Tyler Plastic Surgery

Wrinkle treatment with injectable fillers can effectively soften facial creases and wrinkles with minimal risk and very little downtime.

About Wrinkle Treatment

• The Best Wrinkle Treatment Candidates
• Wrinkle Treatment With Injectable Fillers
• Injectable Filler Side Effects
• Wrinkle Treatment Recovery
• Wrinkle Treatment Terms

The Best Wrinkle Treatment Candidates

Considering wrinkle treatment with injectables

There's no way to stop wrinkles and fine lines from forming, but wrinkle treatment with injectable fillers can help diminish the appearance of static wrinkles (wrinkles present without facial movement) in adult men and women.

Wrinkle filler injections may be used to treat the following areas:

• Nasolabial folds (nose to corners of the mouth)
• Marionette lines (corners of the mouth to the chin)
• Forehead creases (static expression lines)
• Glabellar lines (static frown lines or eyebrow furrows)
• Under eye wrinkles
• Crow's feet (static laugh lines near the eyes)
• Mouth wrinkles (lipstick lines or smoker's lines)

For dynamic wrinkles, or wrinkles that appear only when you make facial expressions, Botox is the best wrinkle treatment. Botox is often combined with injectable wrinkle fillers for more complete facial rejuvenation.

Non-surgical wrinkle filler injections cannot achieve the same long-lasting, dramatic results as cosmetic surgery, but these treatments may help delay the need for a facelift, forehead lift or other cosmetic surgery procedures.

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Wrinkle Treatment With Injectable Fillers

Using wrinkle fillers for facial rejuvenation

Dermal fillers used for injectable wrinkle treatment are typically composed of one of the following substances:

• Collagen - a natural protein derived from human or bovine (cow) sources
• Hyaluronic acid - a natural substance found in joints and connective tissue
• Hydroxylapatite - a mineral form of calcium found in bones
• Poly L lactic acid (PLLA) - a synthetic polymer (plastic)
• Poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) - a synthetic polymer (plastic)
• Human fat - fat cells harvested from your own body
  

Collagen injections usually appear in the form of brand name products like CosmoDerm or CosmoPlast and last about 2-4 months when injected for wrinkle treatment. Hyaluronic acid fillers like Juvederm and Restylane are also temporary but last a bit longer than collagen. These fillers can treat wrinkles for 4-12 months.

Radiesse, a wrinkle filler made of hydroxylapatite, can last even longer than hyaluonic acid and collagen fillers (one year or more), while PLLA and PMMA fillers like Sculptra and Artefill, respectively, can last indefinitely. Human fat injections may also last indefinitely, however there is no guarantee it will not be reabsorbed by the body over time.

Sculptra is unique from other wrinkle fillers in that it stimulates natural collagen production in the areas treated with the product, and for this reason, Sculptra is usually preferred for cheek augmentation, as opposed to wrinkle treatment.

During your wrinkle treatment, Dr. Motlagh will cleanse your face then inject the filler best suited to correct your problem areas at specific injection points designed to plump depressed and creased areas without over-filling. Most injectable fillers contain lidocaine, a local anesthetic, so no additional anesthesia is typically needed.

Treatment takes 15-30 minutes, depending on the number of areas that require injection and the amount of filler used. Post-treatment cleansing will be performed after your injections are administered, and the injection sites may be iced to alleviate swelling and discomfort.

You may re-apply makeup before returning to work or other daily activities, provided you do not apply pressure to the injection sites.

Before and after wrinkle treatment injections

Before and after nasolabial fold injections

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Injectable Filler Side Effects

Potential risks of injectable filler treatment

Different fillers pose different potential risks, although serious side effects are uncommon with most fillers. In general, wrinkle fillers that provide longer lasting results tend to carry greater risk for long-term complications.

Potential side effects that may occur when injectable fillers are used for wrinkle treatment include:

• Allergic reaction (usually pertains to only to bovine-derived collagen, so an allergy test will be administered prior to treatment with these products)
• Infection at the injection sites
• Development of nodules, lumps, bumps or granulomas
• Breakouts
• Asymmetric or unsatisfactory results
• Migration (movement away from the desired treatment area)

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Wrinkle Treatment Recovery

Downtime after wrinkle treatment

You will see results immediatley after your injectable wrinkle treatment, although minor swelling may cause the treated areas to appear over-filled temporarily. In addition to swelling, you may also experience temporary bruising.

To minimize bruising and swelling, apply cold compresses periodically and keep your head elevated for 48 hours after treatment. After about one week you will see your final wrinkle treatment results.

Results from temporary fillers, such as collagen and hyaluronic acid fillers, will last anywhere from 3-12 months, depending on the area treated. Results will fade faster in areas that experience frequent movement, such as the lips. Permanent or semi-permanent fillers will last at least one year or longer.

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Wrinkle Treatment Terms

• Collagen: A natural protein used as an injectable filler for soft tissue augmentation.
• Human fat: Fat harvested from your own body and used as an injectable filler for soft tissue augmentation.
• Hyaluronic acid: A natural substance found in the body used as a filler.
• Hydroxylapatite: A mineral-like compound found naturally in human bone used as a filler.
• Injectable fillers: Substances used to restore volume and a more youthful appearance.
• Local anesthesia: A drug injected directly to the site of an incision during an operation to relieve pain.
• Soft tissue augmentation: The use of injectable fillers to restore volume and your youthful appearance.
• Vermillion: The red pigment of your lips.

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