Hyaluronic Acid Fillers

BEFORE & AFTER GALLERY >

Give your face a boost!

Soft tissue fillers, such as stabilized hyaluronic acid, are used to smooth moderate to severe facial wrinkles. The folds around the nose, mouth, and forehead respond well to this treatment to improve the appearance of the face. Hyaluronic acid is used for the cosmetic treatment of facial wrinkles, particularly depressions or sagging soft tissue.

The Essentials: Hyaluronic Acid Fillers

During your consultation about hyaluronic acid injections, we will discuss your choice of soft tissue fillers, techniques of injection, and the possible complications.

Facial Fillers

Restylane production line of hyaluronic acids is one of the most popular brands.

Facial fillers are known also as soft tissue fillers and dermal fillers. Despite the anatomical reference to the face, fillers have found applications throughout the body. They are synthetic products designed for implantation by hypodermic injection with the objective of soft tissue volume enhancement.

Modern fillers are categorized into one of two biological classes of action:

  • Passive volume augmentation (eg. hyaluronic acid, Restylane, Juvederm, Radiesse)
  • Collagen Biostimulator (eg. PLLA, Sculptra)

Fillers composed of hyaluronic acid are facial injectable industry leaders and is the de-facto standard by which other materials are compared. It is popular worldwide trailing only botulinum toxin in the frequency of use in aesthetic medicine.

Hyaluronic acid is a natural substance existing in human skin and soft tissues. Its hydrogel-like characteristics impart fullness, volume, and a youth-like quality to treated soft tissues. Synthetic commercial formulations of hyaluronic acid were adopted for use in aesthetic medicine more than 20 years ago.

Hyaluronic acid fillers are biologically passive and physically occupy space to augment tissue. Commercial formulations are prepared from non-animal processes minimizing the risk of allergy. Hyaluronic acid fillers are inert, biocompatible, and bioresorbable.

Most commercial formulations of hyaluronic acid are metabolized and gradually eliminated 8 -12 months after injection. Treatment of undesirable outcomes exists in the form of an injectable enzyme, hyaluronidase. When hyaluronidase is used as an antidote, the gel of hyaluronic acid is converted into water. This effect is often seen within an hour of antidote application.

Unlike the passive action of hyaluronic acid fillers, Sculptra actively stimulates your skin’s own natural collagen production to help restore its inner structure and increase facial volume that has been lost to aging. Sculptra is composed of poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) suspension. When injected the PLLA particles stimulate collagen production. Sculptra works subtly and gradually over time for a more youthful-looking appearance. Sculptra is intended for use in people with healthy immune systems as a one-time treatment regimen of 3 monthly injection sessions.

The effects of Sculptra biostimulation can last for 2 years. The disadvantages are the slow onset, risk of nodule formation, absence of an antidote, less precision and control compared to hyaluronic acid filler injections.

Biostimulator soft tissue fillers have not gained the same popularity or market dominance. Nevertheless, its use can provide greater longevity for those who select this option of facial volumization.

Injectable Filler Considerations

Procedure and risk associated with Restylane hyaluronic acid injections.

Modern commercial formulations of injectable hyaluronic acid facial fillers are synthetically mass-produced with non-animal processes. These products are shelf-stable, abundant, and generally have a low risk of allergy. Most reputable brands offer a variety of gel thickness and firmness. This allows the clinician to select gel characteristics to better achieve the desired outcome for an individual.  

Below is a list of “tips and advice” to familiarize the prospective patient with the process of facial filler injection. Adhering to the suggested preparatory steps will minimize or diminish the severity of complications.

  • Avoid medications that will increase bleeding. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications such as Aspirin, Advil, and Motrin are known to decrease platelet action and increase bleeding complications. Consult the doctor who prescribed the medication to determine if it is safe to temporarily cease the medication. Generally, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications must be stopped for 14 days before platelet function and bleeding time return to normal.
  • Arrive at our office with a clean face. Remove all facial cosmetics with a mild skin cleanser. Cleaning your facial skin with a mild facial soap reduces the risk of infection. After cleansing your face, do not apply skin creams.
  • Avoid intense exposure to sunlight several days before and after your planned facial filler session.
  • The region of the face to be treated must be free of skin blemishes. Your treatment may be delayed if you have active acne. Please inform your plastic surgeon if you have recurrent herpes of the lips. He/she may choose to treat you prophylactically with an anti-viral medication.
  • Provide details of any previous facial filler injections. This knowledge will minimize you’re receiving a dangerous combination of products at the same site.

Hyaluronic acid fillers generally last 4-6 months. Everyone is unique and some individuals find they metabolize the product more quickly while others find it lasts even longer for them.

In the nose, the product is generally found to last closer to 9-12 months.

Financement & Convalescence

Financial aspects of Restylane brand of facial fillers.

The price for one syringe of hyaluronic acid Restylane fillers is either $650, $700, or $750 + taxes depending on which specific type of filler is used. Dr. Chen Lee will discuss the different versions with you and let you know what he would recommend for your needs.

After your initial consultation with Dr. Chen Lee, you may find the price overwhelming if you are interested in facial rejuvenation requiring multiple syringes of Restylane filler and Botox/Dysport treatments.
Some of our patients received financing plans through iFinance or Crédit Médical to make the cost more manageable by allowing you to pay for it over the course of a few months.

FAQ – Restylane Fillers

Hyaluronic acid fillers like Restylane can be combined with Botox/Dysport injections in order to reduce wrinkles in the forehead, glabella, and around the eyes. Generally one round of injections is done in 10-15 minutes per syringe. This also depends on which areas are injected. You may resume your regular daily activites with minor restrictions immediately after treatment. However, you should be prepared for some swelling in the injection area as well as bruising or redness.

It is natural to have many questions about this non-surgical procedure for the diminishment of visible signs of aging. With his expertise, Dr. Chen Lee is determined to help you understand the risks related to the procedure to help you make an informed decision.

Hyaluronic acid is vital for healthy skin. It is present in the skin, mainly in the dermis and epidermis, and it’s role is to regulate skin hydration as well as promoting cell regeneration. Unfortunately hyaluronic acid and collagen occuring naturally in the skin diminish with age, so the injections can help restore and improve the appearance of the skin.

Botox/Dysport paralyzes the facial muscles resulting in less creasing of the skin (wrinkles). Hyaluronic acid fillers will fill creases in the skin and add volume to the face.

One Restylane syringe generally takes 15-20 minutes to inject, so the length of the procedure varies based on how many syringes you use.

Unlike Dysport/Botox injections, hyaluronic acid fillers provide immediate results. However, the results last for a limited time as the body will metabolize the product over time, so you can expect your results to last 6-12 months but it varies by individual and on the quantity injected as well as where the product was injected.

All physical activity may be resumed after 24 hours. We recommend avoiding any vigorous activity on the day of your treatment.

A touch-up is occasionally done after treatment to optimize your results. Once your swelling goes down, you may find that you want more volume than you have to be fully satisfied. However, do note that any touch-ups are not free of charge. Some individuals decide to come back for a bit more product after two or three weeks for a few sessions in order to obtain their desired results.

No cosmetic treatment is infallible and even the most talented doctors who perform injections cannot promise perfect results for all their patients. Hyaluronidase is an enzyme used in medical settings to dissolve hyaluronic acid injections. It is injected in the same area the filler was injected to accelerate the natural breakdown of the hyaluronic acid fillers.

For optimal results with the dissolvant, it is best to have it injected within the first 3 weeks after the filler injections. Please contact us as soon as possible if you’re interested in having fillers dissolved. Please note that the dissolvant is not free of charge.