Filler injections are a cosmetic treatment used to smooth wrinkles or pitted scars in the skin, usually on the face. They are also used to make the lips fuller. When injected under the skin, a filler raises or puffs up that area. This usually goes away over time.

 

There are many kinds of injectable fillers, including:

• Human collagen made in a lab (CosmoDerm, CosmoPlast).

• Hyaluronic acid (Restylane, Juvederm, Captique). The hyaluronic acid draws fluid to the treated area.

• Bovine collagen (Zyplast, Zyderm). You need an allergy test 4 weeks before treatment.

• Human collagen from human tissue (Cymetra).Fat cells harvested from your body (autologous fat).

• Man-made biodegradable polymer (Sculptra).

• Calcium hydroxylapatite (Radiesse).

• Microscopic plastic beads and bovine collagen (Artefill). The plastic beads are made of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). The collagen goes away over time, but the plastic beads remain under the skin permanently.

 

For some fillers, your skin is first numbed with a local anesthetic. (Collagen fillers have a numbing medicine mixed in with them). The medical doctor uses a needle to inject the filler under the skin. A treatment session takes about 15 minutes. Some fillers are done in repeat sessions a couple of weeks apart.