Please Note: You are advised to use a medical professional who can administer the treatment for you.
The use of dermal filler treatment has gained immense popularity lately in the field of aesthetic medicine, with over ten cosmetic indications. If you’re wondering which face and body areas can be treated with dermal fillers, read on for more information.
What Are Dermal Fillers?
Dermal fillers are products of aesthetic medicine, usually in the form of injectable gel-like substances that are administered under a patient’s skin. Their primary purposes are to rejuvenate skin tissues and enhance overall beauty. Dermal fillers can achieve this by:
- Filling in fine lines, folds, and wrinkles
- Lifting sagging skin
- Restoring lost volume
- Augmenting certain facial and body features
- Stimulating natural collagen production
As a result, patients who receive dermal filler injections can not only maintain a youthful appearance but also enhance their natural beauty.
Currently, hyaluronic acid fillers have gained immense popularity due to their wide usage. One significant advantage of these fillers is that they are derived from a natural substance that the human body easily absorbs. Consequently, injectable treatments based on hyaluronic acid rarely result in severe side effects.
On the other hand, calcium hydroxyapatite fillers, also derived from a natural component found primarily in bones, differ from hyaluronic acid products in their thicker consistency. This characteristic allows calcium hydroxyapatite fillers to have a longer-lasting effect.
In contrast to the previously mentioned filler types, poly-L-lactic acid fillers contain a synthetic substance as their primary ingredient. However, this substance is completely biocompatible and biodegradable. As a result, poly-L-lactic acid fillers are not only safe and effective but also exceptionally durable.
Which Areas Can Dermal Fillers Treat?
Typically, each dermal filler has specific areas where it is applied. Some products are designed exclusively for certain regions and may not be suitable for others.
Below is a comprehensive guide to the most commonly treated face and body areas with dermal fillers.
Facial Areas
The face is the most frequently treated area for dermal filler injections and can be divided into three main sections: upper, mid, and lower face. Let’s explore each in detail.
Upper Face
Dermal fillers are commonly used to address folds, lines, and wrinkles in the following upper face areas:
- Forehead
- Periorbital area (around the eyes)
These injections are effective in reducing forehead lines and crow’s feet, which result from active facial expressions. Additionally, filling the upper face can lift the eyebrows, providing a more youthful appearance. In contrast to Botox, which temporarily immobilizes muscles to eliminate wrinkles caused by movement, fillers target static lines that are visible even when the face is at rest. By utilizing hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring component of the skin, fillers physically fill in these lines, effectively reducing their appearance.
Midface
Wrinkle fillers can be applied to various areas in the midface, including:
- Earlobes
- Nose
- Cheeks
Here’s how they work:
- Filling sagging earlobes caused by heavy earrings
- Using fillers in the nose area to address nasolabial folds and augment the nose, serving as an alternative to surgical rhinoplasty
- Restoring volume to sunken cheeks and providing a lifting effect
Midface filler injections not only tighten the skin and minimize signs of aging but can also serve as a non-invasive alternative to surgical procedures. However, in contrast to the face and neck, the earlobes have minimal dynamic movement, allowing dermal fillers injected in this area to provide long-lasting effects, typically lasting up to 18 months. After the treatment, you will be able to wear earrings again after a week.
Lower Face
Dermal fillers injected in the lower part of the face typically target the following areas:
- Perioral area (around the mouth)
- Lips
- Chin
- Jaw
Gel-like fillers are effective in:
- Treating smile lines and marionette lines
- Addressing a “gummy smile”
- Enhancing thin lips
- Defining the chin and jawline
Dermal fillers are commonly recognized for their ability to enhance lip volume, largely due to the influence of certain celebrities (some of whom may have gone overboard). While they are often associated with excessive plumping, lip filler treatments can be tailored to achieve a subtle enhancement that maintains the lips’ natural shape. Additionally, these treatments can help smooth out lines, promote symmetry, and improve overall lip texture.
Body Areas
In addition to their effective use on facial areas, dermal fillers are commonly applied to rejuvenate and enhance specific parts of the body, including the decolletage, hands, and feet. Here’s a brief description of how these treatments work.
Decolletage
The decolletage area may develop stretch marks or lose its attractive appearance. In such cases, fillers can be beneficial. They efficiently treat skin damage caused by sun exposure, smoking, or weight fluctuations.
Hands
The appearance of hands often reveals a person’s age due to their delicate nature. Regular care is necessary to maintain a youthful look. Fillers can assist in this regard by reducing wrinkles, restoring lost subcutaneous fat, and providing moisture to the hands.
The amount of filler needed for your hands and the specific injection sites will be determined by your practitioner. It is crucial to seek treatment from an experienced and qualified practitioner who possesses a thorough understanding of hand anatomy, just as with any aesthetic procedure. Insufficient depth of injection may result in visible effects, while excessive depth could lead to faster wearing off of the treatment’s effects.
Feet
While fillers are primarily used for aesthetic purposes, they can also serve medical needs, particularly when injected into the feet. Hyaluronic acid-based, calcium hydroxylapatite-based, and other preparations can effectively act as fillers to alleviate pain caused by bony feet.
In Conclusion
Dermal fillers have a wide range of applications, extending to both facial and body areas. Whether you seek to rejuvenate your upper, mid, or lower face or address concerns in the decolletage, hands, or feet, filler injections offer minimally invasive procedures for effective results.