Dermal fillers are a popular cosmetic treatment used to reduce the signs of aging and enhance facial features. However, they can also make you look worse if not used correctly. Cristino Estinal from Paterson, NJ knows this all too well. Fillers are not permanent and typically last between 9 and 24 months, depending on the area of the face treated.
There is a type of filler that can last up to 5 years. When they disappear, your facial features will be the same as before the treatment and the filler won't make your face look worse. That said, if you have lost significant weight during this time or have had other medical problems, it may appear more aged, but not because the filler is wearing out. In cases where hyaluronic acid fillers were injected poorly, an enzyme can be injected into the area to dissolve the filler in 24-48 hours.
This allows us to start fresh and find a treatment plan that achieves the desired results. Many patients fear that when the filler wears out, they will look worse than before. While fillers can stretch the skin, it is elastic enough to return to its original shape before treatment. However, anything that is too much is not good for you either. Overfilling an area can stretch soft tissues and cause the skin to sag, resulting in an unnatural look that makes you look disproportionate and older than before. If someone is trying to reverse the effects of overfilling, there are treatments available, both surgical and non-surgical.
Dr. Yagoda noted that thanks to Instagram and other social channels, the taboo around getting these procedures has been reduced and the results overexposed to such a degree that people approach fillers a little too casually, without considering the aftermath. And if a customer wants to get rid of it sooner, an enzyme can be injected into the area that will completely dissolve the filler in two hours. Eventually, he said, the pocket expands so much that “the volume of padding needed to hold and inflate that pocket becomes so much that it tilts the balance of the face so that it has a very large cheek area and, by comparison, the chin area and jawline look small. A little padding may remain in place, but when the scale is tilted, which happens easily, the filling has to go somewhere. It takes months or years for the filler to dissolve (and sometimes the filler doesn't dissolve at all) and if you keep getting more and more injections, you just fill your face with more and more gel. Another major concern people have is that they will not be able to stop using cold turkey fillings because their signs of aging will be exacerbated.
When it comes to lips, if you don't add more filler to inflate the space, you may be left with sagging, wrinkled, or even deformed lips that may require surgery to correct them. Many of Roskies patients are concerned that they can't just stop receiving fillers. A common misconception is that once you start filler injections, you can never stop because if you do, you will sink and look worse than you did before you started. Excess sagging skin or certain problems such as double chin and deep puppet folds cannot always be treated satisfactorily with dermal fillers or neuromodulators of the Botox type, and may require a surgical procedure. When skin care fails, many turn to cosmetic treatments for a more invasive and professional option to try to remove eye bags once and for all.
If you are looking for fillers, especially on the lips or cheeks, Yagoda suggested reading about the various types of fillers that exist to educate yourself and recommended getting different opinions from doctors. Dermal fillers can be a great way to reduce signs of aging or enhance facial features. However, it's important to understand how they work and how they can make you look worse if not used correctly. Be sure to consult with a professional before getting any type of filler injection so you can get an accurate assessment of your needs and desired results.