Increasing Popularity of Facial Fillers

Mankind's never ending quest to look and feel younger is brought closer to fruition with the advent of an assortment of injectable fillers to smooth away wrinkles. Products that are less painful, longer lasting, more effective, and show immediate results are forces driving the increasing popularity of facial fillers today.

Of course, the ultimate goal of cosmetic surgeons and people seeking to get rid of the signs of age is to have a product that is painless, immediate, and permanent. Since 1982, when collagen fillers were first approved by the FDA for cosmetic procedures, great strides have been made. There are now several filler options available, each addressing different aesthetic needs.

Collagen is the underlying structure of your skin, giving support to the outermost layer of skin and protecting the sub-cutaneous layer where most of the blood vessels and other important items are. Naturally, scientist turned to ways to try to replace this structural layer by introducing external collagen back into the areas where breakdown occurred.

The first fillers were bovine, or cattle, derived collagen. Currently, there are three types of bovine collagen in use today, Zyderm I, Zyderm II, and Zyplast. Each type is combined in different proportions to serve different needs. Collagen is less expensive than other synthetic options, but requires allergic skin testing prior to treatment. The immediate goal of facial fillers is limited with collagen.

Cosmoderm I, Cosmoderm II, and Cosmoplast are collagen derivatives made from human cadavers. These products are mixed in the same proportion as the bovine collagen and are used in the same manner. The chances of allergic reaction, however, are greatly decreased since they are human derivatives. Currently, collagen is the least painful because it is the only type of filler with lidocaine mixed with it. With other fillers, the lidocaine reacts with the other components, breaking them down and ruining their effects.

Newer fillers based on hyaluronic acid are proving to be very effective and long lasting. Hyaluronic acid types of fillers, such as Restylane and Perlane, do not require skin testing and can be injected immediately after deciding on treatment. These types of fillers are more expensive and slightly more painful since lidocaine cannot be included with the injection, but they address the immediate and long lasting goals very well. While they are not permanent, they last anywhere from six months to a year.

Another common filler, Radiesse, is composed of calcium-based microspheres that are suspended in a water-based gel. Radiesse does not require allergic skin testing and can be injected right immediately following consultation with the doctor. The effects of Radiesse last for several months and actually stimulate natural collagen growth.

The longest lasting types of fillers so far are polylactic acid based fillers like Sculptra, which is used to treat lipotrophy, or facial fat loss. Lipotrophy affects larger areas of the face and needs more volume filler that lasts a long time. Sculptra is applied in three to five applications over approximately four to six weeks to build up the underlying dermal area.