What You Should Know About Wrinkle Fillers

njectable wrinkle fillers can give you a more youthful look for a fraction of what a traditional facelift costs. Most will fill lines and wrinkles in less than 30 minutes with results that can last from 4 months to more than a year.

Injectable wrinkle fillers, unlike Botox injections that relax the muscle under a wrinkle, fill the line, crease, or area with one of several different substances. As a result, trouble spots nearly disappear.

http://www.webmd.com/beauty/facial-fillers/wrinkle-fillers-what-you-should-know

Wrinkle fillers can also be used as "volumizers," plumping and lifting cheeks, jawlines, and temples; filling out thin lips, and plumping sagging hands.

The treatment is fast and easy. But all wrinkle fillers have a downside, including the risk of allergic reaction and the formation of tiny bumps under the skin. In some cases, those bumps may be permanent. And sometimes, a bluish skin discoloration known as the Tyndall effect happens. The color change can last for several months, but there are treatments available. In very rare cases, skin cells may die if the wrinkle fillers are not used properly. There have also been a few reported cases of blindness and nerve paralysis. Typically, the wrinkle fillers that last longer are the ones more likely to cause side effects.

Not every wrinkle-filler is right for every type of wrinkle. The least risks and best results come from using the right one correctly. That's why you should only have fillers injected by a board-certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon with ongoing, special training.

Here is a breakdown of available wrinkle fillers. It includes their basic ingredients, how they work, their pros and cons, and the best areas for treatment. Your doctor can help you choose the right one for you.

Hyaluronic Acid Wrinkle Fillers

The most popular category of wrinkle fillers is hyaluronic acid. Each type works in a slightly different way with varying results.

Side effects are rare but can include redness, swelling, and bruising at the injection site. The filler may also show up under the skin as tiny bumps. This is a problem that often improves over time.

How long the results last varies from several months to over a year or two. Some research shows that repeated injections may help stimulate the body's own natural production of collagen. That will help reduce the number of lines and wrinkles. There is also some evidence that less filler is needed over time to achieve the same look.

Hyaluronic wrinkle fillers include:

• Belotero Balance
• Captique
• Elevess
• HylaForm
• Juvederm 24HV
• Juvederm 30
• Juvederm 30HV
• Juvederm Ultra
• Juvederm Ultra Plus
• Juvederm Voluma XC
• Perlane
• Perlane-L
• Prevelle Silk
• Restylane
• Restylane-L
• Restylane Silk
• 
  
• Synthetic Wrinkle Fillers
• This smaller category of wrinkle fillers includes lab-made substances that are not related to anything found naturally in the skin.
• All the fillers in this group have similar side effects, such as redness, swelling, or bruising at the site of the injection. Other side effects include nodules or bumps under the skin that can be seen and felt and that, in rare instances, may require surgery to remove.

  The benefits include a longer-lasting effect. And at least one filler offers permanent filling of lines and creases. Remember, products with longer-lasting effects are more likely to cause side effects. And when not used correctly, synthetic wrinkle fillers may cause disfigurement.

  Synthetic wrinkle fillers include:

  • Radiesse
  • Sculptra
  • Silicone

  Collagen Wrinkle Fillers

  Scientists made the first wrinkle fillers from a purified form of collagen extracted mostly from cows. Although it worked well and offered a natural-looking fill, the results didn't last long. Most collagen injections began to break down as early as 1 month after treatment. Because these wrinkle fillers were made from an animal source, they also had a higher rate of allergic reaction and required allergy testing beforehand.

  New ways of processing the collagen have helped lower the risks. Plus, new forms of synthetic collagens are making these injections safer and more useful to a wider range of people. Although the results don't last as long as other wrinkle fillers, many believe the results are more natural looking.

  Side effects of collagen injections include some risk of allergic reaction (mostly for those still using cow sources), as well as bruising and redness at the site of the injection.

  Collagen injections include:

  • ArteFill
  • Cosmoderm
  • Evolence
  • Fibrel
  • Zyderm
  • Zyplast