In our last post we talked about Botox and Dysport. The bottom line is that they are very similar medications that are used to treat the same group of problems. Botox and Dysport are part of a group of medications called neuro-modulators. Neuro-modulators are the number one cosmetic treatment performed in America. The number two most common treatment is hyaluronic acid dermal fillers.
Hyaluronic acid dermal fillers are also injected in the office as a lunchtime type, minimally invasive treatment. That means that they also have very little downtime (though they have a little more downtime than Botox and Dysport). Dermal fillers add volume to the skin or fat pads. They make you look younger because, as we age, we lose volume in our faces. By adding that volume back, we look younger. In future posts I’ll explain in much more detail why adding volume to you face can really make you look younger. For now I am going to tell you about some of the products on the market.
There are many types of dermal fillers. However, by far the most popular are those made of hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a natural skin substance, so these fillers are safe and healthy to use. They are a soft gel that looks very natural in the skin. They also have the advantage of being reversible. If for some reason you are unhappy with your treatment, some, or all of the filler can be safely dissolved in a matter of minutes. That makes this treatment very unique. You can try it knowing that if you are not happy, it can be completely reversed. Even if you love your treatment (the most likely scenario) it does not last forever. These fillers generally last about six months to a year, depending on the part of your face that is treated, and your metabolism.
There are many different brands of hyaluronic acid fillers. In our opinion there are two brands that outshine the rest. These are Restylane and Juvederm. In future posts I’ll talk about the differences, but like Botox and Dysport, they are more similar than different. Restylane comes in two different forms. The most commonly used is Restylane. The same chemical comes in a thicker form called Perlane. So Restylane and Perlane are like two strengths of the same thing. Juvederm also comes in two forms. The most common is called Juvederm Ultra and the thicker form is called Juvederm Ultra Plus. Again two different strengths of the same medication. Both of the Restylane and Juvederm products come with out with out a numbing medication call lidocaine. That makes the injections more comfortable. I won’t confuse you with the names of the products with and without lidocaine. You don’t need to know that. You can just ask you doctor if you are getting the Juvederm, or Restylane with the numbing medication included. He/She will know what you’re talking about.
Dermal fillers changed everything in the field of facial cosmetic surgery. In future posts we’ll talk about how they work, what it is like to get a treatment, and a whole lot of other fun stuff about these remarkable treatments. If you would like to read more about Juvederm and Restylane click here.
Posted by Dr. Cohen 
