Dermal fillers are prescription products used to treat fine lines and wrinkles, plump lips, and repair or improve other facial imperfections, like hollow cheeks or scars. If you are interested in dermal fillers as a treatment option, it's important to first understand the different types of dermal fillers, how treatment is administered, the possible side effects and costs.
Collagen Implants
Dermal fillers are minimally invasive procedures with little or no recovery time and minimal risk, according to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology. The first dermal filler approved in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration in 1981 was a collagen implant made from a highly purified dermal bovine collagen. Collagen is a protein found naturally in the body and may be derived from either cows or humans. However, collagen implants are only one type of dermal filler available.
Temporary Dermal Fillers
There are two categories of dermal fillers--temporary and semipermanent, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Collagen implants fall into the category of temporary dermal fillers. Other types of temporary dermal fillers include hyaluronic acid, calcium hydroxylapatite and polylactic acid.
Hyaluronic acid and calcium hydroxylapatite are substances found naturally in the human body. Hyaluronic acid works by attracting and binding to water, which hydrates and plumps the skin. Calcium hydroxylapatite is a mineral-like compound found in the bones often used to treat deep creases in the skin, hollow cheeks and facial contours. Polylactic acid is a synthetic material that stimulates the production of collagen, and is especially effective for treating laugh lines and for augmenting thin lips.
Semipermanent Dermal Fillers
PMMA fillers are semipermanent dermal fillers. This type of dermal filler is composed of polymethylmethacrylate, or PMMA, microspheres suspended in a purified collagen gel. PMMA fillers are most often used to treat medium to deep wrinkles and folds and furrows, especially smile lines, and may also help to fill out pitted scars and thin lips, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
Treatment with Dermal Fillers
The first step is to consult with a professional experienced with dermal filler treatments, such as a dermatologist or plastic surgeon. Together, you will decide which treatment options may be best for you, depending on the results you desire, your facial appearance and the tone of your skin. Once you agree on the type of dermal filler treatment, the physician will mark the sites for injection, clean the area to be treated, and then inject the treatment. The injection itself goes quickly and generally causes only minimal discomfort. Complications from dermal filler treatments are rare.
It's important to understand that no dermal filler treatment is permanent. To maintain results, treatments need to be repeated periodically.
Costs
As elective procedures, dermal fillers are usually not covered by health insurance. The cost for dermal filler treatment will depend on a number of factors, including the type of filler used, the geographic location where the procedure is performed, and the qualifications and experience of the person you choose to perform the procedure. Talk to your doctor about all the possible costs and ask if he offers patient financing plans.
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