The effects of aging on the skin, particularly that of the face, can be prominent. As we get older, we gradually lose both collagen and subcutaneous fat – collagen is the matrix that gives our skin its structure and elasticity, while fat fills out our features and keeps the skin smooth and tight. As these two materials gradually decrease, our skin begins to sag and droop with gravity’s pull, and the movements of our facial muscles become much more visible and pronounced. Cheeks and lips become sunken and hollow, while wrinkles become increasingly pronounced.
Dermal fillers are substances that can be injected into the skin to replenish some of that lost volume, restoring a youthful fullness to the facial features. Depending on the specific type of dermal filler used and the site of the injection, the results can last anywhere from six months to upwards of five years.
Common Uses for Dermal Fillers
Dermal fillers, most commonly used to enhance and restore volume to aging facial features, can theoretically be used almost anywhere where tissue volume has been lost. Some of the most common uses for dermal fillers include:
- Plumping thin lips. Many people, especially women, lack the level of volume in their lips that they would like to have. In addition to detracting from the face’s attractiveness, overly thin lips can give the impression that you are tense or angry, regardless of your true mood. In addition to adding lip volume, dermal fillers can also be used to minimize the appearance of the vertical lines that sometimes appear around the mouth.
- Filling in hollows. The most obvious example of this is the cheeks, which become sallow and gaunt as we age or after losing a significant amount of weight. Restoring some of this plumpness and volume to the cheeks gives a youthful appearance. Hollow spots can also appear beneath the lower eyelids, giving the person a perpetually tired appearance – reenergize your look with dermal fillers.
- Minimizing the appearance of skin creases. Nasolabial folds (also called laugh lines) that stretch from the nose to the corners of the mouth, as well as the "marionette lines" that extend from the corners of the mouth downward, only grow more pronounced in appearance with time, as more and more volume is gradually lost in the facial tissues.
- Treating recessed scars. Scars from acne, chicken pox, or other injuries can develop a sunken or "cratered" appearance over time, leaving divots in the surface of the skin. Dermal fillers are the perfect option to even out the level surface of the skin.
Finding a Plastic Surgeon You Can Trust
When it comes to the use of dermal fillers to improve the appearance of hollow areas in the face, you want to make sure every step is being performed by someone who not only you trust to perform such cosmetic procedures with skill, but who also understands your aesthetic goals and is committed to helping you reach them. To start working with our team at NYBG Plastic Surgery, contact our office today.