Hyaluronic Acid Dermal Fillers
Over time, our skin loses its volume, moisture and elasticity.
Dermal fillers aim to fill or restore volume where necessary and thus allow to recreate more harmonious facial contours and effectively fill wrinkles, furrows and some depressions on the face.
They are resorbable injectable implants, made from hyaluronic acid and injected with a thin needle. Dermal fillers also called facial fillers, improve the skin’s radiance by rehydrating it with hyaluronic acid.
These injectable fillers include Juvederm®, Belotero® and Restylane®.
What is hyaluronic acid?
Hyaluronic acid comes from non-animal sources and results from biofermentation technology. It is then stabilized with minimal chemical modifications to extend its durability (from 7 to 12 months), a particularly interesting property! Biodegradable implants usually lose their volume gradually. Hyaluronic acids maintain their volume during the degradation phase.
Thanks to its high water-conservation property (up to 1000 times its weight), hyaluronic acid will replace the progressive loss of its stabilization bridges during degradation by water molecules, until there are no longer enough matrices left to support the correction.
What can be treated with dermal fillers?
The possible corrections are numerous:
- Wrinkles of the glabella, nasolabial fold and corners-of-the-mouth
- Fine wrinkles of the lips and eyes
- Increases in volume (cheeks, chin, lips)
- Lip contour definition
- Correction of the lacrimal fossae (dark circles under the eyes).
Other treatments
Depending on the defect to be corrected, the support requirement, the fineness or depth of the wrinkle or the desired volume, your doctor will choose the appropriate product. This choice is made according to the properties of the said product: Teosyal®, Juvederm®, Restylane®. They share the same beneficial properties – transparency, non-animal origin, fluidity – but are injected at different depths in the skin.
Several types of injectable implants are available; Dr. Bernier will guide you through their pros and cons. Some conditions are better treated with surgery, such as blepharoplasty, while sometimes complementary techniques such as subcision, thread lift, or radiophotorejuvenation will enhance the expected results.
Frequently asked questions about hyaluronic acid dermal fillers
Are there contraindications?
Treatments on pregnant women should be avoided since no study has been carried out with these patients. Dermal fillers should not be injected in an area in which a permanent implant has been set or if there is the occurrence of inflammation or infection.
Are there precautions to be taken?
To avoid the risk of inflammation, it is preferable to avoid exposure to cutaneous heat or extreme cold for a few days. The treated area can be covered with makeup after 4 hours.
Are there related effects?
Reactions usually linked to injections can occur redness of the skin, tissue swelling, sensitivity, itching, and sometimes discolouration. These reactions are usually spontaneously resolved within 48 to 72 hours, but can also take up to 7 days for the lips.
Are there unwanted effects?
In 1 case out of 2,000, there have been reports about hypersensitivity reactions consisting in the hardening and thickening of a tissue sometimes related to reddening and sensitivity in the implant area. Such induration can last sometimes up to 4 weeks following the injections. These reactions have been described as “light” and “moderate,” and are spontaneously resolved at the end of 2 weeks on average.
Although no case has been reported with Dr. Bernier, injecting a hyaluronic acid implant in a blood vessel could jeopardize circulation and cause loss of tissue (necrosis with or without scarring).
Is it painful?
Some discomfort can be expected but it is tolerable. However, when it comes to the lips-the most sensitive part of the body-it usually requires a topical local anesthesia.
Are you interested in Hyaluronic Acid Dermal Fillers?
Please note that these products may not be suitable for everyone. Feel free to contact us for more information or to make an appointment with Dr. Bernier in Montreal, Sherbrooke or Val-d’Or.