What lengths would you go to in order to look younger again? If you were thinking, “Well, I’d stick a needle in my face, but nothing further than that. No guns, no knives”, then anti-wrinkle fillers are for you. Perhaps one day we will all sip on the glorious nectar from the fountain of youth. But until we find that stream, probably somewhere in the backwoods of Alabama, injecting needles into our faces will have to do.
Ultimately, these procedures are pretty safe as long as you stick with the common stuff (mainly hyaluronic acid gel or anything approved by the FDA)
What is it?
Anti-wrinkle fillers, which confusingly are also known as wrinkle fillers, or derma fillers, is an overarching term used to describe any procedure where injections are used to fill out the wrinkles in one’s face. Primarily they are used to treat wrinkle lines in the forehead, glabellar lines between the eye brows (the only time when uni-brows are envied, by the way), smile lines around the mouth, nasolabial folds from the mouth to the nose, and perobital lines, more commonly known as crow’s feet.
Wrinkles are caused by the loss of three crucial skin components over the years- collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid. With the help of anti-wrinkle fillers, both collagen and hyaluronic acid can be put back into the skin through injections, while dermatologists are still steadfast at work on developing an FDA-approved elastin counterpart. While bovine collagen injections have been around for decades, human bio-engineered collagen (that is, collagen from human cells) is taking precedence as it provides virtually no allergy risks, unlike bovine collagen.
In the last five years, fillers that replace hyaluronic acid (natural sugars within the skin) have become more popular. Once injected, water is pulled into the skin, which allows for an increased plumping and volume of the skin, especially filling in larger folds around the mouth and cheeks. Similar to human bio-engineered collagen, hyaluronic acid injections pose no risk of skin allergy. Furthermore, it lasts around four to six months and requires less volume to fill wrinkles when compared to collagen.
Who needs it?
Primarily men and women who are self-conscious about their wrinkles will benefit most from various anti-wrinkle procedures. Anti-wrinkle fillers such as collagen can also treat acne scarring as well as help reshape lips. If you’re an aging Hollywood actor, a grandmother, or a baby with Benjamin Button disease, give anti-wrinkle fillers a try.
Benefits:
Anti-wrinkle fillers are safer than ever now that they don’t require any animal sourcing, leaving you free from risk of allergies or some obscure hog disease. This, in turn, means that an initial allergy check is not necessary and therefore, you can potentially get an injection on your first visit to the dermatologist. Also, the most recent anti-wrinkle fillers, such as Juvederm and Restylane, last up to six months, which is significantly longer than what was previously available. But if that wasn’t enough for you, Polymethylmethacrylate is an injectable skin filler that supposedly has permanent results (oh my god, the fountain of youth!). The only problem is, it hasn’t been approved by the FDA and if administered wrong could present the problem of long-term lumps in the area injected. But it sounds scientific!
Risks:
While anti-wrinkle fillers are becoming safer and safer, there are still some risks involved. For one, hyaluronic acid injections do not contain an anesthetic, as opposed to collagen injections, meaning that the former can hurt quite a bit. It has been recommended that you get both procedures, collagen first, which dually numbs the area, and then hyaluronic acid. Though naturally, the two different procedures usually mean double the price. Also, temporary inflammation, such as swelling and redness, are common after such procedures, especially in the lip area.
Also, in a recent study, Spanish scientists have found that some skin fillers, primarily polyalkylimide implant injections, may cause skin lesions around the injection site, as well as fever and arthritis. Also some scientists believe that using more than one anti-wrinkle filler may increase the risk of delayed immune-mediated reactions in certain individuals.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Ultimately, these procedures are pretty safe as long as you stick with the common stuff (mainly hyaluronic acid gel or anything approved by the FDA). Also make sure that it’s being administered by a licensed physician and not a fake doctor, like Dr. Phil or Dr. Pepper. In other words, don’t get too experimental when it comes to injecting stuff into your face. Lastly, I’d like to dedicate this article to the loving memory of Joan Rivers… Wait, what’s that? She’s still alive? Now there’s a testament to long-term use of anti-wrinkle fillers.
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your health care provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care an appropriate health care provider.
If you are considering Anti-Wrinkle Fillers, check out the following links to find specialists in your area:
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