FAST FACTS
The service: Dermal fillers
What it is: Injectable substances that contain hyaluronic acid to add volume, smooth wrinkles and enhance facial contours.
Treatment duration: About 20 minutes, depending on the areas you want treated.
Who it’s for: Anyone wanting to temporarily restore lost volume or improve the contours in their face, lips or hands.
Pain: Minimal to none.
Downtime: None, though you may experience a bit of swelling or bruising depending on the areas being treated.
My rating: Five stars
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I first started to notice my face looked thinner in my late 40s. By my mid-50s, my jawline was starting to sag.
I chalked it up to some weight loss and a regular fitness routine — I’d come to the grim realization that hundreds of sit-ups will not banish my belly bulge — at least, not in a targeted way — and that I have no control over where I lose weight. Sorry, thighs.
I digress. A few years earlier, Kylie Jenner made headlines amid speculation that her sudden incredible beauty transformation was caused by fillers rather than lipgloss, and because I’m interested in all things dermatological, I did some reading on what the filler fuss was about.
Specifically, I wanted to understand why women would seek out fillers, particularly in non-lip areas like their cheeks, temples and jawline.
What I learned was that collagen, that beautiful skin-plumping substance that we take for granted in our teens, starts to disappear in our late 20s. By 40, collagen production drops dramatically and continues to decline thereafter. Worse, we also start to lose facial fat around our temples and cheeks, and the net effect from the combined fat and collagen loss causes the skin starts to sag, creating jowls and wrinkles.
Bella Sante has some spectacular treatments to help tighten sagging skin. Check out my blog posts to see how Morpheus8, Ultherapy, microneedling and Thermage can all work to spur the production of collagen and help to firm skin. I saw improvements even around my jawline after two to three months when we stacked these services together.
And yet, my temples were still sunken and I had noticeable areas of volume loss under my cheekbones, on either side of my chin, and at the base of my eye sockets.
I knew dermal fillers could transform these areas. I didn’t realize that the transformation would happen immediately, while I was still in the clinic.
DID YOU KNOW? Dermal fillers and neuromodulators are completely different products, and are used for completely different purposes. Fillers such as Radiesse, Sculptra and Juvederm increase volume at injection sites because the hyaluronic acid in the filler attracts and retains natural moisture, causing the surrounding tissue to plump up. Neuromodulators such as Dysport, Xeomin and Botox cause the muscle tissue at the injection site to become temporarily paralyzed and relaxed, so the skin above it remains smooth and wrinkles caused by those moving muscles largely disappear. If you want to read more about neuromodulators, check my blog post.
Before we got started, Dr. Jubin carefully examined my face, noting areas that weren’t symmetrical (sadly, few of us are blessed with matching sides) and then went to work. Each syringe of filler is mixed with a numbing agent, so these injections are practically painless. I could hear a faint crackling noise as the filler was injected, and then she massaged and smoothed it out, scrutinized the area again, and once she was satisfied it was perfect, moved to the next spot.
I should mention that Dr. Jubin used a cannula — a tiny, blunt-ended tube — to place the filler. She said it’s safer than using a needle, and I appreciated that she took the time to explain the procedure and the reasoning behind it.
It took about 20 minutes for her to place tiny amounts of filler in the areas she noted had lost volume: my temples, the apples of my cheeks, the areas on either side of my chin, the hollows of my eyes and under each nostril. That one surprised me — did you know you lose bone density in your nose as you age, and that the loss of collagen and bone contributes to those lines that run from your nostrils to the outer edges of your lips? A tiny injection of filler lifts the nose fractionally and smooths out the lines without adding fillers into your lower face. Amazing.
In fact, that’s the word I used when she handed me a mirror to inspect the results. My face easily looked 10 years younger than when I walked in just a few minutes earlier. Not puffy or different, just … younger. I had forgotten how my face feels without all the tiny depressions, and suddenly it was restored to a slightly softer, more lifted version. Amazing was the best word that came to mind.
I left with instructions to skip makeup for 24 hours, to skip the gym for 2-3 days and to try to sleep on my back for a few days to let the filler fully settle into my skin. The next morning, my jaw felt a little stiff and sore, owing to the filler placement along my jawline, but the soreness was gone within about four days. I had minor bruising at two injection sites and I noticed a small lump along my jawline that disappeared within three days, and another, larger one next to one nostril that I needed to have Dr. Jubin inspect a week later (it should resolve in a few weeks with a bit of massage.) Apart from that, I just looked a bit fresher and definitely felt more amazed than usual.
DID YOU KNOW? There are several different kinds and brands of fillers on the market, each designed for different purposes or offered by different manufacturers. Since fillers last longer than, say, neuromodulators, and since this procedure requires extreme precision and skill to deliver great results, you should consult with an expert medical professional about what products and techniques are best for you. While I’m on the subject, I want to stress the importance of open and honest communication at your consultation meetings. If you’ve read something online about a procedure that worried you, ask. Want to know if a specific procedure is right for you? Ask. I’m a journalist by training, and probably asked the staff a hundred questions about my treatments throughout the Beautiful You program. They patiently provided me with the answers I needed to feel safe and informed.
The verdict: There are a lot of opinions about filler out there, and as with all skin care treatments, there are risks and benefits you should weigh before seeking this one out. For me, I knew I was in expert hands and the results I saw were immediate and delightful. My only regret is that I wish I had asked to have my lips plumped up a little, they’re the oldest part of my face right now!
See you all soon,
~Michelle
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