Dermal Filler - The Rundown
There are many different brands on the market, just like Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or Ibuprofen (Advil). Temporary dermal fillers are all various combinations and concentrations of Hyaluronic acid and lidocaine (for increased comfort during injection).
What is it?
Hyaluronic acid is a substance that your body naturally produces, but also breaks down. Dermal fillers are synthetic versions of this substance, which have small proprietary differences to their technology to differentiate them from one another, effecting their duration/longevity, hardness, particle size (you wouldn’t use the same filler in a chin as you would in an under eye) and associated swelling, among other things.
Planning your filler treatment
All of that said, all filler is not equal. When working within a budget, a common (and reasonable) question is “how much per syringe,” also followed up by, and can you put that here, here, and here. This approach can be detrimental to your result; it is always best to choose ONE area, to do very well, vs. trying to stretch one syringe over several areas and then be underwhelmed, or be coming back every three months. Though it is reasonable in some areas, syringe pricing is not always a valuable approach to different treatment areas of the face. For example, in an under eye, the appropriate correction may require 2 different fillers - to support, lift, to hydrate, camoflouge - perhaps into different depths. It also will likely require additional support of the surrounding cheek to maintain proportions. An area price is much more beneficial to the patient so the injector can use smaller amounts of different fillers to give the best result possible, vs. one tool. Think of baking a cake with only one bowl, or doing your hair - one bottle of hairspray might do the trick - but some oil for the ends and root powder for the volume will yield the best result. So when you pay for a “syringe” for your under eyes, you’re limited to what that particular filler can do for you, vs. what you may actually “need” based on the concerns you have, (I use this word “need” with caution) and what benefit the different tools can provide.
The short story: rather than rushing to do something/everything, and risking an underwhelming result - let your injector help you come up with a treatment plan and timeline (for your budget) so your result is the best it can be, and has adequate duration.
Safety
No procedure is without risk, but an experienced injector will explain all of them to you and work in a way so as to minimize risk, with a deep and thorough understanding of anatomy.
As referenced in a previous post - you should always know what goes into your face. An experienced injector will decide which product is best for the given areas, but you should know what is in there. Though it can happen anywhere, the USA has been experiencing a high level of fraud - meaning, there are back door ways to buy dermal filler, which raises concern throughout the entire industry. It is CRITICAL to ensure your injector is credentialed and experienced. Do not fall for a deal on your face - do not fall on your face for a deal! PSA: Groupon deals on injectables are not legal!If it seems too good to be true, it likely is.