Juvederm Dermal Fillers by Allergan

Injectable fillers are substances designed to:

• enhance volume,
• erase wrinkles,
• augment lips,
• induce collagen production and
• overall restore the youthful 3-dimensional contour of the face.

There are many filler choices: Hyaluronic Acid, a naturally occurring human protein responsible for cushioning the skin, and newer fillers or volumizers that are meant to fill larger volume loss like sunken cheeks, lost cheekbones, and very deep nasolabial folds and marionette lines. 

Hyaluronic acid dermal fillers are produced by human genes inserted into a bacterium for reproduction. It is a highly "conserved" protein, meaning that its genetic composition is almost exactly the same in 97% of animal species. This gives an extremely low incidence of allergic reactions, hence there is no need for pre-treatment skin testing.

If you think of the skin as a 3-dimensional lattice with the structure mostly composed of collagen (which are like large ropes intertwined on each other) and elastin (which gives it its bounce and keeps it from getting stiff), then hyaluronic acid is the gel that is found between these structural proteins in the skin to cushion them. Thus, it has a very natural feel and cannot be seen since it is clear. Hyaluronic acid is hygroscopic which means that it draws water very strongly to it, yielding a larger volume effect than the material would have by itself.

The typical areas treated are;

• the nasolabial folds (lines from the end of the nose to the end of the lips),
• perioral area (wrinkles around the lips),
• wrinkles of the cheeks, and
• marionette lines (lines from the corners of the mouth to the jawline, accentuating the downturn of the mouth) and
• Lip augmentation provides definition without looking overdone to lips that have become thin and wrinkled.
• Other areas include filling in acne scars,
• "tear-trough deformity" (hollow under-eye circles), hollow cheeks, cheek-lift, brow-lift and
• Resculpting the jawline by lessening the effect of jowls and sagging.
• Your hands age quickly because they’re constantly exposed to the elements, and it’s an area often overlooked in terms of sun protection. Even if you’re diligent with sun protection, your hands will naturally start to age because the fat layer disappears. Dermal fillers, however, result in longer-lasting results with a minimal need for follow-up treatments.

Artistically performed injectable fillers can improve your appearance within one week.

Dermal fillers such as Juvederm 24 and Juvéderm Hydrate can also be used to improve ageing hands, décolleté, and skin. Multiple micro-injections are placed in the dermis to attract water and instantly plump up the skin.

To understand the various treatments of wrinkles, one must understand that there are different kinds of wrinkles, dynamic wrinkles, and static wrinkles. Dynamic wrinkles are those wrinkles and lines that appear when your face is animated. Static wrinkles are those facial lines that are evident even when our face is at rest and is better treated with dermal fillers. Unlike injectable wrinkle reducers, dermal fillers can be used to treat both dynamic and static wrinkles.

Static wrinkles are wrinkles that are evident even when our face is at rest. Sleeping positions are one of the main causes of static wrinkles. Resting your face on the pillow, in the same way, every night for years on end also leads to wrinkles. Called sleep lines, these wrinkles eventually become etched on the surface of the skin and no longer disappear when the head is not resting on the pillow. Women, who tend to sleep on their sides, are most likely to see these lines appear on their chin and cheeks. Men tend to notice these lines on the forehead since they usually sleep with the face pressed face down on the pillow. People who sleep on their backs do not develop these wrinkles since their skin does not lie crumpled against the pillow. Unlike Botox, dermal fillers can be used to treat both dynamic and static wrinkles.

Wrinkle treatment should start as soon as one sees a wrinkle developing when the wrinkles are still "soft". If these wrinkles are neglected they become "ingrained" and "scar-like" they are impossible to treat successfully.

If we intervene early and fill in wrinkles with dermal fillers, then we can prevent the breaks in the skin, commonly known as wrinkles. In addition, if the wrinkles are filled up with fillers, this exerts pressure on the fibroblasts in the area, and collagen is stimulated which then gets incorporated into the wrinkle area and causes prolonged filling effects and wrinkle improvement.

Repeated filler injections (every 6 to 12 months) will ensure a superior long term result as collagen is continually stimulated. In addition to wrinkles, often an aging face is less about a softening jawline and more about losing volume higher up in the face viz the temples, the eyebrow area, the anterior and lateral cheeks. When the lower parts of the face start dropping, gravity is defied by lifting and replacing the lost volume with injections of dermal fillers in the upper parts of the face. Soft tissue volumizing techniques using dermal fillers reverse these atrophic changes, yielding outstanding results, and all with minimal downtime.

Most tissue in the human body contains hyaluronic acid especially the skin, the eyeballs, and the cartilages. The Hyaluronic acid acts as a natural sponge/shock absorber, especially in one's joints. As one gets older, the body produces less hyaluronic acid. This is one of the reasons older patients suffer from OA (osteoarthritis) as they lose the sponginess provided by hyaluronic acid. The skin also becomes dehydrated and thus by replacing the hyaluronic acid in one’s skin and lips, the hydration and thickness of one’s skin will improve. Hyaluronic acid also stimulates one’s own natural collagen once it has been injected into the skin. When the wrinkles are filled up with fillers, this exerts pressure on the fibroblasts in the area, and collagen is stimulated which then gets incorporated into the wrinkle area and causes prolonged filling effects and wrinkle improvement.

