The Essential Guide to Dermal Fillers Northern Virginia

The Essential Guide to Dermal Fillers

While modern cosmetic treatments are done smart and natural, it’s still true that some of them simply aren’t “reversible.” For example, Radiesse, Bellafil, and Sculptra. One big marketed advantage of the sugar-based (hyaluronic acid or HA) dermal fillers, like Restylane and Juvederm brand fillers, is that they’re reversible. This does a great deal to reassure patients afraid of making permanent changes to how they look. Is it true that you can simply “undo” them?

Can fillers be undone? Most of the time, yes!

The short answer is, yes. Many common dermal fillers can be erased with Hyaluronidase, an enzyme that dissolves hyaluronic acid. Hence, most of the time when a physician talks about being able to undo fillers, they’re being entirely truthful. The Juvederm and Restylane brands of fillers really took off on the market because of the safety and efficicacy associated with these reversible fillers.

However, not all dermal fillers can be dissolved this way. For Radiesse, Sculptra and Bellafil, if swelling or hardening occurs after injection, a steroid can be injected to mitigate the effects if the patient is unhappy. This isn’t perfect, but patients can be assured that a dermal filler will naturally dissolve after a year or so. 

Managing your look if you’re unhappy with your dermal filler

Interestingly enough, simply massaging your face with the correct technique can subtly shift the dermal fillers. Strategic massage might meet a dissatisfied patient’s aesthetic desires. Besides that, oftentimes what can ‘correct’ the look, post-treatment, of a filler is to inject more filler to balance out the patient’s look.

In the worst case scenario, surgery can remove a permanent filler like Bellafil. This is usually not recommended for Sculptra and Radiesse, because these fillers will simply dissolve over time. Hence, the easiest strategy to get rid of a dermal filler is to simply wait.

Do your research beforehand

The old saying goes that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Taking the time properly consult with an expert beforehand and make clear your needs and desires will help avoid the rare case of dermal fillers that don’t look quite right. If you need more information come visit us about dermal fillers in our McLean, Northern Virginia office.