Practitioner standing infront of patient with a mask and gloves on with hands reaching towards patient's face

As people age, they lose dermal volume. In fact, with age, dermal thickness decreases by about 20%. This is where dermal fillers can swoop in and save the day.

Dermal fillers have become a standard procedure for facial rejuvenation due to their ability to help turn back the ageing clock so to speak. These fillers are soft tissue injectables that restore lost volume and address other age-related skin issues.

Since many different types of facial fillers are available on the market, it can be tricky to figure out which one is right for you, which is where a guide to dermal fillers can come in handy. Here’s everything you need to determine the filler type that would best suit your face.

How Can Dermal Fillers Help You?

Ageing causes your skin to lose collagen, which allows wrinkles to form. Although you cannot pause time or stop ageing, you can reverse the signs and feel younger with some help. Dermal fillers can improve your skin’s appearance in numerous ways. In addition to smoothing out wrinkles, dermal fillers can help other aspects of the face, depending on the filler type. Some of the skin issues fillers can address are:

  • Restore cheek volume
  • Reduce vertical lip lines, such as smoker’s lines
  • Enhance and plump lips
  • Smooth outlines around the mouth and nose, such as marionette lines
  • Diminish the appearance of scars

The skin experts at GraceMed’s medi spa in Burlington can explain the different ways dermal fillers can help you. The different types of dermal fillers each address a skin concern that can help you in various aspects – cosmetic, medical, and mental.

Different Types of Fillers

Each filler serves a distinct purpose, allowing you to achieve youthful skin in different ways. The significant difference between the different types of facial fillers is the substances inside each of them. All the substances in a dermal filler target a different problem area. Here are the different types of fillers that you can choose from for your facial rejuvenation.

Juvéderm® Volift®

Juvéderm® Volift® Lidocain is a part of the hyaluronic acid (HA) facial fillers family. HA is derived from a naturally occurring sugar in the body, and it helps your skin keep its elasticity while providing volume.

Smiling is great for the human body and mind, but it can take a toll on the face. You can get lines on your face from smiling a lot, known as nasolabial folds or smile lines. The Volift works best on the bottom of the nose to the corners of the mouth. Your smooth skin can last up to a year and help you smile without stress again.

Woman smiling looking in the mirror and holding her face

Credit: Andrea Piacquadio Via Pexels

Juvéderm® Volbella®

If you’re tired of using Instagram filters to give your lips a nice pout, it might be time to embrace this hyaluronic acid-based gel filler, enhanced with painkilling Lidocaine. The Juvéderm® Volbella® is a softer and smoother gel, allowing for smoother injection in the lips.

You can try out Volbella and some other dermal fillers in Toronto after speaking to a skin expert. Since you can combine some fillers with others, a medical expert can guide you through the process and help you determine how to make the treatments most effective.

The Volbella helps the lips look plumper, reducing the appearance of flat lips. This solution lasts longer, requiring fewer visits to the doctor. You can flaunt your perfect pout and receive the pain-free injection thanks to painkilling Lidocaine. In addition, the lower HA concentration means that the substance is less likely to absorb water, resulting in minor swelling and a more natural appearance.

Sculptra® Poly-L-lactic Acid

The Sculptra injectable uses poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) microparticles to fill areas in the face where people lose volume, such as the cheeks. However, you can use it anywhere on the skin that you feel has lost volume, including the butt. The treatment has no side effects, allowing you to achieve younger-looking skin without worry.

Sculptra stimulates new collagen in hollow areas and can last up to two years. If you’re developing jowls or marionette lines, it might be time to embrace the treatment and reduce volume loss. Sculptra can also address issues like sunken cheeks, allowing you to feel like a brand-new person after treatment.

Resytlane®

If wrinkles are a significant concern for you, Resytlane might be your safest bet. It is used in more than 15 million treatments worldwide and can deliver long-lasting treatment for wrinkles. There are a few different Resytlane fillers to choose from, so you can pick which injectable best suits your skincare needs.

Woman with a white towel wrapped around her head applying cream to her face looking in the mirror

Credit: Karolina Grabowska Via Pexels

The Resytlane treatment can provide numerous advantages after use, such as accentuating eyebrows, smooth under-eye hollows, enhancing lips, increasing volume in the upper cheek and nasolabial region, and defining contours of your cheek and chin, and jawline. In addition, people also use it to treat acne scars, camouflage jowls, and make changes in the shape or symmetry of the face. Resytlane is popular due to the number of solutions that it provides.

Revanesse®

Revanesse® is a line of cross-linked hyaluronic acid dermal fillers. A human body consists of naturally occurring hyaluronic acid (HA) present in the skin. However, as people age, the HA decreases, causing the skin to lose volume and develop wrinkles and fine lines.

The line of Revanesse® is made with the highest quality of HA, allowing the dermal fillers to last 6-12 months. The substance restores volume loss in the skin and helps the face look more youthful, storing a rejuvenated look.

Which Filler Should You Get?

There are different types of dermal fillers available, and it’s essential to identify the best one for you. You may need to do some research to find out which aesthetic services your skin requires to restore its youthful look. The filler type you choose should depend on the skin condition you want to address.

Reduce Appearance of Wrinkles

If you aim to reduce wrinkles, you can get Resytlane or Revanesse and choose the number of sessions depending on your skin goals. Minimizing the appearance of wrinkles can take years off your face.

