As we get older, the face slowly loses volume. Fat thins, bone changes, and collagen breaks down. Cheeks flatten, under-eyes hollow, and folds deepen around the mouth. A dermal filler is a soft gel that a physician places under the skin to restore that lost volume and lift where needed. Used with an artist’s eye, filler gently lifts and rebalances the face without changing who you are. Modern hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers, such as Juvéderm are made from a substance your skin already produces. They work right away, and one of their most reassuring features is that they can be dissolved with a simple enzyme injection if needed.
Fillers come in a wide range of thicknesses and textures, and that range is what allows a result to look truly natural. It is much like painting: a fine portrait is never made with a single brush, but with many, each chosen for its place on the canvas. In the same way, the right filler, placed by a careful hand, is matched to each part of the face. Common areas include cheeks that have lost fullness, lips for subtle definition, hollows under the eyes, folds from the nose to the mouth, lines from the mouth to the chin, the chin and jawline for balance, and temples that have begun to hollow.
Every filler visit starts with a conversation. We look at your face, listen to what you would like, and review your health history. Then we plan the treatment together. Most fillers contain a small amount of numbing medicine, and we can also use numbing cream or ice for comfort. The filler is placed with a fine needle or a thin, blunt tube called a cannula. Most appointments take 15 to 30 minutes. With HA fillers, you see a change right away, though early swelling can make the area look fuller at first. The settled result shows by about two weeks and, depending on the product and area, lasts from about six months to two years.
Every face is different, and so is every filler plan. Which filler, how much, and exactly where all depend on your face, your goals, and what natural means to you. We would rather do a little and have you return than ever overfill.
