Fillers for treating wrinkles - how do they work?

A wrinkle filler, which can also be referred to as a dermal filler especially by dermatologists and other medical professionals, can reduce wrinkles either temporarily or permanently and can improve the skin's radiance. Permanent fillers can not be removed once they have been injected without scarring face tissue and, as they are prone to cause adverse reactions like infections and swelling, many specialists do not advocate this course of treatment.

Instead, temporary wrinkle fillers are usually administered. These are much safer and the majority of adverse reactions reported by patients are limited to short-term redness, lumpiness and mild bruising.

A temporary treatment lasts anything from two months to two years, depending on which filler is used and where wrinkles are located.

How wrinkle fillers work

The filler is injected into the skin to literally fill wrinkles and lines from beneath. They can be used anywhere on the face, although fillers that use human or animal fat should never be used to treat forehead wrinkles as there is a danger of the fat entering the blood and potentially causing blindness.

The procedure will probably take between 30 and 60 minutes and are relatively painless, especially if a local anesthetic or anaesthetizing cream is applied beforehand.

Types of wrinkle fillers

There are two types of wrinkle fillers: those that use synthetic materials, and those that use animal fat or human fat (the patient’s own). The most common component of a synthetic filler is hyaluronic acid which is used in different quantities to treat different types and depths of wrinkle.

One product, for example, is Restylane. For deep, sunken scars or lines, its sister product Restylane-Perlane is usually used, whereas for delicate areas with limited wrinkling, the product Restylane Fine would probably be injected.

Injected fat to fill wrinkles is another options, however the risk of infections and treatment failure are higher. Most patients opt to have the donor fat removed from their stomach or thighs. This fat is then frozen and gradually transferred to their problematic wrinkle zones every six to eight weeks for up to a year.

The process of removing the fat is carried out under local anesthetic, as are the series of injections.

© The Pink Fridge Online Magazine 2008 - Wrinkle Fillers

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