ANTI AGING FACIAL TREATMENTS

DERMAL FILLERS

Dermis

The dermis is the second layer of skin, underneath the outer epidermis.

Wrinkles are caused by many factors as we age. The epidermis, the outer layer, thins with age causing dryness. The dermal layer, the second layer decreases in collagen and the elastin fibers that provide elasticity wear out causing the skin to wrinkle and sag In the subcutaneous layer the fat cells get smaller with age, leading to more noticeable wrinkles and sagging as the fat cells can no longer replace the damage from the other layers. The end result - increased wrinkles!

Dermal Fillers

Dermal fillers are designed to 'repack' these damaged areas with collagen and elastin. Rather than inject collagen and elastin directly into the skin, synthetically produced non-animal products consisting of hyaluronic acid is used. Hyaluronic acid is a natural chemical constituent of the skin, and by increasing its volume in the skin, it acts as a catalyst to boost the skins own production of collagen and elastin.

Hyaluronic acid products are far less likely to produce allergic reactions than previous fillers such as collagen.

Recent products also use poly-acrylamide, and a new collagen-based product which lasts up to 12 months with even fewer allergic reactions.

Dermal fillers are generally injected into the wrinkle line, however new advanced dermal filler creams are being promoted to topically boost the skins collagen and elastin production. In addition, many home glycolic peel kits contain hyaluronic acid and provide an all over boost.

Most Popular Dermal Fillers

The most popular brands of dermal fillers are:

• Restylane Touch
• Restylane
• Restylane Perlane
• Juvederm® 18, 24 & 20
• Juvederm® 24HV and 30HV
• Evolence™
• Radiesse

Dermal Filler Treatments

• Normally takes around 30 minutes by a beauty therapist.
• When used for lip enhancement, a local anaesthetic injection is usually given first.
• The filler is injected, usually without the need for local anaesthetic, into the lines and defects to plump them out.
• The filler remains in the skin where it binds water to produce a lift and firmness to the treated areas.

The results are immediate, although local swelling may mask the final results for 2-3 days. As the treatment is not permanent,lines, wrinkles and lips will return to their previous appearance within six to twelve months, depending upon the product used.

Related Reading

More Anti Aging Skincare Articles