain good health.
The Types of Dermal Fillers in Beckley, WV
There are different kinds of dermal fillers. One of the most common types are the hyaluronic acid fillers. Injections of hyaluronic acid are used for improving the contours of the skin and decreasing skin depressions resulting from lines, injuries or scarring. The most dramatic improvements are usually seen with:
• Depressions in the cheeks
• Deep smile lines from the mouth to the nose
• Scars including acne, burns and those resulting from an injury
• Worry lines across the forehead
• Marionette lines
• Vertical lines on the lips or smoker’s lines
• Frown lines located between the brows
• Crow’s feet
• Redefining the border of the lips
Hyaluronic acid is a substance naturally found in the body. The highest concentrations are located in the fluid surrounding the eyes and the soft connective tissues. Hyaluronic acid is also found in skin tissue and some joint fluids and cartilage. This has become one of the most popular injectable fillers all over the world. If the name sounds familiar, you may have had hyaluronic acid injected into your joints to provide additional cushioning and help with the pain of arthritis.
Polyalkylimide fillers are biocompatible. This means there is not much reaction with human tissue. No allergy tests are required. The product will not interfere with x-rays because it is radio transparent. Sculptra® is a poly-L-lactic acid, synthetic filler. The filler is injected into the face to trigger the natural production of collagen. This kind of filler is referred to as a stimulator. The substance is biodegradable, non-toxic and has been used as a suture material for over forty years. This filler works extremely well on the lower half of the face. Polylactic acid is used for:
• Treating deeper nasolabial folds
• Filling in lines resulting from laughter
Polyalkylimide fillers are different from other dermal fillers in Beckley, WV because the results are not immediate. The filler stimulates the collagen production of the body naturally. The results are gradual and require approximately three months to appear in full. Most individuals require three treatments scheduled 30 days apart to achieve their optimal results. Each treatment re-stimulates the natural collagen. After the last treatment, between four and six weeks are necessary for the final results to be revealed. This kind of filler is semi-permanent. Despite this, occasional touch-ups may still be necessary.
There are differences in the degree of softness, longevity and chemical makeup of the various dermal fillers available in Beckley, WV. Softer fillers are better suited for the lips while sturdier fillers are more appropriate for enhancing the cheekbones. The best filler will be determined by the medical professional depending on the amount of volume required and the specific goals of each individual. Fillers are simply an option for enhancing your appearance with the convenience of the procedure taking place in the office of the medical professional. The fillers are extremely predictable, effective and safe. Certain individuals are interested in using a fat injection as a filler. The fat is derived from the body of the patient and injected into the face to add more fullness and fill in shallow contours or creases.
A more extensive procedure is necessary for the injection of fat than any of the soft tissue fillers. The process begins by selecting the areas the fat will be taken from using liposuction. This is usually the buttocks or the abdomen. The fat is then injected into the face. Once injected, the fat needs to reestablish a blood supply for survival. Approximately half of the fat injected survives the transfer. This fat lasts forever. When the injection is in the face, the odds of survival improve and the majority of the transferred fat survives. In most cases, more than one procedure is necessary for the desired results to be achieved. This is classified as a minor surgical procedure. The fat transfer will take place in either an operating room or the treatment room of the surgeon.
Juvederm® is a stable and soft injectable gel containing hyaluronic acid. This is the natural substance naturally found in your skin helping with both volume and hydration. The medical professional carefully injects the filler into your mid to deeper dermis. This will temporarily and effectively smooth out fine lines and wrinkles and replenish the lost volume of your skin almost immediately. Your dermis is located in the subsurface of your skin layer. This is where you blood vessels, oil glands, nerve endings, sweat and connective tissues are located. The process for injecting the Juvederm fillers is fast. In most cases, only fifteen minutes are necessary. There is no downtime or period of recovery necessary.
In 2006, Juvederm® was approved by the FDA as the only hyaluronic filler lasting for as long as 12 months. The Juvederm® formula was created for the correction of moderate to severe facial folds and wrinkles. This filler is versatile and restores your facial contours resulting in a natural and smooth appearance. One of the benefits of this product is the gel is consistent and supple. This provides a more youthful and natural appearance than many of the other fillers. Juvederm® is also one of the longer-lasting fillers. Your results should last between six and 12 months. This depends on which specific Juvederm® product was used. If you have an enhancement procedure within a few weeks of your initial treatment, your results can last for as long as a year.
Restylane® is a biodegradable, non-animal gel filler made from hyaluronic acid. The FDA has approved this filler for cosmetic facial injections. Restylane® is a soft tissue filler used to add volume lost to the skin through age, damage from the sun and the gradual breakdown of tissues. Only tiny injections are necessary to smooth out facial wrinkles and folds around the eyes and mouth. Most treatments typically require between 10 and 20 minutes. This is based on the areas being targeted for treatment. The injections result in little or no downtime. Most individuals immediately return to their daily activities or work after their treatment.
The first injectable gel filler approved by the FDA for the correction of volume loss due to age in the mid-face is Voluma XC. This hyaluronic acid filler is a pliable and soft gel for cheek augmentation using deep injections. The filler was created for the diminishment of fat fads and sagging facial structures resulting from the process of aging. The filler helps reverse the signs of aging such as a hollow face by immediately lifting, contouring and sculpting the midface area. The filler contains lidocaine to help the individual remain comfortable while the deeper injections into the skin are taking place. This area chosen is partly because there are fewer nerves. The results are a more youthful and natural appearance lasting for as long as two years.
If you are interested in learning more about dermal fillers, we invite you to visit us here at Mountain State Cosmetic Surgery in Beckley, WV. Contact us today to schedule your consultation!