Fillers

What is facial filler?

Facial fillers are substances injected into the skin to smooth wrinkles and make them less noticeable. Injection of a facial filler is generally an outpatient procedure that's done with numbing medication. The procedure takes up to an hour. You might have mild discomfort, bruising, and swelling for up to a week. After the swelling goes down, you might need a touch-up injection for the best results. How long the effect lasts depends on the type of wrinkle and filler, among other factors.

Filler injections are customized per patient, depending on their needs. These can be performed in areas involving the face and eyelid region, forehead, and lips. It cannot, however, stop the process of aging. It can temporarily diminish the look of wrinkles and soft tissue depressions. These injections may be performed as a single procedure, in combination with other treatments such as Botox®, or as an adjunct to surgical procedure.

Continuing treatments are necessary in order to maintain the effect of the fillers over time. Once injected it will be slowly absorbed by the body. The length of effect is variable per individual; however, studies have shown the results may last as long as 9 months to 1 year.

Alternative Treatments

Improvement of skin wrinkles and soft tissue depressions may also be accomplished by other treatments. Options include laser skin surface treatments, chemical peels, microdermabrasion, Botox® injections, alternative types of skin fillers, or surgery such as facelift, brow lift, or blepharoplasty when indicated. Other options not mentioned here may exist. Risks and potential complications are associated with alternative forms of medical and surgical treatment.

Risks of Injections

Every procedure involves a certain amount of risk and it is important you understand these and the possible complications associated with them. Every procedure also has limitations. An individual’s choice to undergo this procedure is based on the comparison of the risk to the potential benefit. Although most patients do not experience the following, you should discuss each of them with your physician to make sure you understand the risks and limitations of Juvéderm® injections.

• Allergic reaction at the injection site or throughout the body

• Swelling and inflammation

• Changes in skin color (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation) on brown or Black skin

• Mild pain

• Bleeding or bruising at the injection sit

• Infection

• Scarring

• Irregularities in the surface, contours, and firmness of the skin

• Rarely, blood vessel damage