Dermal Fillers
Dermal fillers are minimally invasive injectables that use hyaluronic acid (a substance our body makes) or other ingredients to improve signs of aging throughout the face and body. They excel at minimizing fine lines and wrinkles and filling in areas where volume has been lost, creating a much more youthful appearance without the need for extensive surgery or downtime.
Dermal fillers are the second most popular cosmetic procedure on the market, with more than 3.4 million soft tissue fillers administered throughout 2020, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
In fact, if you were to combine all of the surgical procedures — breast augmentation, liposuction, rhinoplasty, etc. — that were performed in 2020, you would still be more than a million procedures short of coming close to the number of dermal fillers.
That popularity isn’t an accident. Dermal fillers are a tried and true procedure for those people who feel they need them.
Why Do We Need Dermal Fillers?
But why do we need them? What happens in our lives and bodies that causes us to start considering procedures like dermal fillers? The answer is pretty simple: you age.
That is a bit of oversimplification, but it more or less summarizes the general problem. As we get older, essential bodily functions begin to break down. But many people don’t realize how early on this process can start.
Once you turn 20, your body will lose 1% of its total collagen production every year. That can cause enormous problems for your appearance since collagen is directly responsible for keeping your skin taut and smooth. When you lose 1% of it every year, you are bound to have some problems. We also lose volume in our fat pads (the good ones!) and the bone structure of our face.
But even if you manage to escape the decline of natural collagen production, there are other environmental factors like sun exposure and stress that can have drastic effects on the appearance of your skin.
What Do Dermal Fillers Treat?
Dermal fillers excel at treating a wide range of aesthetic concerns, such as:
- Cheek bones
- Hollow temples
- Jawline and chin
- Nasolabial folds
- Smoker’s lines
- Marionette Lines
- Poor facial volume
- Thin lips
- Shallow facial contour
- Volume loss
- Facial sagging
- Under eye circles
In some cases, the dermal fillers we offer can also be used to correct facial deformities that are congenital or a result of trauma and fill in recessed scars on the skin.
Am I a Candidate for Dermal Fillers?
Dermal fillers are considered to be highly safe procedures that are generally a good option for most people with cosmetic concerns. You are likely going to be a good candidate for dermal filler treatment if you are physically healthy, maintain an active lifestyle, have realistic goals in mind and prefer injectable over surgical treatment.
In some cases, pre-existing conditions may disqualify you as a safe candidate for dermal fillers. These cases are rare, and the only way to know for sure is to schedule a consultation with one of the team members at our Fresno location. They can review your medical history and thoroughly examine your unique situation.
What Are My Dermal Filler Options?
At Awaken Aesthetics, we offer a variety of dermal fillers, some of which include:
- Juvederm
- Voluma
- Radiesse
- (Sculptra)
- Bellotero
- Revanesse
- Restylane
- RHA fillers (Tioxane)
How Should I Prepare for Dermal Fillers?
Unlike surgical facial treatments, there is no need for extensive preparation. Your procedure is performed in the office, can be completed in under 30 minutes in most cases and does not require you to plan any time off ahead of time.
We recommend that all of our patients do ample amounts of research and visit our before and after photos to get a clear understanding of the types of results they can expect. You may also get a list of pre-procedural instructions to follow as you move closer to your procedure day.
These instructions are usually very brief and can range anywhere from avoiding facial cleansing masks to altering long-term medication (an extremely rare scenario).
What Should I Expect from a Dermal Filler Procedure?
There are four main steps to a dermal filler: assessment, anesthetic, injection, completion.
Assessment: When it comes time for you to have your filler performed, one of our medical professionals will come to examine your conditions and the injection site. They may mark your face for ideal injection points to reference during the procedure, but this is not always the case.
Anesthetic: Once your anatomy has been thoroughly examined and a treatment plan finalized, your medical team will clean the surrounding area of your injections and then give you a local anesthetic. The type of numbing agent we provide will depend on your preference and need.
Injection: Each injection site only requires a few minutes to complete. Your medical professional will often lightly massage the injection to make sure it is naturally spread throughout the face.
Completion: After the injections are completed, your face will be cleaned once more to protect against infection. Ice packs and compression will help immediately reduce the minor swelling that sometimes occurs after the procedure.
From start to finish, the entire dermal filler process can take anywhere between 15 and 60 minutes to complete.
What Should I Expect During Recovery from Dermal Fillers?
You may experience some minor pain, discomfort, swelling, redness, soreness or bruising at the injection site. These symptoms are typical and will usually subside within two or three days. You need not worry about avoiding activities or taking time from work. You can get right back to your regular lifestyle immediately.
What Kind of Results Can I Expect from Dermal Fillers?
When you have dermal fillers performed by our team of medical professionals at Awaken Aesthetics, you can expect to see drastic improvements to your facial appearance. Fine lines and wrinkles can be smoothed over, lackluster areas can be bolstered with additional volume and new facial contours can be formed.
Your results will be long-lasting and durable but not permanent. Depending on your specific treatment, your results could last anywhere from 6 months to 2 or more years. Everyone reacts differently to the injections, and there is no one to know how you will respond ahead of time.
Dermal Fillers in Fresno, CA
If you are ready to set up an appointment to see if dermal fillers can help you achieve your aesthetic goals, give our office a call at (559) 777-2956 to schedule a consultation. You can also complete our online contact form to receive a call back at a more convenient time. We are looking forward to being your guide throughout this process!