Fillers have become more mainstream than they have ever been in history.
But that only means misinformation is running wild and unchecked everywhere you look.
Social media is king of contradicting information, which means making an informed decision about whether filler is right for you feels impossible.
So we’re taking it upon ourselves to debunk the most common filler misconceptions in this blog post. It’ll clear away some of the confusion around dermal fillers. We’re hoping this will help you better understand this cosmetic treatment and feel equipped to make the right decision for YOU.
Before we bust the false narratives around filler, we want to introduce ourselves.
The internet can sometimes feel like the wild west—you never know who you can trust.
That’s why we want to reassure you of our credibility. We are trained, licensed medical professionals with years of real-life experience. We’re led and supervised by Dr. Reginald Rice, MD, FACS (Esthetics Center’s Medical Director), a double board-certified facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon. First and foremost, we are skin nerds—we stay up-to-date with research and invest in educating ourselves on emerging science for your benefit.
Okay, enough about us and more about filler!
People talk about BOTOX and filler as though they are interchangeable, but the truth is that they are different. They’re made of different ingredients and work differently, so they achieve different results.
“Don’t they both make you look… younger?” That’s a common question we hear when talking about Filler vs. BOTOX. And, yes, they are both used to create a youthful appearance, but in different ways.
BOTOX is a neuromodulator used to relax the facial muscles that cause lines and wrinkles. BOTOX aims to smooth out lines in the face and neck and prevent further wrinkles from developing.
On the other hand, dermal fillers are primarily made of Hyaluronic acid and used to add volume to the face. They are used to restore firmness and definition to facial features like the cheekbones. They’re also used to tweak facial contours; for example, we can strategically place filler in the nose to camouflage a dorsal hump.
Dermal fillers are NOT permanent. Although it’s rare at Esthetics Center, the filler can be reversed should a patient want to undo it. Fillers can take a few weeks to settle, but after this period, if you still don’t like the results, the filler can be dissolved. The filler products we carry are primarily made of Hyaluronic acid that can be dissolved with a product called hyaluronidase. Once the hyaluronidase is injected, the treated area will return to its original state 24-48 hours later.
Nobody likes getting poked and prodded with a needle. So making sure our patients feel completely confident and comfortable during their appointments is our top priority! Therefore, topical numbing cream will be applied before any filler treatment to minimize discomfort during the appointment. Additionally, some of our fillers are formulated with lidocaine (a numbing medication), which can significantly decrease any pain that may be experienced at the time of the injection.
While you do have to maintain filler results because they aren’t permanent, how often you have to do so isn’t as regular as some think. The majority of fillers last 6-24 months! And we also offer biostimulators—fillers that can last up to seven years—for patients wanting the longest-lasting results.
Multiple factors determine how long fillers last; this includes which product is used, where it is placed, and how active you are. Areas with a lot of movement, like the lips, tend to dissolve the quickest. An active lifestyle and fast metabolism can also contribute to your filler dissolving quicker.
Often, patients are worried that filler is going to change the overall look of their appearance. However, the inevitable reality is that your face is aging every day and, as a result, changing with every passing year. After 30, our collagen levels in the skin and body begin to drop by 1-2% each year. That means that after 30, our faces rapidly begin to change. Dermal fillers are, in fact, how we counteract this. They work to restore natural volume to prevent changes in the face, and that is the goal when using dermal filler for anti-aging.
Another reason why this myth is prevalent is that people are rightfully scared of looking “overdone.” We’ve all seen enough over-filled faces in today’s age to give us pause when considering filler. At Esthetics Center, our motto is “the best injectable is undetectable.” Our goal with every filler treatment is natural, proportional results.
It is important to have your filler administered by professionals with experience and knowledge to avoid looking overfilled. All of our injectors at Esthetics Center are highly-skilled Registered Nurses or Physician Assistants to ensure that you get quality care and results.
Hopefully, this blog post cleared up some confusion you may have had about fillers.
P.S. Our team loves offering complimentary consultations for our patients, so we can answer questions and clear up any lingering concerns you may have.
If you’d like to make an appointment, contact us online or give us a call at (916) 941-9400.