In addition, when the hyaluronic acid starts breaking down, this produces an intermediate fragment of hyaluronic acid which stimulates collagen resulting in prolonged beneficial effects of the filler...a win-win situation!

Consumers are always interested in maintaining a youthful appearance, and as the global population's median age increases, this market is increasingly expanding. Numerous studies have shown that gravity is not the only determinant of aging, which is a complex process involving tissue atrophy and bone resorption. These two factors create a hollowing and sagging appearance with a loss of facial volume and contours which have a profound effect on the appearance of the midface. Most people can see that they are looking older but do not recognize that volume loss is the reason that their face is beginning to "sink" and "sag".

Traditionally surgical facelifts have been used to tighten skin and muscle and reduce the appearance of sagging but surgery cannot restore lost volume. For those who would rather steer clear of going under the knife to shave a few years off their appearance, a new aesthetic procedure that works without visibly wounding the skin is quickly gaining popularity…The Liquid Facelift.

The Liquid Facelift is a facial contouring procedure that involves the use of strategically placed Botox and dermal fillers around the face. This "injectable facelift" can create a younger, plumper look and address concerns like lines, wrinkles, volume loss, and sagging. This "injectable facelift" has been making a noticeable impact in aesthetic medicine during the past few years. It is typically more subtle than surgery and an increasing number of individuals are trying liquid facelift procedures before traditional facelift procedures.

Patients are not alone in having a difficult time seeing volume loss; many aesthetic clinicians do not fully recognize mid-face volume loss and the degree to which it contributes to facial aging.

At Renewal Institute we recognize volume loss and we have developed a new grading system that evaluates facial folds and creases and helps the clinician calculate the appropriate amount of a specific dermal filler program required to attain specific corrective facial goals. This new grading system can also be used to help patients understand their degree of volume loss and their treatment plan.

You are at an age where, typically, the skin starts to lose volume and begins to sag. We use dermal fillers to replace the volume that has been lost in the skin putting back the plumpness that is lost from natural fat pads atrophying. Dermal fillers are made up of Hyaluronic acid, which is an ingredient that naturally occurs in your skin, so it is not foreign to the skin. A good filler will enhance your skin by putting back "shape" where you have lost it. Because we are not injecting anything foreign to the skin, you are very unlikely to have any "reactions" to the filler. Some fillers (not all) contain a numbing agent to make the injection process more comfortable for patients, and if there is anything you may react to it would be the numbing agent (should you choose to have this type of filler). The worst that could happen is that you have some bruising from the injecting, which will resolve quite quickly, and you may have a bit of swelling for a day or two. Botox on the other hand does not give you volume at all. Many people think that Botox does the same thing as a filler, but the two could not be more different. Botox simply treats lines and dynamic wrinkles in the skin, by stopping the skin’s ability to "frown". So if it is volume you are needing, Botox would definitely not be an option for you. 

At Skin Renewal, dermal fillers are commonly performed at the same visit as injectable wrinkle reducers…the Liquid Facelift. These help with the upper one-third of the face whereas injectable fillers generally help with the lower two-thirds. The combination is one of the most widely used and most effective methods of achieving a significant aesthetic improvement within 1-2 weeks time.

There is virtually no swelling or bruising, so normal daily activities can be resumed immediately after the treatment. At Renewal Institute the option of a complimentary PDT/LED after the procedure is available. This is a healing, anti-aging light that further reduces bruising and swelling and prolongs the effect of the filler. 

You may put makeup on immediately and resume whatever activities you have planned, as long as you recognize that you will be a little red and swollen for half a day to a few days.

At Skin Renewal you are asked to have a follow-up consult at two weeks when everything is settled to evaluate your results and ensure that you are satisfied with the outcome and have had no problems. Try to avoid aspirin, myprodol, omega 3, or products containing a high-dosage vitamin E supplement for 10 days before the filler procedure (unless medically necessary) to avoid bruising.

After the filler procedure, it's recommended to avoid saunas and steam baths for 2 weeks.

Hyaluronic acid dermal fillers are produced by human genes inserted into a bacterium for reproduction.

It is a highly "conserved" protein, meaning that its genetic composition is almost exactly the same in 97% of animal species. This gives it an extremely low incidence of allergic reactions, hence there is no need for pre-treatment skin testing.

The above-mentioned fillers have been used in millions of patients for more than 12 years with a very low incidence of side effects and thus are considered very safe.

At Skin Renewal, tens of thousands of patients have been treated with Dermal Fillers with no side effects and great results.

Laser and dermal fillers would very possibly be good options, and perhaps even some carboxytherapy (a combination of the 3 would give you great results). Other options that are highly effective, but do come with a fair bit of downtime include treatments such as Jett Plasma, CO2 Fractional Laser, Pearl Fractional Laser or Fraxel Laser. There are certainly many things that could be a consideration, even under eye dermal filler might be an option, but it all depends on the severity of the condition and the outcome that you are hoping to achieve. It is very important to choose the correct "tools" for the job. 

Yes, all skin types can be safely treated with dermal fillers.