What Are Dermal Fillers?

When you aren't happy with your appearance, you might turn to cosmetic procedures. One procedure that is popular is to get dermal fillers. Dermal fillers are a type of wrinkle fillers that are injected into different parts of your face. They fill the wrinkles and creases in your face to improve your overall appearance and make you look more youthful.

What Fillers Help With

Dermal fillers are meant to fill wrinkles and creases in your skin, though they can also fill in different shallow areas of your face. If you are starting to age, you might find that your cheeks are starting to sink in slightly. This can cause your face to look shallow and really show your age. Dermal fillers are a great way to give you cheeks again and smooth out your face. They also help to smooth out other areas of your face, along with helping to reduce the appearance of scars and give your lips a little volume. Just remember dermal fillers fill in areas of your skin, while treatments like Botox simply relax the muscles in your face.

What Dermal Fillers Can't Do

There are many things that dermal fillers can help with, but they aren't a cure-all cosmetic treatment. Since it is a non-surgical procedure, it is not going to help lift any area of your skin. You might want to get a cosmetic procedure like a brow lift or facelift in that case. However, the cosmetic surgeon might use the brow or eye lift in addition to using dermal fillers to achieve the look you are going for. There are also other types of fillers that might help with things dermal fillers can't, such as soft tissue fillers.

How They Work

When you get dermal fillers, you will have a few choices to make. First of all, you will choose between traditional, semi-permanent, or permanent fillers. Permanent fillers don't usually last a lifetime, but they last considerably longer than traditional ones. The amount of time they last depends on the type of filler, your specific situation, your age, and other factors. Your cosmetic surgeon can provide you with an accurate estimate. There are also natural and synthetic fillers to choose from. While both are effective, the natural fillers tend to cause fewer risks than synthetic fillers. However, synthetic dermal fillers last a little longer.

Risks to be Aware Of

Dermal fillers should only be done by a qualified cosmetic surgeon or other medical professional, so do your research to choose who completes the procedure. By choosing someone qualified, you reduce many of your risks. Some risks you might experience include an allergic reaction to the product being used, lumping of the skin, and not having the filler put in the right place. 

Contact a company like Greater Des Moines Dermatology, P.C. for more information on dermal fillers and other cosmetic dermatology procedures.