Injectable hyaluronic acid (HA) dermal fillers.

As we age, we begin losing collagen around age 25 and elastin around 45. This is a natural process that creates structural changes and volume loss resulting in sagging, wrinkled and drooping skin.  With these loses, we also have a decrease in skin elasticity contributing to skin folds, wrinkles and shadowing. Our facial fat-pads lose their volume producing a sunken appearance.

HA (Hyaluronic Acid) fillers are injectable sugars, found naturally in our bodies, that both stimulate the creation of collagen, as well as absorbing water to plump up.  This helps restore facial volume, smooth wrinkles, and can be shaped to create youthful contours in areas like lips, cheeks, nasal labia folds and marionette lines, under-eye hollows, temple areas.  Results are immediate and usually last 6–18 months as the body reabsorbs and disperses the HA.

Ha fillers are unique in that they can be dissolved by injecting hyaluronidase.  Injecting and shaping HA fillers takes aesthetic skills.  The goal of shaping is artistic, and not all injectors are equally skilled, so patients can take some comfort knowing less than expected results can be removed, for a price.   There are other less common forms of dermal fillers which are not reversible, but do have the benefit of longer lasting results. 

Potential side effects include swelling, bruising, and redness, which usually subside in 1-2 weeks. While rare with trained injectors, a severe risk is vascular occlusion, when the injector accidently injects filler that blocks off blood flow of an artery of vein.  Such events need to be quickly identified and corrected to avoid permanent damage. 

Finally, there are many brands and filler types for different applications.  The best providers will use a variety of HA products to optimize results in different locations, as opposed to providers that will carry only a few fillers to decrease inventory and increase volumes to maximize profitability.