Have you ever come across a photo of yourself on social media that one of your “friends” tagged you in without your permission? How is it that they always manage to find the worst possible one? You know, the one that catches you at just the wrong angle that makes you look at least 10 years older. Then you suddenly find yourself standing before your bathroom mirror scrutinizing your every facial feature—poking, prodding, pulling, trying to imagine what your face would look like if it were tighter. We’ve all done it at some point.
Fortunately, while there isn’t any way to turn back the clock (yet!), there is a solution. Dermal fillers are injectable fillers composed of hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring substance that binds with water. When injected into the skin, they fill the blank spaces left behind by lost collagen, which disappears as a result of sun damage, environmental factors and, of course, aging. Lost collagen is what causes the sagging skin and wrinkles you’re attempting to rearrange in front of the mirror. Dermal fillers restore volume to your face, easing wrinkles and giving you a smoother, younger looking appearance.
But…there’s been a lot of bad advice going around about dermal fillers, and I’m going to put an end to that.
You Should Massage Your Face After Treatment
Massaging your face following injections might seem like a good idea. That way you can push the filler around the way you want it, right? (Hint: wrong!) It may also be tempting to massage your face to alleviate the bit of pain associated with injectables.
But I’m here to tell you…whatever you do, avoid massaging your face (!!)—no matter how tempting it is, for at least 2 weeks following your injections.
Doing this can alter the shape of the filler, affecting the appearance of your face. And after a while, the filler becomes firmer, and cannot be massaged back. At the same time, you should avoid extreme heat or cold, as these temperatures could affect the filler.
Juvederm Voluma Lasts for 2 Years
Claims have been made that Juvederm Voluma lasts for 2 years. However, the study that validated this claim filled patients to full correction (an average of 6.8 syringes for cheeks alone), AND did touch-ups at 10 months.
Most professionals who offer fillers only use a couple of syringes, and require a touch up a few months later. Without full correction on your initial visit, it’s highly unlikely that Juvederm Voluma will last as long as 2 years. And even then, the length of your results depends on a lot of factors, including your metabolism.
Sculptra Causes Lumps
It’s true that many patients had issues with granulomas (lumps under the skin) after Sculptra treatments many years ago. However, the concentration has been changed in recent years, so that risk has been minimized. Now, Sculptra is more diluted in order to stop granulomas from forming.
Typically, lumps occur when injection sites are not massaged enough (this is one of the rare occasions when massaging following a filler is acceptable), the injection is too superficial or the dilution is incorrect. Your aftercare instructions will help you to achieve the best possible results, so make sure to ask your injector questions if you have them.
Fillers Can’t Fix Certain Issues
If you’ve had a bad nose job, there’s a pretty good chance you don’t want to go under the knife again. A lot of people will tell you that you have no other choice, and that fillers can’t possibly help you to fix it. The good news is that these people are wrong. Fillers can absolutely be used to alter the contours of a bad nose job. It’s important to keep in mind, however, that these fixes are not permanent, so if you really want to avoid surgery again, follow up treatments will be needed.
One of our non-surgical nose augmentations—a prime example of the magic of good dermal filler placement!
People may also tell you that dermal fillers can’t fix those pesky bags under your eyes. Once again, these people are wrong. You don’t need surgery to correct bags. Depending on the exact cause, there’s a dermal filler that can help to get rid of those dark hollows.
It’ll Be Obvious You’ve Had Injections
It’s one of the biggest fears of anyone having a cosmetic procedure done, surgical or otherwise: once you’ve had the procedure, everyone will be able to tell.
In the case of dermal fillers, you may hear others telling you that you are going to look fake, puffy and waxy. They are wrong. An experienced injectables specialist will be able to provide you with a completely natural, beautiful appearance and the right dermal filler won’t make you look puffy. Some fillers (biostimulators) actually improve the texture and the glow of your skin. In fact, at Clarity, we’re known for enhancing your natural beauty without being obvious.
Fillers Can’t Be Reversed
Okay, we know not everyone is 100% satisfied after receiving a treatment—especially if they went to an inexperienced provider (hint: check out their before and afters first and make sure you like their work!). If you’re not happy, that’s okay. Some hyaluronic acid injections can be reversed easily with a hyalurondase. Just make sure you ask before your treatments if this is a concern. If you find yourself in a position of being unhappy with your filler treatment, seek out an expert—we know how to fix most issues! As an expert injectables specialist, I actually travel around the country and teach some of the leading injectors not only how to inject, but how to fix treatments that clients aren’t happy with.
Go Big, and Go Permanent
Some of the worst lip advice we have ever heard is that bigger is better, and permanent fillers should be used for the longest lasting results. While bigger can mean better for some things (you know, like your bank account, or maybe that slice of chocolate cake)—not everyone wants the lips of Kylie Jenner. For many people, this only results in a completely unnatural appearance that leaves you unhappy.
And using permanent fillers (made of non-absorbable materials) on your lips are much more likely (though not always, but still not worth the risk) to cause granulomas, bumps or nodules, which cannot be reversed. It’s always a safer choice to use a soft reversible filler, you know, just in case.
Our before and after shows how the right filler and the right lip shape can work wonders.
Remember…the right dermal filler can absolutely restore volume to your face, giving you the younger, fuller looking face you’ve been dreaming of. And the bonus—you won’t have to scramble to untag yourself from social media photos posted by your friends. You may even be happily posting your own!
