If you’re interested in turning back the clock and refreshing your appearance, it’s time you got acquainted with dermal fillers. These gel-like substances are injected below the skin to smooth over lines and creases, plump and firm, and restore youthful volume and contour. At AMG Aesthetics in Tucson, AZ, we offer four different fillers: Belotero, Restylane, and Radiesse.
WHAT ARE DERMAL FILLERS?
Once they are in place beneath the skin, dermal fillers support the face from below and offer a range of revitalizing benefits. Most of our fillers are comprised of hyaluronic acid, which works like a sponge beneath the skin, expanding to fill in facial lines and building up areas that have lost volume. Radiesse works a little differently. This filler stimulates collagen production, resulting in smoother, firmer skin.
After they have been injected and done the work of renewing your skin, fillers will safely dissolve into the body.
WHERE ARE FILLERS USED?
Fillers are used most often on the mid and lower face, where they can restore contour along the jawline and in the upper cheeks, fill in under-eye hollows, and soften facial lines and folds. Occasionally fillers are injected into the back of the hands or arms to plump and smooth crepey skin.
HOW ARE FILLERS ADMINISTERED?
The injection of fillers is an easy, comfortable, and quick process. We’ll start by cleansing the skin and mapping out the sites where we’ll perform the injections. The actual injections will just take a few moments. You may feel a brief prick, and we may massage the injection site for a moment to make sure the filler is in place.
Filler appointments are usually performed in less than an hour, and you’ll be able to get right back to your daily schedule afterward.
HOW LONG WILL I ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF A FILLER?
Each filler works a little differently, and they last for varying amounts of time. Most of our fillers last anywhere from 10 months to a year. Radiesse is particularly long-lasting, sometimes offering results for as long as 15 months. Occasional maintenance treatments can maintain your results, regardless of which filler you are using.
DO PATIENTS EVER HAVE MULTIPLE FILLERS INJECTED?
Yes. Because fillers have varying chemical formulations and work in slightly different ways, we may design a treatment plan for you that involves more than one filler. We specialize in blending art and science to deliver fillers that will best accomplish your cosmetic goals.
ARE THEY SAFE?
Yes. All of the fillers we administer have been approved by the FDA and have been widely and effectively used on patients across the country.
FILLERS OFFERED BY OUR PRACTICE
RESTYLANE
Restylane is a hyaluronic acid injection that is often used to plump the cheeks and other parts of the face that have started to lose volume. It is also a great selection for patients looking to smooth lines and folds like the ones that form around the nose and cheeks. Patients who receive Restylane usually see improvement within a few days and get results that last about 10 months.
BELOTERO
Belotero is a hyaluronic acid filler that can be used all over the face but is particularly effective in spots where the skin is thin. Patients who receive Belotero see improvement almost immediately and get results that can last up to a year.
RADIESSE
Radiesse contains calcium hydroxyapatite, which has many of the same minerals that are found in the bones and teeth. This filler jumpstarts collagen production in the skin, resulting in smoother, plumper, firmer features. This filler works especially well along the jawline and on the cheeks and chin. This filler offers an almost immediate improvement and gives patients results that last as long as 15 months.
WHO ARE DERMAL FILLERS RIGHT FOR?
Fillers are a great solution for adult men and women who want to improve aging skin and achieve a more rested, refreshed appearance. Fillers are suitable for all skin types and tones, as long as the skin is healthy. The best patients fully understand fillers and what they are capable of. These injectable treatments can rejuvenate an individual’s appearance, but the results are generally less dramatic than plastic surgery.
TREATMENT Q&A
ARE THE VARIOUS FILLERS THAT DIFFERENT?
All of the dermal fillers we offer work in similar ways to support and renew the skin, and they offer similar benefits. Due to the varying chemical formulations, there are subtle differences in their outcomes, which is why we may recommend one filler over another after reviewing your cosmetic concerns. The subtle differences in the fillers also affect how deeply we inject them.
ARE FILLERS EVER COMBINED WITH BOTULINUM TOXIN INJECTIONS?
Yes, many of our patients receive both fillers and botulinum toxin injections. Although the two injections address different aging concerns, they can be used simultaneously. While botulinum toxin injections focus primarily on relaxing wrinkles, fillers can be used to restore volume and tighten loose skin. During your initial consultation, we’ll recommend a treatment combination that will resolve your cosmetic concerns.
