Old age is a beautiful thing in many ways. It comes with a lot of fulfillment and a bank of wonderful memories. It also comes with a certain calmness, of knowing that one has run their race. At a certain age, most people don’t even think about wrinkles and saggy skin.
However, these changes often seem to occur a bit too early. You develop wrinkles too quickly for comfort or notice that you’ve lost volume in different areas of your face. Or, you notice that your lips are not as full and beautiful as you might want.
Thanks to the many innovations taking place in the non-surgical cosmetic medicine industry, injectable dermal fillers are one of the best solutions on the market to address the problems of early signs of aging. With dermal fillers, lost volume can be replaced, age-related wrinkles can be smoothed out, depressed scars can be concealed and even facial contouring can be achieved.
What are Dermal Fillers and What Are They Made Of?
Also called injectable cosmetic fillers or injectable facial fillers, dermal fillers are safe, temporary treatments designed to be injected into the different skin layers to address wrinkles, straighten unwanted lines, replace volume loss, and enhance facial features.
Most fillers are made up of materials like hyaluronic acid or poly-L-lactic acid and calcium hydroxylapatite. No matter what they are made of, however, they are designed to be safe, compatible with the body, and to enhance the patient’s natural beauty. Here are some materials used to make dermal fillers.
Hyaluronic acid: This material is highly compatible with the body since it is found in body fluids and tissues. Hyaluronic acid is the main component of Juvederm Vollure XC and other Juvederm products.
Calcium hydroxylapatite: This is a compound found in human bone and is safe for use in fillers. This is advantageous as the body will most likely not view these fillers as a threat and reject or react to them.
Polylactic acid: This material is designed to stimulate the body’s collagen production mechanisms. Collagen is responsible for the fullness and firmness of the skin.
Polymethyl-methacrylate microspheres (PMMA): This is a semi-non absorbable filler used to make a whole wide range of fillers of which Juvederm and Restylane, are the most popular names.
However, for any type of filler and depending on the goals of the procedure, there are different techniques that can be used. The injecting technique to be used is determined by the specialist involved as well as the preference of the patient and should be aimed at providing optimal services to the patient. It’s a good idea for prospective patients to get acquainted with these different techniques before consulting with an aesthetic provider.
Dermal Filler Injection Techniques
Dermal filler treatments combine art and science in their injection techniques. These techniques are often used in combination for a particular treatment area.
Tunneling technique: This is the preferred choice for most aesthetic specialists. It involves inserting the needle at about an angle of 30-45 degrees in the path of the wrinkles or lines being targeted for treatment. The filler is injected during the withdrawal of the needle.
It is suitable for treating both superficial wrinkles, areas with diffuse volume losses, and deep-set lines. Also, the tunneling technique is considered the safest and the most natural-looking method of injecting fillers.
Stretching technique: This method is often used for filling in areas with appreciable loose skin. The skin surrounding the targeted wrinkle is stretched while the filler is injected. The stretching puts tension on the wrinkle being treated to highlight it. This combination of stretching and pressure makes it easy to insert the needle at specific and desired angles since the wrinkle is now more highlighted.
The point technique: Also called droplet, serial or multi-puncture, this technique is used to inject fillers into deeper layers of the skin. It involves injecting numerous small droplets of the fillers, 2-4 mm apart, into these deeper layers rather than injecting all the fillers at the same time. These small droplet injections are placed close together so that they can coalesce to fill up wrinkles and smooth out contours.
Beyond being used to treat isolated wrinkles, this method helps to fill large empty areas in deep tissues of the face. It improves the overall fullness of the skin, its hydration, and its ultimate appearance.
The dual-plane technique: This technique, also called the sandwich technique, involves injecting two different layers of the skin in the same area, usually the dermis and subdermal areas. It helps to create a natural effect that cuts across all facial movements and so is often used in high-movement areas. It is also used to treat wrinkles with underlying volume deficiency.
To fulfill this purpose, the doctor often uses more than one type of filler for this kind of treatment. A thinner filler is used for the superficial wrinkles while a thicker one is used for deeper volume losses in the subdermal areas.
Micro-papular technique: This involves injecting little droplets of fillers into the very superficial part of the dermis. Care should be taken to place the needle to a depth of about 1 to 3 mm.
Learn More About Dermal Fillers
It’s important to choose a provider who understands all the options for dermal filler techniques. While the procedure itself is simple, it is difficult to master. The aesthetic experts at Mirror Mirror Beauty Boutique in Houston offer patients great results and peace of mind. Call (281) 559-6947 today to schedule a consultation and learn more about your dermal filler options.