Injectables: 101

One can't surf social media without coming across some story on cosmetic medical neuromodulators, better known as Botox, Dysport, Xeomin, and Daxxify, and dermal fillers. The popularity of these products has grown rapidly due to their ability to rejuvenate and enhance aesthetic outcomes without surgery, and they are less costly and have limited to no recovery. So how do you make sense of all the options?

Botox and the other neuromodulators are pretty straightforward. They relax the facial muscles that cause wrinkles.

The range of dermal fillers and their use is a little more complex. The following is a list of the dermal fillers we use here at StarkMD.

Hyaluronic Acid (HA) Dermal Fillers

HA is a substance that occurs naturally in the body's soft tissues. There are many HA dermal fillers differing in characteristics that are beneficial for correcting different issues ranging from fine lines around the mouth to enhancing the jawline and restoring general facial volume loss. The newer generations of HA dermal fillers also provide structure and flexibility with better longevity.

Calcium Hydroylapatite Dermal Fillers

This is a mineral compound found naturally in bone. Radiesse is the most common of this group.

Poly-L-Lactic Acid (PLLA) Dermal filler

This synthetic biodegradable filler works by stimulating the body to make collagen. Usually, multiple treatments are required several weeks apart over the first few months, and gradual improvements begin to build. Sculptra is the most common in the category.

Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA)

This is a semi-permanent synthetic substance of collagen and microspheres that are good for acne scars and deep lines. Bellafill is the most common.

Educate and Listen

Patients come with a lot of knowledge. However, they also come with misconceptions about dermal fillers and neuromodulators. We have all seen bad filler placement, overfilling, and unfortunate Botox outcomes. It is our job to listen and educate. We listen to our patient's concerns and fears and then, through expert assessment, explain how these concerns can be addressed with the correct dermal filler and the appropriate amount. This communication creates a relationship of trust. Trust that we are experts in all the dermal fillers available, their characteristics and indications, and that we are skilled in the technique to avoid potential complications. Trust that we understand your aesthetic sense (how each patient wants to look or be perceived). Outcomes should be rejuvenating, not distorting. Our goal is that patients should feel a sense of looking refreshed, and their expression should be less sad or tired.

Depending upon where you lie on the aging spectrum, dermal fillers and neuromodulators can be used to enhance and or restore. For example, a twenty-year-old may want fuller lips or have a bothersome bump on their nose. Fillers can augment the lip to provide better shape and fullness and camouflage the bump of the nose (liquid rhinoplasty). You may not have many facial wrinkles but want a little Botox to keep from developing deep lines over time. Maybe you need or want the aperture of the eye opened or brows elevated? A weak or recessed chin can be easily enhanced with newer, longer-lasting products like Volux.

A patient in their 50s will have other concerns that focus on restoring the facial anatomy now that normal aging, deflation, and gravitational changes are noticeable. Voluma for cheeks, Volux for the jawline, or Vobella to rehydrate the lip's appearance are great options. We can even inject dermal filler into the hands or temples.

The Consultation

We encourage our Philadelphia plastic surgery patients to come in for a comprehensive consultation with our team of professional, skilled, and certified injectors to discuss their specific concerns and to complete a full facial assessment. Our goal is to educate our patients about where they fall on the spectrum of facial aging and restoration and how their concerns relate to their anatomy or other factors. We will discuss options, listen to your goals for treatment, and develop a plan and budget that makes sense and will support your goals over time.

Stark Talk: Injectables