Plump up Thinning Lips

If your lips feel flat or thin, you can try Volbella or Resytlane to restore its volume and achieve natural-looking plumpness. Thinning lips can be a sign of ageing, and a lip treatment can rejuvenate your face.

Close-up of woman with red lipstick holding a phone and looking into it

Credit: cottonbro Via Pexels

Improve Smile Lines

Smile lines are also known as nasolabial folds, which can make a face look older. The Volift is a treatment tailored to treat smile lines and smoothen the skin around the bottom of the nose to the corners of the mouth.

Diminish Acne Scars

Acne scars are a significant issue that occurs at many ages and isn’t limited to young adults. Acne can adversely affect the quality of life for those who live with the condition. Resytlane fillers are used to fill in acne scars and reduce their appearance.

Treat Hollowed Areas

Hollowed areas on the face, such as cheeks, can look unappealing and hinder one’s confidence. Luckily, some types of fillers, such as the Sculptra and Resytlane, address hollowed facial areas, such as the cheeks.

Dermal Fillers & Botox

Although dermal fillers and Botox are injectable treatments, they target different problem areas and provide distinct solutions. Neither of the treatments is a substitute for the other. Both treatments deliver temporary results without downtime, and the type of procedure you need depends on your skin concerns. Talk to our Toronto Botox specialists about which is best suited to your needs and goals.

What is the Difference Between Botox and Dermal Fillers?

Dermal fillers are typically used for the mid and lower face to replace volume and plump the skin. The treatment areas are usually the jaws, chin, cheeks, and lips. On the other hand, Botox focuses on skin conditions in the upper face, and Botox treatments focus on frown lines, forehead lines, and crow’s feet. In some cases, you can use both fillers and Botox treatments simultaneously to achieve optimum results. Some people also use Botox for migraines, whereas fillers usually serve aesthetic purposes.

Woman in white top looking to the side and holding her hand to her chin

Credit: Pixabay Via Pexels

Is Botox a Substitute for Dermal Fillers?

Since 2000, North America’s acceptance of injectables has increased with a growth of 748% and fillers with 253%. Injectables and fillers are both capable of transforming the face and helping your look years younger by targeting problem areas.

Since Botox is one of the most common skin treatments in North America, people continue to embrace the procedure for younger-looking skin. Although there are many benefits of Botox, it is not a substitute for dermal fillers since they target different areas of the face.

How Long Do Dermal Fillers Last?

The exact time your dermal fillers can last depends on the type of filler you get. Some fillers last 6-12 months, while others may last up to 5 years.

  • Juvéderm® Volift®: 6-12 months
  • Juvéderm® Volbella®: 6-12 months
  • Sculptra®: Up to 2 years
  • Resytlane®: 6-18 months (depending on the type of filler & area)
  • Revanesse®: 10-14 months

The injections of hyaluronic acid fill in wrinkles and hydrate the skin effectively. However, the plumping effects fade over time, and the wrinkles start to reemerge. When you notice your fillers fading, it may be time to go back for another appointment.

Are Dermal Fillers Painful?

Although dermal fillers look scary, they are not that painful. You will feel some discomfort, but it will be worth it. The level of comfort depends on the application technique. Luckily, GraceMed doctors are well aware of using the best technique to make the experience comfortable.

You may experience mild bruising and swelling after the injections, and the area may feel tender to touch for a few days. However, the side effects are similar to a standard injection and generally fade within 7-14 days.

Proceeding with Dermal Fillers

The most challenging part of the dermal filler treatment is figuring out which fillers you should try out. The medical experts at GraceMed allow consultation in multiple locations to help you make an informed decision. Although most fillers don’t have excessive side effects, some treatments can cause discomfort and reactions, which you need to know more about before finalizing your appointment.

To proceed with your dermal filler appointment, you need to determine which problem areas you are trying to treat. Discuss your concerns with the doctor, and they will help you plan out your treatment accordingly. In some cases, you may be able to combine multiple fillers or one filler with one Botox treatment.

Below the head shot of a doctor wearing a white robe with a clipboard and marking something on the paper

Credit: RODNAE Productions Via Pexels

Before you undergo any procedure, you should figure out your payment plan. Unfortunately, the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) or most private insurance plans generally do not cover dermal fillers or Botox treatments when they are administered for cosmetic purposes. However, when you undergo these treatments for medical purposes, you may be able to claim the procedure as a medical expense. Depending on the severity of your medical problem and your coverage plan, you may be paying very little out of your pocket.

Post-Treatment Care

Your specific care routine will depend on the types of dermal fillers you get. However, it is essential to maintain your results by taking care of your skin at all times. Using medical-grade skin care could be the first step to ensuring that your skin receives the love it deserves. You may also need to adopt a better skin care regime to maintain your results.

One significant aspect of skincare is prioritizing sun protection. Unfortunately, the main culprit of premature ageing is photoaging, which damages the skin due to sunlight and ultraviolet (UV) light exposure. It is crucial to protect your skin from the sun by applying high SPF sunscreen before and after your filler and Botox treatments.

Dermal Fillers at GraceMed

We offer dermal fillers at many of our locations. You can book an appointment at the closest location to find out if dermal fillers are available around your area. We are always ready to point you in the right direction and help you find a clinic that provides the service you’re looking to try out.