The most common dermal fillers are composed of hyaluronic acid which is a sugar that is found in our connective tissues. Dermal fillers work by adding volume, contouring, replacing depleted volume, and smoothing out wrinkles or hollowing. There are many hyaluronic acid-based fillers on the market, and our favourite is Revanesse, a Canadian and family-owned business that produces fillers that create natural and sustainable results.

Dermal fillers are usually used in the lower two-thirds of the face. Common areas to treat are the cheeks, nasolabial folds, jawline, temple, tear troughs, chin, and lips. As we age, our facial structure changes and we lose volume because of shrinking fat pads which results in a forward sagging appearance. Dermal filler can help to add volume back in and soften wrinkles, which leads to a more youthful appearance.

This is dependent on the area being treated and the product used. The thicker the product, the longer it generally lasts. Cheek, jawline, and chin can last 12-24 months, lips, marionette lines, nasolabial lines, or fine lines around the mouth last 6-12 months. Tear trough and temples generally last 9-12 months.

The most common side effects are swelling, redness, and bruising in the treatment area, and generally take 5-7 days to resolve. You may experience lumps and bumps while you’re healing but these should resolve at 3-4 weeks. If they do not resolve on their own, you should follow up with your provider. A vascular occlusion, a rare but very serious side effect can occur. This is when an artery or a vein is accidently injected with filler. This can result in serious complications, and these will be discussed during the day of your appointment. Again, these complications are very rare and if this was to occur, we would use a medication to dissolve the filler and restore blood flow to your tissue. We do everything in our power to mitigate these risks by understanding your anatomy, our injection technique, and understanding the signs and symptoms of a vascular occlusion.