When considering which filler to use to improve your appearance, it makes sense to educate yourself on the different types of wrinkle fillers available and how they work with the types of wrinkles you have.
Hyaluronic Acid Fillers are typically used to fill in “wrinkles at rest”. “Wrinkles at Rest” are wrinkles that are present without action. Examples of these types of wrinkles are the nasolabial folds (two folds of skin that run on each side of the nose to the corners of your mouth), marionette lines also known as “smile lines” (these are the lines that run from the sides of your nostrils down to the corners of your mouth), and last, but not least, there are lipstick lines – these are lines or wrinkles above your lips that cause your lipstick to bleed into your face.
Hyaluronic acid fillers can also be used to fill in:
- Smoker’s lines – vertical lines that occur around the mouth or lips (perioral lines) sometimes known as “lipstick” lines
- Worry lines that run across the forehead (forehead lines) that exist without moving facial muscles
- Cheek depressions
- Acne Scars
Another type of wrinkle, are wrinkles that are created by movement or actions. Wrinkles that are created by movement are sometimes referred to as “Dynamic Wrinkles”.
Dynamic Wrinkles include:
Forehead wrinkles, Frown Lines (between the eyebrows), and Crow’s Feet are a few examples of Dynamic Wrinkles.
Fillers that are used to reduce or remove the appearance of wrinkles vary and certain fillers work better than others depending on the type of wrinkles we are working to either erase or improve.
Hyaluronic acid is a natural occurring substance that is found in all living organisms – it is grown in a lab yet is genetically identical to the hyaluronic acid found in your body. Because of its natural composition, allergy testing is not needed before receiving hyaluronic acid filler injections.
Types of Fillers include:
Juvéderm Voluma
One of the newer hyaluronic acid fillers, Juvéderm, is formulated with lidocaine built into it and is also FDA approved. One major benefit of Juvederm Voluma is that it is cross-linked through a process called Vycross. Vycross linking helps provide better lifting capacity and makes Voluma last twice as long as many other fillers with it lasting anywhere from nine months to a year.
Juvéderm is also good for adding volume to sunken cheeks and lips.
Restylane® is the name of a cosmetic filling agent or dermal filler used to smooth lines and wrinkles in the skin. Restylane® is biocompatible and enjoys a favorable product safety record. The gel-like substance is injected underneath the wrinkle to provide fullness and a smoother appearance.
Calcium Hydroxyapatite (Radiesse) Fillers
This cosmetic filler is made of the minerals that give bone its strength and texture. These minerals are ground into tiny particles and suspended in water solution, which is injected under the skin.
Dynamic Wrinkles are typically treated with Botox also known as Botulinum toxin. Botulinum toxin is bacteria that can be found in the intestinal tracts of fish and mammals and in some crabs and other shellfish. It is used medically to treat certain muscular conditions and cosmetically remove wrinkles by temporarily paralyzing muscles.
Where Botulinum toxin or Botox came from and how its benefits were discovered is interesting in that, it was used to weaken eye and lid muscles to prevent spasms before discovering that it also helped prevent wrinkles.
Botulinum toxin is sold commercially under the names:
- Botox
- Vistabel
- Dysport (formerly known as Reloxin)
- Bocouture (Xeomin)
- Myobloc
In some cases, Botox is used in conjunction with hyaluronic acid fillers to treat deeper lines.
To find out more information about Botox.
As with any medical procedure its always best to discuss your situation and what’s best for you with your doctor.
