Dermal fillers are medical
prescription products used to treat volume loss, fine lines, wrinkles, and
repair facial imperfections, eg hollow cheeks or scars.
If you are interested in dermal
fillers as a treatment option, it's important to first understand the different
types of dermal fillers, how treatment is administered, and the possible side
effects.
We would like to share 2 most
important tips on filler selection.
What are the qualities of a
good/safe dermal filler?
- Proven Safety Record
- Reversible If Problematic
- Visible Result
- Reasonable Longevity
An ideal filer
would be one that has
Proven safety record
You
would like your filler from a reputable company which produce their product
with the highest quality. The product must have undergone vigorous studies to
ensure its effectiveness, safety and stability. The manufacturer should have
the strictest production standards to ensure that their product has consistent,
reproducible results and importantly, the defect rate or the rate of the
results its product gives deviating from the expected is close to zero. The
product has to stand the test of time. It has to show that the product does not
cause problems after administration today, and in days to come if used within
the prescribed way.
These products may not come cheap but you know that these products share a
common idea with you - no compromise in terms of quality when it come to your
health.
You don’t want to be the first person to use a certain product and end up being
scared.
Reversible If Problematic
There is no one in this world who can promise you that the
injection material and the injection technique will be the perfect one every time
you undergo any procedure. You would like to know that when somethings goes
wrong, your doctor would be happy to assist you with the correction without
having to go through the knife.
Permanent lip filler
Patient : Doc, i don’t like my lips, it’s getting bigger
over time.
Doctor : Oh dear, you are the one in a million to have this
reaction. I will schedule you for a lips filler removal operation. The cost is
USD 20000, a discounted price.
Patient : Why is the correction so much more expensive
then the filler, you charged me USD 2000 2 years back?
Doctor : ... ...
Many people fall trap into being prey of permanent / semi
permanent filler. The injector may sell you the idea that permanent filler
lasts longer and hence you do not need to undergo repeated injections. The fact
is, human ages with time. No matter how permanent a filler is, volume loss is
ongoing and there will be constant need for further volume replacement. Even
after permanent filler injection, one would still require future volume touch
up from time to time. So with and without permanent filler injections, one
would still require the top up treatment. The apparent saving is not there.
But what you were not told was the fact that once the
permanent filler is injected into your body, your body will not have any
mechanism to dissolve it. The permanent filler ended up staying in the body for
the rest of one’s life. To remove it, one will have to seek the help of a
plastic surgeon to remove it surgically. The process of filler removal is a
tedious job and even in the best hands, the fillers may not be completely
removed in toto.
The other risk is, permanent filler is being recognized as
foreign body and in some patients, it attracts inflammation. Chronic
inflammation forms granulation tissues or scar tissue which increases the
actual “volume” of the fillers over time. One may find the areas treated with
permanent filler growing over time and the
treated area may disfigure. To rectify this problem,
surgery, will be required.
Filler is a substance that is introduced by means of injection into the face to corect signs of aging. There are many ways to classify fillers. Time and again, I have emphasized the benefit of non permenanr filler over its permenant counterpart. I would like to introduce a new classification ie volumetric filler vs stimulatory filler.
Almost all registered fillers in the Malaysian market will have volumetric filling effect. Which means that immediately after the injection, our body will react towards the filler and create a volume effect to the targeted area, giving the treatment area a fuller contour, more supple skin. The more void to fill, the more volume is required.
Some of the commonest fillers are HyaluronicAcid Filler and Calcium Hydroxyapatite
On the other hand, new discovery allows us to manipulate the fillers in such a way that they create a stimulative effect. Which means the filler encourages generation of new collagen while improves blood supply to the skin, giving the skin a its glow. Unlike volumetric filler, the effect is not immediate. What more is that the treatment has to be done in a series of injections. This is because different people react differently to the treatment. The same treatment may cause overstimulation in one but under stimulation in another. That's why this treatment needs to be meticulously tailored to individual skin response in order to get the optimal results. After the treatment, patients do experience improvement in the skin texture and there is a gradual lifting effect, improving the sagging of the skin.
Most stimulatory fillers are semi permanent/permanent filler.
The commonest filler in this group being Poly-L-Lactic Acid.
As an advocate of biodegradable filler, I tended to do things differently. Imagine getting yourself injected with something that stay forever and getting it done under multiple sessions. I would still stick to non permanent/biodegradable filler. The longevity is reasonable, lasting 9 months to a year. More importantly, it is safe and degradable. Patient still enjoys good looks and has the ability to adjust his/her facial contour according to his/her age.In contrast if permanent filler is being injected into the face, we will have difficulty in adjusting the treated face end up having to go for surgical removal of the permanent fillers.
Small tips on filler injection.
Do ask for reputable doctor to do the injection. And do keep a record of the filler injected to your face. It’s consider as a part of your medical record and you have to know it.
http://famousplastic.com/2012/02/06/celebs-before-and-after-lip-augmentation-pictures/
As the closing of the chapter in Dermafiller sellection. Many have fallen trap thinking and I do not want you to be part of it.
Amen
by Anna Hoo
