Dermal fillers are substances or gels that are used for soft tissue augmentation by replacing the lost volume of subcutaneous fat , for face contouring and to treat fine facial wrinkles. They are effective in facial rejuvenation. They have immediate results with no downtime.

They may be permanent or temporary. 

SYMPTOMS

Dermal fillers are used to treat wrinkles on the face. 

• They are used to treat nasolabial folds (smile lines), or other fine lines on the face
• Periorbital hollowing (tear troughs) can also be addressed with fillers. 
• Hollow cheeks and temples can be filled with fillers. 
• The fillers are also used to fill any depressed scars on skin. 
• Fillers can help in improving the cheekbones and chin prominence thus making your face more attractive. Narrow, thin lips can be filled with fillers to give a more youthful look.
• They are often used for hand treatments or to reduce the appearance of scars.

PROCEDURE

It does not require anesthesia. All dermal fillers are available in prefilled syringes with (26-32 g) needles. The surgeon should perform the skin test of the filler prior to treatment. Syringe is injected sub dermally at a specific angle with beveled surface upward and dermal filler is injected slowly while withdrawing the syringe and the defect fills immediately. Slight massage can be done. 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. Is dermal fillers safe?
Yes, it’s safe to use hyaluronic acid fillers, Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a substance which occurs naturally in the cells of the skin, thus there is no risk of allergic reactions.
2. When will I get filler results?
Results will be immediate with improvement in 2 to 4 weeks
3. How long will a filler persist?
It depends on the type of filler and the site of injection. Most temporary fillers last between 9 to18 months.
4. What are the side effects of fillers?
side effects are rare , but patient may experience

a) Bruising:  use of microneedles reduces the risk of bruising.

b) Contour irregularities can and do occasionally occur. Massaging can usually smooth out any lumps however if persistent the filler can easily be dissolved.

c) Infection

d) Necrosis: very rare complication. It occurs if filler is injected in blood vessel supplying that area

e) Blindness :it occurs if filler accidently enters the vascular supply of the eye during periorbital dermal filler injection.

5. What is the downtime of the procedure?

There is no downtime. One can resume work immediately after injection.

Written by :  Dr. Yusra Afzal
Copyrights: Pakistan association of Plastic Surgeons