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Injectable fillers are a very common topic of conversation for our dermatologists. Our Houston patients are often curious to learn everything they can before a treatment session. Here are some of the questions that often come up when we discuss the benefits of fillers with them.
The simple answer: no. It’s quite common to combine BOTOX Cosmetic with dermal fillers — and in fact, they often work better together because of their complementary approaches. With BOTOX, the goal is to subdue the underlying facial muscles that cause certain wrinkles. It has a softening, smoothing effect on areas such as crow’s feet, the glabellar lines between the eyebrows, and the forehead. Injectable fillers, on the other hand, work to restore lost volume in areas such as the mid-face, cheeks, and nasolabial folds.
When combined, the 2 can enhance each other’s benefits. For example, constant muscle motion can break up the dermal fillers faster, causing them to be absorbed by the body. When paired with BOTOX, the dermal fillers last longer, because the BOTOX works to decrease muscle activity. Together, they can effectively relax the muscles causing wrinkles and fill out the area at the same time.
This comes back to the same point about muscle movement: Generally speaking, where there is less of it, the results do last a bit longer. Fillers injected to the lips have the shortest lifespan, while injections around the eyes often last the longest.
For a general rule of thumb, JUVÉDERM® and RESTYLANE® last about 6 to 9 months. JUVÉDERM VOLUMA® XC and Sculptra® Aesthetic last about 2 years or more. Everyone is a little bit different, as well. With repeated treatments, you will get a feel for how long your results last.
While all the dermal fillers we use will eventually be absorbed by the body, it’s possible to speed up the process for our hyaluronic acid-based fillers if a patient is dissatisfied with the results. With hyaluronic acid-based fillers, we can use an enzyme called hyaluronidase to break down and dissolve the fillers. The full effects of reversal take between 1 to 3 days, depending on the extent of the original injections.
Scupltra® and Bellafill® are long-lasting fillers with a different chemical composition. They are generally not reversible, so the decision to inject these fillers needs to be made with a bit more caution.
Do you have any other questions about fillers? Leave them for us in a comment, or contact us directly.