As we all age, wrinkles start to take over our once youthful skin. Many treatments have been developed to counter these ageing signs, ranging from invasive facelifts to non-surgical injections. Dermal fillers are the least invasive of treatments but they only provide a temporary solution to wrinkles, requiring continuing treatments. So if you can’t face surgery, dermal fillers may be your answer.

So what are dermal fillers? The best place to start is the cause of wrinkles. A naturally occurring substance in your body, called collagen, acts as a framework supporting your skin, bones, ligaments and muscles. As you age, your body produces less collage which in turn causes the skin to thin out, sag and develop crevices which turn into wrinkles.Dermal fillers are designed to replace the loss of collagen thereby returning the framework to the skin. The filler is injected into the deeper layers of the skin, plumping out lines and giving an even tone. These treatments provide a very effective solution for both dynamic and static wrinkles. They also provide a great complement to botulinum toxin treatment where dramatic improvement is desired for deep lines.

What types are there?

The most perplexing decision to make is choosing the type of filler. There are so many different fillers to choose from including natural, synthetic or even acid based products. It would be wise to research your options.

Collagen

Collagen was largely popular in the seventies and eighties. It was initially taken from animals and then from humans. However, injecting collagen (whatever its source) into the skin only lasts around six to twelve weeks as the body absorbs collagen quite quickly. Due to the constant maintenance required, collagen has become less popular nowadays as newer longer lasting treatments have been developed.

Bovine and Animal Collagen

Bovine collagen comes from cow hides. Once injected, your body instantly absorbs the saline element, leaving the collagen in the skin. The collagen plumps out the skin. Also available is porcine collagen from pigs.These fillers are used less frequently today as they are effectively introducing a foreign element into your body, which can cause allergies and even anaphylactic shock. As a precaution, doctors are required to patch test for allergies some five weeks before treatment. This waiting period is ineffective if you seek immediate results. Even after a positive patch test, you may still develop an allergic reaction, giving you hard, itchy, red blotches around the treatment area.

Human Collagen

To counter the rejection problems associated with animal collagen, doctors started deriving collagen from humans. Initially it was taken from cadavers, however due to a risk of disease transfer, scientists moved to manufacturing human collagen in laboratories. Although some hypersensitivity has been reported on rare occasions, human collagen injections do not require a skin test.

Hyaluronic Acid

This is a sugar found in humans and animals. It is spread throughout the whole body, some being used as a lubricant for the eyes and shock absorbers for the joints, but mostly being found in the skin. It forms a component of the connective tissues that provide support.Due to its benefits, many doctors are using hyaluronic acid based fillers today. The main benefits include:

• minimal chance of allergic reaction
• more stable than collagen
• injects smoothly
• no skin test required
• longer lasting results.

The various brands are made of hyaluronic acid from either animals or humans, each with different molecular sizes.

Calcium Hydroxylapatite

A chemical compound suspended in a gel. This rather new filler has no serious side effects and lasts between one and two years. Some dentists use it for reconstructive work. Previously, it has also been used by surgeons as a compound for cheek, jaw and chin implants. As this filler is relatively new, the longer-term effects are still not known.

Fat Transfer

Fat is transferred from another part of your body and injected into your face. Sounds exciting, doesn’t it? The fat cells are taken from a donor part of your body, such as the buttocks, thighs, knees or abdomen. There is no chance of rejection, since the fat comes from your body.Your face will be swollen for a couple of weeks. The amount of fat cells transferred will reduce by 60-70% after two to three months as they will be absorbed by the body. The remaining cells will survive permanently. You therefore won’t know the full effects of the fat transfer until after this time. The risks involve facial nerve injury, lumpiness, discoloration and infection. As with any other procedure, the success will depend on the skill and expertise of the surgeon.As with any other procedure, be sure to do your research and only have the procedure undertaken by a qualified practitioner.