Which Fillers Are Right for Me? Here’s Your Complete Guide.
Due to forces outside of our control, like time, stress, weight changes, and just life in general – our once smooth and supple skin is now showing wrinkles, fine lines, and volume depletion much faster than ever. For this reason, many people worldwide are interested in seeing what the increasingly popular anti-aging treatment of dermal fillers can do for them. But with a myriad of products available on the aesthetic market, it can be an overwhelming task knowing where to begin.
One way to learn which filler injections are best to treat the your needs is to consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon, like Dr. Bajaj at Bajaj Plastic Surgery in Oklahoma City – she and her incredible staff of qualified aestheticians have extensive experience and knowledge with a wide range of fillers. But if you’d like to make yourself better acquainted with your dermal filler options before scheduling an appointment or simply going blind into the plethora of information online, read on to explore the details of this minimally-invasive anti-aging treatment.
What Are Dermal Fillers?
Unlike botulinum toxin injections, such as Botox®, which target how muscles move in your face, dermal fillers are designed to create volume just under the skin and deeper, effectively filling in fine lines and restoring volume loss due to aging. Most dermal fillers, such as thewidely used brands Juvéderm and Restylane, are composed of hyaluronic acid (HA). Hyaluronic acid can be found in the human body’s epithelial, neural, and connective tissues. Essentially, it attracts water into itself, helping to keep the skin and tissues lubricated, supple, and youthful. Our skin’s dermis (the deepest layer of our skin) is composed of hyaluronic acid and collagen, but as we age, our body’s reserve of both these essential components is naturally depleted.
One reason HA makes such a useful and powerful ingredient in dermal fillers is because of how it reacts to the moisture in your skin. In gel form, which is how dermal fillers come, HA swells when combined with water, which smooths and deputizes lines and wrinkles, restoring a natural-looking volume to the skin. Additionally, because it mimics the HA already in the body, there is a very low risk of adverse reactions such as rejection or allergic reactions.
That being said, it’s important to mention that not all hyaluronic acid fillers are the same. Certain products are better suited to address different aesthetic concerns. The consistency, size of the HA molecules, and how the molecules bond all impact which filler type works best and how long results will last.
What Are the Benefits of Dermal Fillers?
Dermal fillers offer patients several benefits that improve the quality and appearance of their skin, including:
- Immediate Results with No Downtime
- Decreased Signs of Aging
- Restores Youthful Plumpness in the Skin
- Contours Facial Features include the Chin, Jawline, and Cheeks
- Creates a Natural Glow and Vitality in the Skin
- Improves the Appearance of Depressed Acne Scars
- Rejuvenates Dark and Hollow Under Eyes
- Augments the Lips for Subtle Definition
What Dermal Fillers Are Available?
At Bajaj Plastic Surgery, we offer a variety of dermal fillers including Juvéderm and Restylane and RHA fillers. The Juvéderm family of fillers comes in multiple formulations specifically designed to treat different areas of the face and address various skin concerns. All Juvéderm products contain lidocaine to make patients comfortable before and after their treatment.
Here is break down of the entire Juvéderm collection:
- Juvéderm Ultra— Juvéderm Ultra is highly versatile and is primarily used to treat imperfections in more delicate areas of the face, including the lips and underneath the eyes.
- Juvéderm Ultra Plus— Juvéderm Ultra Plus is the sister to Juvéderm Ultra, but due to its thicker consistency, it’s used to treat moderate to severe facial wrinkles as well as areas that have lost a significant amount of volume.
- Juvéderm Voluma—Juvéderm Voluma plumps facial areas in the cheeks, including the apex, apple, and hollow, providing that gorgeous bone structure and elegant contour.
- Juvéderm Volbella— Volbella is a hyaluronic acid gel filler that adds volume to the lips and smooths vertical lips lines (smoker’s lines). Volbella also adds subtle definition, symmetry, and a healthy, silky shine to the lips.
- Juvéderm Vollure— Vollureused to soften moderate to severe facial lines and wrinkles. It’s also great at moving with your natural expressions for smooth, natural-looking results.
Bajaj Plastic Surgery also offers Restylane, another hyaluronic acid-based dermal filler, to correct moderate to severe facial wrinkles, lines, and folds. The Restylane and RHA collections of dermal fillers also offer a wide selection of fillers. After your consultation, Dr. Bajaj will discuss options that are best suited to your needs.
What Other Injectable Treatments Are Available at Bajaj Plastic Surgery?
At Bajaj Plastic Surgery, we offer other convenient, non-invasive injectable treatments to help you counteract other forms of facial aging, including Botox® and Kybella.
Botox®
Botox® is another wildly popular non-surgical aesthetic treatment that reduces the appearance of expression lines on the forehead, between the eyebrows, around the mouth, and around the nose. Dr. Bajaj also uses Botox® to treat muscle spasms, excessive sweating, and vascular spasms in the hands. Smiling, squinting, scowling, and frowning are all common expressions we use daily to express our feelings. Unfortunately, over time, our skin starts to hold to the lines our muscles create when we make this common expression.
Botox® contains a purified neurotoxin that temporarily dissembles muscle activity. When injected into the target location, the neurotoxin interrupts the nerve communication sent to the muscle, which reduces its activity and allows the skin to relax and soften wrinkles.
Kybella
The clinical name for the fat stored underneath the chin is subcutaneous fullness, but it’s most commonly known as “the double chin.” Little can be done about these areas since it’s not physically possible to do chin sit-ups, but even if you could accomplish that strange feat, this stubborn fat often doesn’t respond to diet and exercise.
Kybella is a synthetic form of Deoxycholic acid, a naturally occurring molecule found in the stomach acid in our intestines. Its main function is to help metabolize fat cells. When injected into the chin, it disrupts cell membranes and destroys fat cells in the tissue. The dead fat cells are then processed through the body, and after a few weeks, you can achieve a smooth, sculpted jawline.
Learn More About Dermal Fillers and Other Injectable Treatments at Bajaj Plastic Surgery
The final step in finding the right filler or injectable treatment for you is to consult an experienced, reputable, and knowledgeable provider to ensure your results are gorgeous and natural. Dr. Bajaj performs various cosmetic injections, skin treatments, and surgical aesthetic treatments at her astute practice in Oklahoma City, Ok.
In addition to her many years of experience and training administering injectable treatments, Dr. Bajaj also has a team of highly trained professional aestheticians to help reach the goals of her patients. So, if you’re looking to look and feel younger and more radiant, we invite you to explore our Oklahoma City injectable filler options by contacting us online today! Dr. Bajaj and our team are happy to help you understand your options during a private consultation.