Have you ever considered getting dermal fillers but don’t know where to start? Here’s a comprehensive guide to teach you about the many dermal fillers on the market.
Juvéderm Collection
Juvéderm is a filler that mainly uses hyaluronic acid to deliver results. Hyaluronic acid, also known as hyaluronan, is a naturally occurring element in your body. Its primary function is to help maintain hydration in your skin by binding to water and retaining moisture.
The majority of hyaluronic acid in your body is present in your skin. However, the amount of hyaluronic acid in your skin diminishes over time due to agitators like aging and environmental pollution.
Juvéderm corrects volume loss by injecting hyaluronic acid directly into the skin.
Types of Juvéderm
Juvéderm has five variations that offer different benefits, depending on your treatment goals.
Cosmetic professionals use Juvéderm Voluma XC for clients who want to address age-related volume loss in their cheeks. If your cosmetic goals include augmentation of your chin area, your provider may also use Juvéderm Voluma XC.
Juvéderm Vollure XC, Juvéderm Ultra Plus XC, and Juvéderm Ultra XC injectable gels help correct both moderate and severe facial wrinkles. For example, Juvéderm can help if you have severe lines on your nasolabial folds (those lines at the base of your cheeks near your mouth).
Finally, Juvéderm Ultra XC and Juvéderm Volbella XC have two uses—they can be injected for lip augmentations or used to help treat perioral lines. Perioral lines are the fine lines that form around the mouth.
The main differences in the various types of Juvéderm are the texture and consistency of the injectables.
For example, Juvéderm Voluma has a jelly-like consistency, while Juvéderm Ultra XC’s texture is similar to pudding. The thicker injectables can treat more severe lines, folds, and creases.
Restylane Collection
Like Juvéderm, Restylane is a hyaluronic acid injection that offers lip augmentation and treatment for moderate to severe lines and wrinkles.
Types of Restylane
There are six types of Restylane used for cosmetic treatments:
- Restylane-L
- Restylane Lyft
- Restylane Defyne
- Restylane Refyne
- Restylane Silk
- Restylane Kysse
Restylane-L is a general injection that can technically be used to treat any area of the face. While other Restylane formulas may be better for certain areas, the notable thing about Restylane-L is it contains Lidocaine, which acts as a numbing agent and maximizes the patient’s comfort during injection.
Restylane Lyft is longer-lasting than Restylane-L and primarily used to help add volume to the cheeks.
Restylane Defyne and Restylane Refyne were formulated to more-closely mimic the hyaluronic acid your body naturally produces. Defyne is used for more severe areas that need less flexibility so the shape can hold better.
Refyne offers more flexibility and wouldn’t be used for severe treatment areas.
Silk and Kysse were formulated specifically for the lips. Both formulas provide higher-quality augmentation results than other Restylane formulas because they use smaller hyaluronic acid particles.
Belotero
Another hyaluronic acid-based dermal filler is Belotero. Belotero has a lower density and a firmer texture than Restylane or Juvéderm, making it an excellent product for more structured treatment like facial contouring.
Types of Belotero
There are two types of Belotero: Belotero and Belotero Balance (+). Belotero Balance (+) is softer and more flexible than the original Belotero formula. Belotero Balance (+) integrates into your skin, allowing natural facial movements without compromising your treatment goals.
Versa
Last in the line-up of hyaluronic acid-based fillers is Versa. Versa is newer to the dermal filler market, made from a proprietary formula containing uniform, spherical particles.
Like other hyaluronic acid-based fillers, Versa is used to treat fine lines and wrinkles and add volume to treatment areas, such as the nasolabial folds.
How Are These HA-Based Fillers Different?
The main difference between these four types of hyaluronic acid-based dermal fillers is their texture.
The original Restylane formula is more granular than other dermal filler formulas. Juvéderm is smoother, Belotero is firmer, and Versa is soft and flexible.
Their different textures give them individual strengths. Typically, licensed practitioners use a combination of these filler products, depending on the goals of the client. It isn’t that one is better than another—they just have different uses for different people.
Radiesse
Unlike Restylane, Juvéderm, Belotero, and Versa, whose main active ingredient is hyaluronic acid, Radiesse is primarily formulated from calcium hydroxyapatite (CaHA).
CaHA is made from calcium and phosphate, both of which your body produces naturally. When injected into treatment areas, Radiesse offers immediate volumizing effects and helps stimulate collagen production at the treated sites.
Types of Radiesse
There are two types of Radiesse injectable gels: Radiesse and Radiesse (+). The main difference is Radiesse (+) contains lidocaine to help with any injection discomfort.
Both types treat moderate to severe facial folds. But Radiesse is one of the only dermal fillers that can also be used on your hands.
Sculptra
Finally, there’s Sculptra, a poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) based injectable that also stimulates collagen production. Although PLLA is synthetic, it is still biodegradable, and your body will absorb it over time.
Sculptra is different from the other fillers for a few reasons:
- It’s injected deeper into the skin than the other fillers
- Its main ingredient is synthetic (while hyaluronic acid and CaHA are natural/produced by the body)
- The results are gradual instead of immediate
- It is longer-lasting than other fillers
Sculptra treats fine lines, wrinkles, and loss of volume in other areas of the face. It is not used to augment the lips.
Which Dermal Filler Is Right for You?
With so many varieties of fillers on the market, it can feel overwhelming to determine which is right for you.
Luckily, when you visit an expert in dermal fillers, you don’t have to worry about which filler is the perfect fit. We will be able to assess which injectables you need based on your treatment goals. We will often use several products at the same time. It all depends on you, your unique face, and your desired results.
At Madison Medispa, every patient has a consultation with our licensed nurse practitioner, who will evaluate your goals and offer a treatment plan based upon your goals. Are you ready to improve your appearance? Contact us today to schedule a confidential consultation.