Treatment
Dermal fillers (hyaluronic acid)
Hyaluronic acid gels placed on bone or in deep tissue planes to restore structure and volume. Reversible with hyaluronidase, which is in the room at every filler visit.
What it addresses
- Flattening of the cheeks and midface
- Hollows under the eyes
- Lips that have thinned or lost definition
- Lines from the nose to the mouth corners
- A softening jawline or chin
What to expect
- Visit length
- About 45 to 60 minutes including the consultation
- When results appear
- Visible at once; the settled result shows once swelling resolves over about two weeks
- How long they last
- Months to over a year depending on the product and the area; discussed at your consultation
- Downtime to plan for
- Swelling for several days, bruising possible; a follow-up is scheduled for most treatments
Individual experience varies. These are typical ranges, discussed in detail at your consultation.
What it is
Hyaluronic acid is a sugar molecule the body already makes. As a filler it is a smooth gel, cross-linked so it holds its shape for months, that adds volume and support where the face has lost it. Different products in a family are firmer or softer, for bone-level support versus fine lips.
How I plan it
I look at the whole face first. Volume loss in the midface changes how the lower face looks, so the right first step is often not the area you came in about. Filler is placed with the underlying bone and the paths of the facial arteries in mind, in small amounts, with a follow-up to assess once swelling settles.
On-label and off-label areas
Each filler is FDA-approved for specific areas. Some commonly treated areas, including under the eyes, are off-label uses of approved products. That is legal and common when a prescriber judges it appropriate, and Tanya will tell you which parts of your plan are off-label and why. The glossary explains off-label use.
Safety
Filler carries a rare but serious risk: product in or against an artery. The safety page explains how that is prevented, recognized and treated here. Hyaluronidase, which dissolves hyaluronic acid filler, is in the room at every filler appointment.
Who it is not for
Active skin infection in the area, pregnancy and breastfeeding, certain autoimmune conditions, and recent dental work can rule out or postpone treatment. The Good Faith Exam checks for these.
Pricing. Fillers are priced per syringe. How many syringes, and which product, depends on the area and your anatomy, and is set at your consultation.
Questions about dermal fillers
Where does the filler actually go?
Where it does the structural work. For cheeks that often means on the bone, under the muscle, in small amounts. For lips it is in the lip itself. Placement is planned from your anatomy, not from a diagram.
Can filler be dissolved?
Hyaluronic acid filler can, with hyaluronidase. That is both a safety tool for the rare vascular complication and a way to correct a result. Non-hyaluronic-acid products cannot be dissolved the same way.
Will I look overfilled?
Overfilling comes from treating the surface instead of the structure, and from doing too much at once. The plan here favors less product, placed deeper, over more than one visit when needed.
What raises my chance of bruising?
Blood thinners, aspirin, fish oil, high-dose vitamin E and alcohol in the days before. Mention all medications and supplements at your Good Faith Exam.
Revision history (1)
- update First version Editorial team
Talk through dermal fillers with Tanya
Every new patient has a consultation and a Good Faith Exam with the prescriber before a first treatment. Book the consultation, or send a question first.