Fillers are heir to breakdown due to body metabolism, patients’ age, and type of aftercare treatment given to the procedure. This article highlights the factors that affect the longevity of lip fillers, their duration, top-up timing, and frequently asked questions about dermal fillers.
Aging signs like sagging and wrinkles prompt many customers to seek alternative options for treatment. The cosmetic industry offers many ways to reduce undesirable aging signs. The most common way to keep your face smooth and rejuvenated is by getting dermal fillers. Various dermal fillers can enhance your facial features, such as the cheek, jawline, eye trough, and lip appearance. While dermal fillers’ effects can last longer than ordinary makeup, you will need to visit your provider occasionally to maintain them; the aging process is continuous, and fillers cannot be a one-off solution.
What Are Dermal Fillers?
Dermal fillers are gel-like injectable substances that help to smooth out wrinkles, restore volume to sagging skin, plump up lips and cheeks, and make the facial features look more symmetrical. Patients choose fillers to gain a more youthful look. Different types of dermal fillers; use synthetic materials to mimic substances naturally occurring in the body. The most common filler used today includes hyaluronic acid (HA), calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA), poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA), and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). Before you get your filler treatment, your injector will first discuss the types of dermal fillers available and help you choose the right option according to your preferences.
The dermal filling process takes about 15 to 30 minutes. Immediately after the procedure, the patient may experience swelling and bruising. These side effects usually disappear within 3 to 5 days. Some clients notice the results soon after the procedure. However, the time it takes to see the full results depend on factors such as the type of dermal filler you choose, your body’s metabolism, and age, among others.
How Soon After Fillers Can You Get More?
When you treat your face with dermal fillers, there are a few things to know about spacing out your appointments. These include;
The Look You Want
The desired look determines how long one should wait between the fillers. For example, if you want lip fillers, you must decide how full you want them. The extent of change you want to achieve will influence the amount of filler you will need and how frequently you will need to schedule regular sessions with your healthcare provider; a thinner filler may require the patient to get more sooner than a thicker filler.
The Type of Filler You Choose
Dermal fillers vary in terms of longevity. Some dermal filler treatments provide more long-lasting effects than others. The type of filler you choose influences how often you will have to visit your provider for top-up sessions.
When you start your filler treatment, your service provider will talk about the frequency of your sessions. As mentioned earlier, aging is a continuous process, and dermal fillers cannot be a one-off solution. Even those who want to correct different face asymmetries must schedule regular appointments with their cosmetic doctors to maintain the desired effects. In most cases, clients receive their top-up fillers at least once every 6 to 12 months; most filler treatments provide the desired effects for this period. However, patients who wish to add more filler and increase the intensity of their results may need to add more filler to increase the fullness of the lips up to a certain level.
Nevertheless, one may have to wait until the initial swelling and bruising goes down; this takes approximately two weeks. Adding more filler before the initial swelling subsides may make further treatment difficult. For this reason, it is always recommended that you have your fillers once after 6 to 12 months when the effects of the initial treatment have subsided.
Benefits of Dermal Fillers
Dermal fillers facilitate the production of collagen and elastin, which gives your skin a rejuvenated appearance. According to Cabral et al. (2020), dermal fillers have been used to minimize the adverse effects associated with aging, such as treating wrinkles, restoring skin elasticity, and reducing the rough-textured appearance of your skin.
Additionally, injectable soft-tissue fillers can improve the appearance of scars that result from skin cancer treatment, among other skin conditions (Carruthers, 2020).
What Are the Advantages of Filler Procedures?
Many people get instant results after the procedure. The session usually takes less than 30 minutes. Unlike traditional surgical procedures, dermal filler treatments have less recovery time. You can have a dermal injection and return to your normal duties the next day.
The effects of dermal filler treatments can last for several months or years; they last 6 months to 5 years, depending on the type of filler you choose and the treatment area. Dermal fillers are less expensive compared to surgical cosmetic procedures.
What to Avoid After Fillers
Intense Cardio
A cardio workout is great for boosting your mood, burning fats, and increasing blood circulation, among other benefits. However, there might be better options for optimizing dermal filler results. An intense cardio workout may temporarily increase your blood pressure, increasing the risk of swelling and bruising in the injected area. You should wait approximately 24 hours for your filler to settle in before doing any exercise that may increase your blood pressure.
Alcohol
Alcohol is a well-known blood thinner and may worsen bruising. For best-looking results, avoid alcohol for 48 hours after the filler treatment.
Makeup
Filler injections leave minute prick marks on the injected area in your skin. Such openings may increase the risk of bacterial infections from your makeup if you apply it immediately after the procedure.
Frequently Asked Questions about Dermal Fillers
What Is the Best Sleeping Position After Dermal Fillers?
Avoid sleeping on the side of your face that has just had a filler injection. Sleeping on an injected area could prompt the migration of the fillers to other places. The proper sleeping position also reduces the risks of bruising and swelling.
Other Things to Avoid
- Massaging the injected area before the initial swelling disappears.
- Wearing eyeglasses immediately after fillers; could put pressure on the injected area.
- Direct sunlight exposure.
- Too much heat.
What are the common side effects of dermal filler treatments?
Mundada et al.(2017) described the following side effects associated with dermal fillers.
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Redness
- Lumps at the injected site
- Itching and rash
- Infections
- Asymmetrical appearance
- Scars
- Numbness
Conclusion
Fillers are great for anyone looking to enhance their facial feature and maintain a youthful look. Although some filler may last up to 5 years, others must be repeated after a few months for the best results. If treating several areas of your face, you might have recurrent sessions with your service provider. Filler treatment is a sensitive procedure, so you should consider having it from a board-certified cosmetic practitioner. It helps you minimize the severity of side effects and possible complications from the process. A qualified practitioner will also give the best results.
References
Cabral, L. R. B., Teixeira, L. N., Gimenez, R. P., Demasi, A. P. D., de Brito Junior, R. B., de Araújo, V. C., & Martinez, E. F. (2020). Effect of hyaluronic acid and poly-l- lactic acid dermal fillers on collagen synthesis: An in vitro and in vivo study. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 13, 701.
Carruthers, A., Carruthers, J., & Humphrey, S. (2020). Injectable soft tissue fillers: Overview of clinical use. UpToDate. Com Jan.
Funt, D., & Pavicic, T. (2013). Dermal fillers in aesthetics: an overview of adverse events and treatment approaches. Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology, 6, 295.
Mundada, P., Kohler, R., Boudabbous, S., ToutousTrellu, L., Platon, A., & Becker, M. (2017). Injectable facial fillers: imaging features, complications, and diagnostic pitfalls at MRI and PET CT. Insights into imaging, 8(6), 557-572.
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