It often seems like all the world is crazy for low-cost, quick recovery, non-surgical cosmetic procedures with facial fillers.
But do fillers replace cosmetic surgery?
Actually, fillers should not be chalked up as a substitute for surgery.
For instance, a patient seeking a face and neck lift will typically show up for a surgical consultation with noticeable sagging in and around:
- The jowls
- The jaw line
- Skin hanging from the neck
(See some face and neck lift before & after pictures.)
Unfortunately, none of those conditions can be helped with fillers. It’s unfortunate because the neck, jowls and areas around the eyes are the facial areas where the first signs of early aging appear like:
- Double chins
- Hanging platysma edges
- (The platysma is the neck muscle running from under the chin, down the neck to the shoulder bones. When it sags, it announces “really getting older.”)
Cosmetic surgery in most cases may be the right approach for the above facial conditions, but the facial tightening can only go so far.
Overly aggressive surgery usually ends with the patient having an overly tight face, a condition known in Hollywood as “windblown.”
But, just as fillers are not a substitute for surgery, the opposite is also true: surgery can’t take the place of all fillers.
Fillers work by restoring volume to cheeks and lips while filling out lines and wrinkles.
Facial fillers like Restylane®, Juvéderm® and Bellafill can fill out cheeks, wrinkles and deep skin folds. Common facial areas addressed are often:
- Nasolabial Folds: these are the lines running from the corners of the nose to the edges of the mouth.
- Forehead lines and wrinkles.
- Chin, cheek and minor jaw areas.
- Dark circles around the eyes can be masked by fillers that reduce shadows, puffiness and sunken looks under the eyes.
Plump lips are signs of youth and desirability. Hyaluronic acid Fillers restore lip volume and gets rid of fine lines around the lips. Some cosmetic surgeons use the patient’s transplanted fat for plumper lips.
Your actual age does not matter; some start serious aging at 30ish while most are showing signs of aging by the late 40s or 50s.
Of course, fillers don’t last forever; most people can show younger results for six months to three years.
One of the oldest, non-surgical facial treatments is a chemical peel that removes old – but shallow – layers of facial skin. Glowing, new skin returns in a matter of weeks.
(Look at some chemical peel before & after pictures.)
BOTOX®, Dysport and Xeomin® are famous for removing facial wrinkles.
