The Centre, P.C. - Plastic Surgery Blog

Choosing the Right Injectable Filler - Sunday, September 21, 2008

Soft tissue fillers are an easy and effective way to restore lost smoothness and plumpness to the face. There are a great many of them available, but we offer the best three.

Restylane is a non-animal filler that uses hyaluronic acid. That is a substance naturally found in the body, and its great virtue for enhancing youthfulness is that it attracts water. As we age, the body tends to become drier, which contributes to lines and wrinkles in the skin.

Restylane is injected into the dermal layer (below the upper epidermis), and deposits a hyaluronic-acid-based gel. The hyaluronic acid molecules can bind to many times their own weight of water. This creates more volume beneath the skin surface, smoothing out the surface lines and wrinkles.

Treatments last for about six months and you can have a touch-up procedure to keep the youthful look as long as you would like.

Radiesse does not contain hyaluronic acid, and works differently. It contains microspheres of calcium hydroxylapatite in a biocompatible gel. Like Restylane, it is injected into the dermal layer, where it deposits these tiny spheres in amongst the natural collagen fibers.

As the Radiesse gel is absorbed by the body, the microspheres give volume to the skin and provide a substitute for the declining amounts of collagen that aging skin produces. Normally there is a robust collagen and elastin matrix in the dermis, which supports the skin surface. As we age, the reduced collagen weakens that support, contributing to little valleys in the skin -- fine lines and wrinkles. Radiesse results can last up to a full year.

AlloDerm is a soft and flexible implant made from donor tissue. The natural body cells will grow into it and hold it in place for several years. It replaces lost collagen in the skin -- the collagen and elastin matrix which supports a youthful skin.

Being made from human tissue, it is very safe. It is processed and comes from a U.S. tissue bank, just as transplantable organs do, such as a heart or kidney. You could have it done in conjunction with laser skin resurfacing or a chemical peel.

If you would like to have a personal consultation and learn more about all the ways we can refresh your skin and rejuvenate your entire appearance, please call or email our office.