Aging is inevitable but you can control some of the visible signs that occur over time including sun exposure, heredity, and life style.  The most common signs of aging are wrinkles and a loss of facial fullness.

Softening wrinkles and facial creases and restoring some of your face volume can often be achieved non-surgically through treatment with injectable fillers.  The result is a smoother, fuller, and more youthful facial appearance. 

Some fillers are based on natural substances derived from the human body, others are synthetic forms of these substances, and some may contain synthetic, biocompatible compounds.

If you're considering injectable fillers, this outline will give you a basic understanding of the procedure, when it can help, how it's performed, and what results you can expect.  It can't answer all of your questions, since a lot depends on the individual patient and the surgeon.  Dr. Walker is more than happy to clarify any misunderstandings, please contact her office with any questions or concerns you may have.

Injectable filler treatments are performed in Dr. Walker's office. A topical anesthetic is applied prior to injections and ice is applied post treatment.

Injection takes about fifteen minutes and the results are immediate.  Bruising is possible as is slight swelling for several hours after treatment. 

Walker Plastic Surgery uses several brand name injectable fillers.

Hyaluronic Acid Fillers

Uses: Lips, Lip Line, Nasolabial Folds, Marionette Lines, Frown Lines, Crows Feet, Cheeks

Both Juvederm and Restylane are hyaluronic acid based fillers.  Hyaluronic acid is a natural complex sugar found in all living organisms and creates volume and elasticity in the skin.

Juvederm smoothes wrinkles and restores volume – reversing the signs of aging.  It can also be used to enhance facial features such as your lips and cheeks for added fullness and definition with a natural look.  Juvederm provides correction for quite a long time (up to a year).

Restylane is a safe, natural, and well suited to plump thin lips and fill facial creases. It may also be appropriate for some surface wrinkles and concave scars.  The fullness achieved from Restylane treatment may last six months or longer.

Calcium Hydroxylapatite Fillers

Uses: Deeper tissues, deep nasolabial folds, cheeks, nasal dorsum. Not recommended around or in the lips because of its larger particle size.

Radiesse is calcium hydroxylapatite particles suspended in a water-based solution that is used more deeply in tissues to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and skin folds and fill certain scars.  The filler is biocompatible, non-toxic, and non-allergenic; results last for up to six months or more.

Synthetic Poly-L-Lactic Acid Fillers

Uses: Hollow cheeks, sunken eyes, indented chin

Sculptra® Aesthetic is a synthetic but biocompatible material derived from natural sources.  Patients usually require multiple initial treatments to obtain a fully satisfactory outcome then receive maintenance treatments in order to continue to see results.

Candidates for injectable fillers are individuals looking for a quick and modest improvement in the signs of facial aging inculding laugh lines, marrionette lines, nasolabial folds, crows feet, brow furrows, and forehead creases. 

Injectable fillers may also be beneficial in treating areas of the face which have lost volume or scars and skin depressions.  Enhancing deflated, thin lips or an undefined "lipstick bleeding" lip line is also corrected with injectable fillers.  Thin, flat ear lobules that don't hold earrings benefit from injectable fillers.

If any of the above issues are troubling you, schedule a consultation with Dr. Walker and see which is the best option to treat your concern.