Who is a Candidate?
Anyone who has a wrinkle, depression, dent or facial asymmetry can benefit from an injectable treatment. These fillers are ideal for people who would like to alter their facial proportions with minimal
surgery. Though it may sound like fantasy, long-term, non-surgical facial correction is now a reality.
Ready to learn more about fillers? Request a consultation with Dr. Kress at the office of Plastic Surgery One on Opossumtown Pike in Frederick.
What are My Options?
Ideally, a filler material would be totally inert, reasonable to afford, easily placed and removed, and conveniently available. The "perfect"
filler doesn't exist yet in this country, but we're getting closer every day.
A list of some of the materials and a very brief description follows:
- Collagen: A natural substance refined from cows; tends to be re-absorbed quickly by the body.
- Fat (Lipostructure): Described in more detail on our lipostructure page.
- Dermologen: Collagen refined from your own skin; more expensive, lasts about 3 months.
- Hyaluronic Acid: A natural filler substance which is also absorbed in about 6 months.
- Fascia Lata Granules: A sterilized ligament from humans that is ground into fairly large particles to delay absorption after injection.
- Restylane®: Cross-linked Hyaluronic acid, a natural filler substance which predictably lasts from 9 months to one year.
- AlloDerm®: Sterilized deep skin matrix, which is available in sheets and strips with a long and possibly permanent duration; problems with scarring and stiffness in some applications.
- Gore-Tex®: Synthetic material formed in sheets and tubes as a filler; totally non-reactive but can have stiffness and be felt under many circumstances.
- Bioplastique: Tiny plastic granules suspended in injectable collagen, the collagen dissolves but the granules remain permanently. Can be used as a soft tissue filler and to augment the deeper structures. Highly successful in Europe, not yet FDA approved.
- Artefill®: French filler utilizing suspended granules; thousands of successful cases in Europe and FDA approved to treat smile lines.
Recovery Time
Recoveries vary with the type of filler and location, but a quick recovery time is one of the many benefits most people choosing injectable filler treatments can enjoy.
Your Result
Though the ideal substance doesn't exist yet, many cosmetic problems can be solved with current filler technology. Results of the treatments are highly
individualized, so you should talk with Dr. Kress for more details.
Filler Substance FAQ's
- I'd like to have my lips enlarged. How do I communicate this to a surgeon?
Computer imaging programs are of some assistance, although in
truth, they are not as subtle as we would like for doing minor changes
in the lips. I always find it useful if patients will bring pictures
from magazines of what they consider to be ideal. By studying these
pictures I can see which areas of the lips should be emphasized. I also
can see what the patient considers to be the ideal proportion between
the upper and lower lips. A picture is a great communication tool.
- What's the most common problem with fillers?
There are really two problems that go hand-in-hand—there is some
swelling, so the patients get a false sense of what their results will
be, and some of the filler substance gradually does absorb.
Consequently, probably the most common problem is disappointment. At
some point shortly after the swelling has subsided, the patient will be
extremely pleased only to see the results disappear. Lipostructure is
the one possible exception.
- I'm interested in lip augmentation. What are the advantages/disadvantages of using Gore-Tex?
Gore-Tex is a very soft, very pliable tube, but is not elastic in
any way. So for all normal uses of the lips, this provides an excellent
filler substance. It is easy to remove, easy to implant, and only
slightly expensive. The problem becomes evident in motions such as
kissing, where the lips actually pucker and reduce their size. When
they do this, the Gore-Tex does not have the ability to shrink and
remain a natural part of the lip. Instead the Gore-Tex may crinkle and
become extra prominent and may be able to be felt in the lip.
- Are there surgical approaches to lip augmentation?
Dr. Kress does perform lip augmentation surgery. For years there
have been flaps that are designed to roll skin from inside of the mouth
into the lips, increasing the volume of the lips. There are two
potential complications: (1) they will create a scar that may be visible
or (2) they will create a scar that can be felt by the patient.
Have a question that isn't answered here? Request a consultation with Dr. Kress or call us toll-free at 888.671.2400.
