What are Dermal Fillers, and are Dermal Fillers Safe?
Updated: Aug 13
One of the biggest concerns I hear from clients is that their skin is sagging, and almost immediately, many will gently pull at their lower face or jawline and say, “I hate this,” before asking what can be done to help. If that sounds familiar, you are not alone. As we age, natural changes in collagen, elastin, fat pads, and bone structure lead to volume loss and skin laxity that affect how our face looks and feels.
If you’ve been searching for ways to restore volume, soften facial folds, or enhance your natural features, you’re likely to come across dermal fillers. You also could have searched for Botox near me or wrinkle relaxer injection near me and wondered what the difference is.
Wrinkle relaxers and dermal fillers are both injectable treatments; however, they work in very different ways. Wrinkle relaxers, such as Botox, are neuromodulators. They work on stopping movement, while dermal fillers are designed to restore lost volume and provide structural support in areas affected by aging.
One of my favorite ways to explain the difference between wrinkle relaxers and dermal fillers is to compare your face to a house.
Over time, every house experiences wear and tear. The foundation may settle, support beams can shift, and the structure changes slightly with age. You can try to repaint the walls to help bring new life to the home; however, those underlying structural changes don’t disappear.
Our faces age in a similar way.
Dermal fillers are like restoring a house's framework. As we age, we naturally experience changes in facial structure, including loss of bone density and decreased volume in the fat pads that help support the skin. Dermal fillers can help restore some of that lost volume and support, acting like reinforcement for the underlying “framework” of the face. Wrinkle Relaxers are like fixing the wear and tear on the walls. They temporarily relax the muscles that repeatedly fold the skin every time we smile, frown, or raise our eyebrows. By reducing that movement, wrinkle relaxers soften fine lines and wrinkles and prevent them from becoming deeper.
Neither treatment is “better” than the other. They just solve different problems. Many clients will ask me whether I believe mobile botox or a dermal filler is better for their specific concern. My answer is almost always full-face balancing.
Full facial balancing is using a combination approach of both wrinkle relaxer and filler. As an injector NC, I find meeting with each client personally to discuss goals and examining their personal facial anatomy is imperative to obtain the best results. Especially since most of the time, the area of “concern” for clients is a result of something other than the specific fold they see. For instance, smile lines or nasolabial folds are the biggest complaint areas I get from clients. These are the folds or lines around the mouth and nose. These are caused by a lack of support in your cheeks and preauricular area (area next to your ear) from volume loss of the fat pads and bone density. Therefore, the best approach is actually to use dermal fillers in those areas to lift and lessen the appearance of those smile lines and nasolabial folds versus just filling the actual line.
What are Dermal Fillers made of and how long do they last?
A dermal filler is an injectable viscous gel injected under the top layer of skin and used to restore volume, smooth wrinkles, enhance facial contours, or improve facial features. The most common gel used is hyaluronic acid (HA) formulations that the body will slowly break down over time. Dermal fillers can last from 6-18 months, depending on the product and the amount used, location, and the client's metabolism. The different brands of hyaluronic acid fillers include: Juvéderm, Restylane, RHA Collection, Belotero Balance, and Evolysse.
At Triangle Injector & Wellness, we believe patient education comes first. As an injector NC who provides mobile Botox and concierge aesthetics, it's important to take the time to explain every treatment so you can make an informed decision with confidence.
If you are interested in learning more about botox the triangle, facial filler options near me, or are simply interested in a free virtual consultation, check out The Story Behind Triangle Injector & Wellness. For more information about wrinkle relaxers check out our blog on Neurotoxins.
