Facial Fillers - 5 Popular Myths Debunked
Dermal facial fillers are a great non-surgical approach to enhance your appearance by restoring volume and providing structure. As you age, your face naturally thins and loses baby fat - giving you a sunken or sagging look. Fillers help plump your face and lips back up - providing lift and definition. This reduces fine lines and wrinkles, softens facial creases, and reduces the hollowed look around the eyes. Fillers can also improve the overall symmetry of your face and lips. Ultimately it’s an effective aesthetic treatment to help you achieve your beauty goals! Unfortunately, there are misconceptions out there about facial fillers that you’ve likely heard. I don’t want these myths to keep you from enjoying the benefits of this treatment.
So here are 5 myths about facial fillers – and why they aren’t true!
1. Fillers and Botox Are Not the Same
Dermal fillers and Botox (or any neurotoxin) often get mixed up or grouped together as the same product. But these cosmetic injectables couldn’t be more different! Really, the only similarity is that they are injected into your face for aesthetic purposes. Other than that – these products work differently and achieve very different results.
Dermal fillers restore lost volume and lift the facial tissue, helping decrease wrinkles by filling them in from the inside. The fillers I use at Polished MedSpa are Juvederm and Restylane, which are both made with Hyaluronic Acid (HA). This product is a smooth injectable gel-like substance that plumps up the injected area. The gel itself fills the space with volume, and also attracts water to the area – replenishing moisture and hydrating your skin.
On the other hand, tox’s like Botox work by temporarily paralyzing your facial muscles to stop the repetitive movements causing wrinkles. The active ingredient is botulinum toxin type A. By stopping the muscles from contracting, it prevents current wrinkles from getting worse and new wrinkles from forming. You can read more about tox’s in this blog.
While very different, a tox used in conjunction with a filler is an effective strategy in treating wrinkles.
2. Fillers are Irreversible and Permanent
Hyaluronic Acid (HA) fillers do not stay in your face forever, and if you’re unhappy with the result you’re not stuck with it. These fillers are a temporary treatment that generally last anywhere from 6 to 12 months. Hyaluronic Acid is a biodegradable product that your body naturally reabsorbs very gradually over time.
HA can be dissolved with hyaluronidase, a reversal agent that quickly and safely removes the product. The best way to avoid needing this is to only work with a reputable, credentialed injector who is experienced with administering dermal fillers.
3. Fillers are a Risky Cosmetic Procedure
The Hyaluronic Acid (HA) most fillers are made of is a substance your body naturally produces. It already exists all throughout your body – with the highest concentrations in your skin, eyes, and joints.
Who has the most HA naturally? A baby! Those chubby cheeks are smooth, firm, plump, and well-hydrated. As we age, our body’s production of HA declines rapidly and we see that change as our baby fat fades away. Youth is wasted on the young!
Juvederm and Restylane are both FDA approved products. Those who react to a HA filler are likely allergic to a different substance, such as the lidocaine that is often used as a numbing agent in some injectable fillers. While safe, fillers are still a medical procedure and you need to take that into consideration when considering the financial aspect of the treatment. What IS risky, is getting your filler done by someone unqualified to perform the procedure, or someone who is using low quality products.
You do get what you pay for, and if you shop around for deals you’re risking receiving products that could be over-diluted, expired, or completely fake. An unskilled provider will also leave you with results that will make you cringe and have you running to a reputable professional to fix the aftermath. And ultimately spending more to correct the damage!
4. Fillers Make Your Face Look Puffy and Stretch Out Your Skin
Yes, overfilling your face could make it look puffy and unnatural, but this is a result you should only experience with an unqualified, inexperienced injector. When injected gradually, dermal fillers will give you subtle, natural results that improve overtime as you slowly increase the volume. Slow and steady always wins the aesthetic race in my book!
You may have heard once the filler is reabsorbed, your skin will become more stretched out. This simply isn’t true. As the filler fades away, your skin will revert back to how it looked prior to the injections. Fillers like Restylane actually stimulate collagen production, which makes your skin more elastic and firm.
5. Fillers Will Give Your Huge, Unnatural Lips
Overdone lips, the trout pout, duck lips - these results give lip filler a bad, unjust reputation. When getting lip filler, you’re not signing up for overly plump lips (unless, of course, this is the look you’re going for!) Treating a more natural lip (or patient) is my speciality, patients come to me because they are happy to see the natural work I can give someone. When done correctly, lip fillers help enhance your lips - making them more defined, volumized, and hydrated. Filler is a great way to remedy lip asymmetry and fine lines around the mouth (smoker’s lips). Again - starting low, going slow, and working with a professional is key!
I hope this helps you feel better informed about dermal fillers! Book an appointment with me at Polished Med Spa today and I can help you determine which filler is best for you to achieve the results you’re looking for.
XO, Lauren