Injectable fillers and fat injections are treatment solutions designed to rejuvenate the face and create a more youthful appearance. They are both safe and effective treatments, but they are used to achieve slightly different results. Here is some information about both of the procedures to help you make an informed decision.
Injectable Fillers
Injectable fillers synthetic products designed add targeted volume to the face. The most commonly used temporary fillers are made of hyaluronic acid. The best known products are Restylane, Juvederm and Belotero while Perlane and Voluma are for large volume correction. There are many important advantages of the hyaluronic acid injectables: they provide long term (often greater than 1 year) results, they have been in use for almost 10 years in the United States with excellent safety records and they can be dissolved easily in the office with a small injection if there are any adverse effects.
The use of injectable fillers is minimally invasive and requires little or no recovery period. A new treatment option, injecting with a micro blunt cannula instead of a needle almost eliminates bruising. Anyone in good health is eligible to receive injectable fillers. The physician may provide a topical anesthetic to numb the face. The results are typically immediately visible though it is common to have some swelling for about 48 hours.
Botox is a widely known injectable treatment for wrinkles, but it is not technically a filler. Rather than filling in lines, creases and areas of diminished volume, Botox alleviates dynamic wrinkles by paralyzing the muscles that cause the wrinkles. Botox is often combined with injectable fillers for optimal improvement.
Fat Transfer
Fat transfer is a medical procedure that transfers fat from one part of the body to another part, such as the face or hands. The face naturally contains fatty tissue that makes it look young and healthy. As the face ages, the amount of fatty tissue gradually decreases and transferring fat from another part of the body to the face can make it look younger. The fat can be used to fill in certain parts of the face like under the eyes or the cheeks. Most people in good health are eligible to undergo this procedure.
The fat transfer procedure is minimally invasive and it usually involves local anesthesia or IV sedation. The physician will make a small incision to gather fat tissue from a donor area like the buttocks, thighs, abdomen or hips. The fatty tissue is processed in the operating room (5-10 minutes) to clean the tissue of any impurities and then it will be ready for injection in the face.
Fat transfer uses your own tissue eliminating the complications of foreign materials and providing a more permanent result. Fat transfer is also a much better treatment option for treating volume loss of the whole face.
If you are considering fat transfer or injectable fillers, it is important that you visit a qualified facial plastic surgeon to assess your candidacy for either procedure. The surgeon will provide a thorough examination and suggest the most effective solution to meet your goals.
The Glasgold Group is a New Jersey based specialty facial plastic surgery practice comprised of two generations of facial plastic surgeons: Dr. Mark Glasgold, Dr. Robert Glasgold and Dr. Alvin Glasgold. The Glasgold Group has locations in Highland Park and Princeton, New Jersey. Please contact the office at 732-846-6540 to schedule a consultation to assess your needs.