Complexion Class 20: The Fundamentals of Filler
Thoughtfully-injected filler won’t change your features; it enhances them.
We’ve all seen before and after photos that look overdone and obvious. The good news? With the right provider, product and placement, filler can give you a subtle refresh that looks completely natural.
Today, our Atlanta provider Kathryn Barnidge, MSN, NP-C explains how different fillers work, how we choose the right one for you and how your unique anatomy plays a role in creating natural results.
Watch the full episode below or read on for the recap!
A natural approach to injectables
The biggest misconception about filler is that results will always look overfilled or unnatural. Whenever I treat patients, my goal is to help them look like a natural version of themselves, just a bit more refreshed and enhanced.
Choosing the right type of filler
There are many different types of fillers, but they’re not one-size-fits-all. This is why it’s important to go to an injector you trust. We’ll assess your full face and choose the best product for you to ensure your results look natural.
Hyaluronic acid filler
We use hyaluronic acid fillers to create volume. For the cheeks or chin, we want one that’s more structured. When treating the lips or smile lines, we want a product that’s a little bit softer, something that helps with hydration and skin support. With hyaluronic acid fillers, you might experience some swelling, but we’ll see the results immediately!
Biostimulators (Sculptra)
Biostimulators, like Sculptra, promote your body’s natural collagen production to strengthen, lift, tighten and provide overall skin support. We typically inject Sculptra in the lateral face area and areas where we see age-related volume loss. Since collagen takes time to build, Sculptra results are visible within three to six months.
Skin booster (Skinvive)
We can also use hyaluronic acid filler as a skin booster. Skinvive, for example, is all about hydrating the skin from within. It doesn’t add volume or change the shape of your face. We inject it as microdroplets to add support and reduce the look of creasing and fine lines.
One of the most common questions I get is, “Can I use biostimulators and hyaluronic acid fillers in combination?” The answer is yes! We’d inject the lateral face with Sculptra to help stimulate collagen over time and restore structure. Then we can go in with hyaluronic acid filler to top off the results centrally.
Strategic placement
Filler should complement and create balance with your existing features, not change them. This is why we always assess your anatomy first! Many patients come in with a specific area they want to treat, but oftentimes, we can actually enhance that area by treating a different part of the face.
For example, our smile lines are often caused by volume loss in the lateral cheeks. When we add a little bit of filler or Sculptra to the lateral face, we can lift, tighten and naturally improve the appearance of the folds without treating them directly.
