Which Filler Lasts the Longest?
Does it feel like you notice new lines and wrinkles every day? Are you seeking a non-invasive, skin-rejuvenating option that can erase signs of ageing and restore a youthful appearance? If so, a long lasting dermal filler could be the treatment you’ve been looking for! At Preventous Cosmetic Medicine in Calgary, AB, we’re proud to offer several top-quality dermal fillers at our two office locations to help you achieve your cosmetic goals.
What You Need to Know About Long Lasting Dermal Fillers
Dermal fillers are designed to create a natural, long-lasting lift in the skin and combat common signs of ageing such as wrinkles, folds, and lines. They are often created with a body-friendly substance, such as hyaluronic acid, which creates a soft, skin-like texture and can be safely absorbed into the body over time. A long lasting dermal filler is injected directly into the skin to build volume, smooth away wrinkles, and rejuvenate the skin. There is zero downtime required after treatment, and results are instantly visible.
How Do Fillers Minimize Wrinkles?
Wrinkles form naturally over time as we age. Our bodies begin to decrease their production of collagen, which is the main structural protein in the skin. Existing collagen framework in the skin also begins to deteriorate, which leads to common concerns such as sagging skin, folds, lines, and wrinkles. In addition, moisturizing hyaluronic acid, which helps keep the skin soft and plump, begins to break down. This can lead to loss of volume, especially in the midface, cheeks, and around the mouth.
Dermal fillers are smooth gel or liquid products that are injected into the skin with a small needle. These substances immediately lift the skin, stretching it to its normal volume and erasing wrinkles and fine lines. Fillers can also be used to fill in hollow or sunken areas of the face or address mild to moderate skin laxity, which can cause loose or sagging skin around the jawline and neck. A long lasting dermal filler can produce results that last 6-18 months, restoring your confidence and giving your skin a fresh new look.
Which Types of Fillers Are Available?
At our offices, we offer three dermal filler treatments. These options are able to address the most common concerns connected with the ageing process. One of our skilled doctors can help you determine which treatment is the right fit for you during an initial consultation.
Juvederm
Juvederm is a specially designed gel made with hyaluronic acid, a natural, hydrating acid that exists in your body and helps keep your skin soft and moisturized. This gel is injected into the target areas, where it creates instant lift and fills in depressed or sunken areas. A normal appointment takes only 15-30 minutes, and you are able to return to all your normal activities as soon as your treatment is finished.
While each patient’s experience will differ, most patients find that their results last between 4-6 months, which is longer than most filler options. Once the filler begins to break down, the patient can pursue additional treatments as often as needed to maintain smooth, youthful skin. Most patients opt to follow a recommended treatment plan to help them maintain their ideal image for years to come.
Restylane
This popular filler is the number-one long lasting dermal filler thanks to its sophisticated design and excellent results. A typical treatment plan produces results which can last 6-18 months. This filler is formulated with a clear gel comprised of hyaluronic acid and water, which is biotechnologically engineered to be both structurally stable and easily malleable, giving it a seamless skin-like texture. Once injected, the gel helps nourish and plump the skin, erasing wrinkles almost instantly thanks to its noticeable lift.
Over the months following treatment, the injected gel begins to break down and absorb safely into the body. This process will involve the slow return of some signs of ageing, such as folds or lines in the skin. One of our doctors can help you design a treatment plan that fits your schedule and allows you to keep your skin looking and feeling its best.
Soft-Lift
When it comes to wrinkles, there are two main types: static wrinkles and dynamic wrinkles. Most dermal fillers treat static wrinkles, which are the lines and wrinkles in the skin that remain the same in spite of muscle or facial movement. Dynamic wrinkles, which are nearly invisible when the face is at rest, often become deeper and more noticeable when you make facial expressions. By combining Juvederm to treat static wrinkles and Botox, a popular and effective neuromodulator, to treat dynamic wrinkles, our doctors can create results that instantly lift your face and minimize all of your wrinkles for several months.
Juvederm is injected into your skin to lift and tighten the target area, erasing fine lines and wrinkles. Next, Botox is injected into strategic facial muscles to limit muscle movement and prevent dynamic wrinkles from deepening temporarily. Results develop over the next week and can last for three to six months in total. While final results are noticeable, they are also natural, which means no one will be able to tell that you had treatment unless you choose to tell them. Over time, your treated muscles will regain movement, and the Juvederm filler will be absorbed into the body.
