Sapna Palep of Spring Street Dermatology is an expert in dermal fillers, a popular anti-aging treatment in the United States. Dermal fillers are injected into the face to restore or improve facial features, and contain hyaluronic acid, a natural compound that helps the production of collagen and elastin. The effects of dermal fillers can last between three months and two years, depending on the product being used and where on the body it is injected. However, due to the low maintenance factor of most fillers on the market, some of the worst fears people have about prolonged use of filler are unfounded.
For lines and wrinkles closer to the skin, a thinner product is used to fill the contour and soften the skin. These products can be metabolized more quickly and will last 6 to 12 months. In areas of the face with more movement, such as the lips, for example, the constant movement of the muscles breaks down and dissolves the filler at a faster rate, and fillers tend to disappear faster in these more active areas. With the rise in popularity of dermal filler treatment and the growing number of clinics offering “reduced price” dermal treatments with poor injection technique, people receive too much filler injected into a particular area, such as the lips, leading to a duck-like bump.
Over time, as facial movement increases in areas such as the lips or cheeks, it causes the filler to break down and dissolve at a faster rate. Dr. Gavin Chan decided to refer his patients for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to his colleague Dr. Mobin Master (MBBS FRANZCR) to analyze how long dermal fillers last.
Fillers are also used for liquid rhinoplasty, a non-invasive technique used to improve the appearance and harmony of the nose with the facial anatomy. If you search the Internet, ask other aesthetic doctors who regularly inject fillers, and then ask patients how long the fillers last, the answer is usually the same; 6, 12, or 18 months. When patients come back to Dr. Chan after 3 weeks of receiving a dermal lip filler treatment and say that it is “gone” he now knows it hasn't dissolved.
Instead, cosmetic doctors and cosmetic nurses will dissolve the dermal filler before injecting a new dermal filler into the lips. People with higher metabolisms will experience shorter filler results because their bodies will break down the filler compound faster than those with slower metabolisms. The plastic surgeon can inject an enzyme that dissolves the filler until you are satisfied with the facial contour. Because of this, patients can seek expert facial plastic surgeons who can inject fillers into specific parts of the face to provide the most satisfactory results while selecting areas with least amount of movement.
