The materials indicated for facial fillers are classified according to their duration in the tissue. Temporary, semi-permanent and permanent fillers are the resulting types, whose main difference is not only the duration, but also the material used.
The temporary fillers used consist of a base of hyaluronic acid, collagen or carboxymethylcellulose. Semi-permanent fillers, on the other hand, are based on polylactic acid, calcium hydroxyapatite or polymethylmethacrylate microspheres. Lastly, permanent fillers have a cross-linked polyacrylamide base.
The choice of one type of filler or another will depend on the desired result and the undesirable effects that may appear. Currently, however, the vast majority of professionals in Aesthetic Medicine support the use of temporary fillers for aesthetic interventions, mainly hyaluronic acid.
The argument used by doctors is very logical: due to the dynamic nature of aging, it is recommended to apply fillers gradually and treat the signs of aging. In addition, hyaluronic acid is safe to use, easy to handle and has almost no side effects.
Is the application of facial fillers painful?
Medical professionals must inform and advise the patient correctly to ensure that their expectations and results match. And very important, sign informed consent of the treatment and know the product that will be injected.
The treatment is very simple and lasts approximately 30 minutes per session. This procedure follows the guidelines detailed below:
- A first puncture through which the product is injected into the area to be treated.
- Once injected, the product is manipulated to adapt it to the desired result.
This first prick is the one that causes pain to the patient, since it should be clarified that the application and manipulation of the injected product is completely painless.
An important aspect that should be avoided is overcorrection. Haste in this type of treatment is bad company. To avoid it, it is best to perform the procedure in several sessions. In this way, the patient will obtain an optimal esthetic result at the end of the process.
The use of anesthesia will depend on the pain threshold of each patient and the type of filler to be applied. Some preparations contain lidocaine, and this facilitates the tolerance of the injections; however, it should be emphasized that this is not a painful treatment. The mere application of ice on the intervened skin is sufficient.
During the injection of the product the patient does not feel any special sensation, since it is painless as already mentioned above. After the treatment, it is possible that some hematoma and a slight inflammation may appear, which will last a couple of days. After its application, the patient can continue with his usual tasks, since this intervention does not leave any trace or incapacitate in any way.
Are the results of these implants long lasting?
For the correction of wrinkles of an aesthetic nature, we currently opt for resorbable materials. This implies that their duration in time is limited, but it must be taken into account that the anatomy of the face and wrinkles change. Therefore, permanent fillers are not indicated in these cases, being reserved for structural alterations such as lipodystrophies or facial lipoatrophies.
Nowadays, the durability of temporary fillers has improved a lot. It is possible to find durations of one year or even more, maintaining their shape.
Is any kind of study performed prior to the intervention?
If not available, a medical history should be taken from the patient. This should include the patient’s usual medication, medical history and any allergies or illnesses.
As a precaution, it is recommended that patients do not take drugs that may cause prolonged bleeding, such as anti-inflammatory drugs or vitamin complexes containing vitamin E.
Are there any contraindications?
Filling materials are contraindicated during pregnancy and lactation. They are also not recommended for patients suffering from autoimmune diseases or receiving certain treatments.
In reference to permanent or semi-permanent materials, the intervened persons should not have a history of hypertrophic or keloid scars. If there is evidence that the patient may suffer an allergic reaction to the material, the medical professional should perform a preliminary test to determine this.
The materials indicated for facial fillers are classified according to their duration in the tissue. Temporary, semi-permanent and permanent are the resulting types, whose main difference is not only the duration, but also the material used.
The temporary fillers used consist of a base of hyaluronic acid, collagen or carboxymethylcellulose. The base of the semi-permanent ones, on the other hand, is made of polylactic acid, calcium hydroxyapatite or polymethylmethacrylate microspheres. Lastly, permanent fillers have a cross-linked polyacrylamide base.
The choice of one type of filler or another will depend on the desired result and the undesirable effects that may appear. Currently, however, the vast majority of professionals in Aesthetic Medicine support the use of temporary fillers for aesthetic interventions, mainly hyaluronic acid.
The argument used by doctors is very logical: due to the dynamic nature of aging, it is recommended to apply fillers gradually and treat the signs of aging. In addition, hyaluronic acid is safe to use, easy to handle and has almost no side effects.
Is the application of facial fillers painful?
Medical professionals must properly inform and advise the patient to ensure that their expectations and results match. And very important, to sign informed consent of the treatment and to know the product that is going to be injected.
The treatment is very simple and lasts approximately 30 minutes per session. The procedure follows the guidelines detailed below:
- A first prick through which the product is injected into the area to be treated.
- Once injected, the product is manipulated to adapt it to the desired result.
This first prick is the one that causes pain to the patient, since it should be clarified that the application and manipulation of the injected product is completely painless.
An important aspect that should be avoided is overcorrection. Haste in this type of treatment is bad company. To avoid it, it is best to perform the procedure in several sessions. In this way, the patient will obtain an optimal aesthetic result at the end of the process.
The use of anesthesia will depend on the pain threshold of each patient and the type of filler to be applied. Some preparations contain lidocaine, and this facilitates the tolerance of the injections; however, it should be emphasized that this is not a painful treatment. The mere application of ice on the intervened skin is sufficient.
During the injection of the product the patient does not feel any special sensation, since it is painless as already mentioned above. After the treatment, it is possible that some hematoma and a slight inflammation may appear, which will last a couple of days. After its application the patient can continue with his usual tasks, since this intervention does not leave any trace or incapacitate in any way.
Are the results of these implants long-lasting?
For the correction of wrinkles of an aesthetic nature, we currently opt for resorbable materials. This implies that their duration in time is limited, but it must be taken into account that the anatomy of the face and wrinkles change. Therefore, permanent filling materials are not indicated in these cases, and are reserved for structural alterations such as lipodystrophy or facial lipoatrophy.
Nowadays the durability of temporary fillers has improved a lot. It is possible to find durations of one year or even more, maintaining its shape.
Is any kind of study performed prior to the intervention?
If not available, a medical history should be taken from the patient. This should include the patient’s usual medication, medical history and any allergies or diseases.
As a precaution, it is recommended that patients do not take drugs that may cause prolonged bleeding, such as anti-inflammatory drugs or vitamin complexes containing vitamin E.
Are there any contraindications?
Filling materials are contraindicated during pregnancy and lactation. They are also not recommended in patients suffering from autoimmune diseases or receiving certain treatments.
In reference to permanent or semi-permanent materials, the intervened persons should not have a history of hypertrophic or keloid scars. If there is evidence that the patient may suffer an allergic reaction to the material, the medical professional should perform a preliminary test to determine this.