What Skin Concerns Can be Treated?
Thanks to their versatility and natural-looking results, dermal fillers can be used to address multiple skin concerns related to ageing, common skin conditions, and more.
Wrinkles and Fine Lines
Wrinkles and fine lines are often associated with ageing, but the truth is that they often begin to develop as early as the mid-20s. As we grow older, the collagen structure in our skin breaks down, creating wrinkles. In addition, expression lines can become more prominent as time passes. These lines and wrinkles can be effectively treated with dermal fillers, which tighten the skin and smooth away these common signs of ageing instantly.
Skin Laxity
Loss of collagen and elastin proteins causes the skin to sag and droop with age. This often affects the midface, the jawline, and the area around the eyes and mouth. Dermal fillers can help treat mild to moderate skin laxity by lifting the skin and adding volume to restore the skin to its original appearance.
Scars
Scars can be notoriously difficult to minimize, but dermal fillers can help blend scars into the skin and reduce their appearance. Acne scars, including deep pit scars, can be lifted to the surface of the skin, while other scars can be volumized and smoothed to create an even skin texture.
Loss of Volume
As the skin ages, the face can lose its lift and volume. This especially affects the midface, where the cheeks can become hollow instead of rounded. Combined with lines and wrinkles, loss of facial volume can make you appear older or more tired than you actually are. Dermal fillers help volumize the cheeks and midface to restore a youthful appearance and rejuvenate the skin.
Loss of Contour
Areas like the jawline and lips can lose their contours as we age. The jawline can become undefined, while the lips can appear thinner. Dermal fillers can help redefine these areas of the face and deliver expertly contoured results designed to make you look younger.
How Does This Treatment Compare to a Facelift?
For many years, a facelift was the only way to address signs of ageing effectively. While this surgery is still the most long-lasting solution available, it cannot offer permanent results and comes with significant risks, downtime, and cost. Dermal fillers are considered safer and less invasive than facelift surgery. While results last anywhere between 3-18 months, treatment plans recommended by an experienced doctor can deliver excellent, semi-permanent results over time. For many patients, a long lasting dermal filler is the more convenient, comfortable, and cost-effective solution to signs of ageing.
What Should I Expect?
Consultation
Before your first appointment, you’ll meet with one of our doctors to determine your candidacy for this treatment. Your doctor will examine your areas of concern, review your treatment and medical history, and discuss your desired results. They will recommend the best long-lasting filler for your unique situation and help you design a personalized treatment plan to achieve your ideal image. Once you’re approved for treatment, you can begin looking forward to your first appointment!
Treatment
On the day of your appointment, we recommend that you avoid wearing makeup in the treatment areas. Your doctor will make sure your skin is clean and may apply a topical anesthetic to ensure your comfort during the injections. However, most of our patients report that they experience little to no discomfort during their appointment. Your doctor will use a small, thin needle to inject the dermal filler into the predetermined regions of your face, followed by a neuromodulator if you are having a Soft-Lift treatment.
A typical appointment lasts between 15-60 minutes, depending on the number of areas treated. You will be able to see the results of your dermal filler injections immediately, and you can return to your normal daily activities with zero downtime.
Results
Over the first 24-48 hours, you may experience some mild tenderness in the treated areas. If you have a neuromodulator injection in addition to a dermal filler injection, these results will take four to eight days to develop. You will notice that your muscles become temporarily immobile. You will still be able to make your normal expressions, but the appearance of dynamic wrinkles will be greatly improved.
Depending on the dermal filler your doctor recommended, you can expect your results to last between three and six months. This depends on the locations treated and how closely you follow your doctor’s instructions for recovery and aftercare. Once your results begin to fade, you can schedule your next appointment. After a full treatment plan, results can last up to 18 months. Patients who have regular maintenance appointments see a dramatic improvement in their overall appearance and confidence in their skin.
Am I an Ideal Candidate?
If you’re an adult man or woman concerned about the appearance of signs of ageing on your face or neck, you may be a perfect candidate for dermal fillers! Our patients are often over 40 years old, but younger patients in their 20s and 30s can also effectively minimize early signs of ageing with this simple treatment. If you have questions about your candidacy, one of our doctors can help evaluate you for treatment during your initial consultation.
Contact Us to Learn More!
To learn more about this transformative treatment, contact our team of experts at Preventous Cosmetic Medicine in Calgary, AB to schedule an initial consultation today! We hope to serve you at one of our two locations soon!