Dermal Fillers

Juvederm® / Restylane®

The resilience and youthful contours of your skin, its ability to counter the effects of time, wind and weather, owes much to hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid also plays an important role giving volume to the skin, shape to the eyes and elasticity to the joints. Hyaluronic acid is found naturally in your skin and other tissues. Hyaluronic acid has a chemical structure similar in some ways to sugar, and is identical in all species and in all tissue types.  Dermal Fillers are made from NASHA gel (Non-Animal Stabilized Hyaluronic Acid).

More than 35 million patients all over the world have been treated with various hyaluronic acid based products over the years. Restylane® is extremely safe.

Millions of treatments have been carried out in more than 60 countries around the world with Restylane®.

Studies show that the vast majority of them were so happy with their results they would be willing to have the treatment again.

Because the NASHA used in Restylane® is produced by fermentation, there is no risk of transmitting diseases between species, or eliciting allergic reactions in patients who are sensitized to common foods, such as beef, chickens and eggs – and Restylane® is acceptable to vegetarians. No skin testing is needed before Restylane® treatments. The sizes of the NASHA gel particles in Restylane® is custom tailored to match the tissue structures in the skin being treated, and they are stabilized to form a continuous 3-dimensional molecular network. Nutrients, oxygen and hormones pass freely between the gel particles, maintaining the health and vitality of your skin. Since the body has its own system for absorbing hyaluronic acid, it slowly disappears over time without a trace.

The Dermal Fillers can be used for thin, superficial lines, for example around the eyes, around the mouth and on the forehead. Many people are looking for that slightly fuller or rounder more sensuous line along the lips. Just a touch of additional volume can make an enormous difference to your appearance. Unlike collagen (which lasts 3-6 months), the benefits of Dermal Filler treatments can be visible for 6-12 months, depending on the location of the treatment and the nature of your skin. For example, highly mobile areas like the lips tend to require at least a touch-up treatment after about 3-6 months. Areas where there is less movement may only require additional treatment after 12 months. Experience has shown that smaller amounts of Dermal Fillers are often needed for maintenance than for the initial correction.

Dermal Fillers have the ability to bind water is unique, and when the molecules dissolve even they turn into water and depart without leaving any trace in your body. Unlike permanent implants, Dermal Fillers always leaves you a choice when the effect of the treatment has worn off. Furthermore, a face is constantly changing and beauty is best maintained by periodically evaluating the need for further treatment.

How long the effect of Dermal Filler treatments last is very individual. It depends on many factors such as the structure of the skin, lifestyle and age as well as on the degree of perfection demanded by the individual. However, we know that for the majority of the patients treated about 50-80% of the effect remains after 6 months. Most people choose to have a touch-up done within a year of the original treatment.

The great thing about Dermal Fillersis that you can replenish your natural beauty whenever you feel the need. A touchup can be performed any time you like after the previous treatment.

Common uses for Restylane® include:

• correcting folds and wrinkles of the face
• Restoration of lost volume in the cheeks, chin, lips and other facial areas.
• nasolabial folds (between your nose, mouth and cheeks)
• horizontal (upper forehead) frown lines
• glabellar (lower forehead) frown lines
• chin augmentation
• depressed corners of the mouth, also known as “marionette lines”
• lip enhancement, including treatment of the edges of the lips and lines around the lips to stop lipstick from leaking from your lips onto the surrounding skin

Other uses for Dermal Fillers include:

• filling subcutaneous skin defects
• augmentation of cheek bones, chin or bridge of the nosecorrecting some irregularities of the nose
• filling small facial bone or hand bone defects
• augmentation of the nipple

The needles used for Dermal Fillers are very fine and most patients are pleasantly surprised by the minimal discomfort of the treatment. All Dermal Filler syringes used at the Kingston and Ottawa Cosmetic Institutes have local anaesthetic (“freezing”) in them so discomfort is very minimal. The treatment takes about 30-60 minutes and the results are prompt.

Millions of treatments have been carried out in more than 60 countries around the world with Dermal Fillers. Significant side effects have been very rare.

There have been no long-term side effects, allergic reactions or health hazards related to Dermal Fillers use thus far.

The risk of any side effect depends on the areas injected. Because the effects of Dermal Fillers are reversible, any side effects are almost always temporary.

Temporary bruising is the most common side effect. This generally subsides within a few days. Applying and following the pre and post treatment instructions closely will reduce the risk of this.

Mild allergic reactions, as mentioned above, would be the next most common side effect at a rate of about 1 in 3000. Here again these are generally not significant and easily resolved in a short period of time.

It is possible to perform a face-lift after Dermal Filler  treatment.  In fact Dermal Filler treatments can sometimes reduce or eliminate the need for a facelift or other surgery, or can delay the need for repeated surgery.

You will be provided with extensive details as to the possible side effects before your treatments. Be sure to carefully read the appropriate consent form we will provide and ask any questions you may have, before any treatment.