Understanding How Fillers Work
Dermal fillers have become one of the most popular non-surgical treatments for facial rejuvenation.
They offer an immediate solution for volume loss, fine lines, and enhance your contours without the need for surgery or extensive downtime.
But how exactly do fillers work within the skin?
This guide explores the science behind dermal fillers, explaining how they integrate into the skin, degrade over time, and contribute to long-term rejuvenating effects.
How Dermal Fillers Work
Dermal fillers are injectable gels designed to add volume, smooth out wrinkles, and enhance facial contours, by filling in spaces beneath the skin where volume has been lost or where wrinkles have formed.
Unlike treatments that relax muscles (such as Botox), fillers provide structural support, giving the skin a plumper and more youthful appearance.
How dermal fillers work depends on the type of filler and substance being used.
If you want to learn more about the different types of dermal fillers and how they work, read this article.
Adding Volume: When injected, fillers immediately add volume to the target area. This is especially effective for hollow or sunken areas like the cheeks, under-eyes, or lips.
The injected substance (in most cases hyaluronic acid) fills in the space beneath the skin, lifting and smoothing out the surface.
Hydration Boost: Some fillers, like those containing hyaluronic acid (like Juvederm or Skinvive), attract water molecules once injected.
This helps to hydrate the skin, giving it a more supple and radiant appearance, contributing to a smoother texture and a youthful glow.
Tissue Support and Firmness: By providing support, fillers help reinforce the skin's natural structure.
This effect is crucial in areas that experience significant volume loss, such as the midface or jawline, where fillers help to lift and contour these features.
The process of injecting fillers involves precise placement by a skilled practitioner.
For superficial lines, fillers are injected closer to the surface, while deeper injections are used for volumizing and contouring.
Integration of Fillers Into the Skin
Once injected, fillers do not just sit passively beneath the skin.
They actively integrate with surrounding tissues, something crucial for achieving natural-looking results and ensuring that the filler blends seamlessly with your skin.
Injection Process and Immediate Filler Integration
The injection process begins with a facial assessment to tailor the treatment to your situation and specific goals.
Your provider might apply a numbing cream to minimize discomfort, although most fillers use lidocaine so it’s not even needed.
Using a fine needle, the filler is carefully injected into the areas of the face you want treated.
Immediately after injection, the filler starts to integrate with the skin.
For instance, hyaluronic acid fillers quickly bond with water molecules in your skin.
This hydration effect causes an immediate plumping and smoothing effect, helping areas affected by the loss of collagen.
Long-Term Integration With Skin Tissue
Over time, the filler becomes more integrated, providing structural support for the skin’s extracellular matrix.
Fillers containing hyaluronic acid, a substance naturally found in the skin, reduce the risk of adverse reactions and allows the filler to blend smoothly with the existing tissue.
Degradation of Dermal Fillers
Dermal fillers are designed to be temporary, which means they gradually break down and are absorbed by the body.
The degradation process varies depending on the type of filler used, but all biocompatible fillers are eventually metabolized by your body.
How Fillers Break Down Over Time
Hyaluronic acid fillers are degraded by an enzyme called hyaluronidase, which is naturally present in the skin in really small quantities.
This enzyme gradually breaks down the hyaluronic acid into smaller components that the body can easily absorb and eliminate.
During this degradation, the effects of the filler slowly diminish. The volume it provided decreases, and any lifted or contoured areas return to their previous state.
This process is gradual, usually occurring over 6-18 months, allowing for a natural-looking transition without sudden changes in appearance.
For fillers that stimulate collagen production, such as those made with poly-L-lactic acid, the degradation process is different.
The filler material itself is absorbed, but the new collagen that was produced in response to the filler remains, providing longer-lasting improvements in skin texture and volume.
The Role of the Body’s Immune Response in Filler Degradation
The body’s immune system also plays a part in the degradation of fillers.
When a filler is injected, your immune system recognizes it as a foreign substance, but the rate at which fillers degrade can be influenced by individual factors, such as metabolism and lifestyle.
People with faster metabolic rates may find that their filler breaks down quicker.
Habits like smoking or excessive sun exposure can also accelerate the degradation process because of their impact on skin health.
Rejuvenating Effects of Dermal Fillers
Beyond providing immediate volume and contouring, fillers have beneficial effects on your skin’s overall health and appearance.
These rejuvenating effects are a key reason why fillers have become one of the most popular cosmetic treatments.
Immediate Rejuvenation
The most noticeable effect of fillers is the immediate improvement in facial volume and smoothness.
By physically filling in wrinkles and hollows, fillers give the skin a firmer, more youthful appearance.
The hydration boost provided by hyaluronic acid fillers also contributes to an instant, refreshed look, making the skin appear plump and radiant.
Long-Term Collagen Stimulation
In addition to immediate volume, certain fillers stimulate the body’s natural collagen production.
Like we said, collagen is a protein that provides structure and elasticity to the skin, but its production declines with age.
By promoting collagen stimulation, fillers help restore the skin’s strength and elasticity, leading to a firmer, smoother complexion.
Fillers like poly-L-lactic acid and calcium hydroxylapatite are particularly effective at stimulating collagen, encouraging the body to produce new collagen even after the filler itself has been absorbed.
The result is a gradual improvement in skin quality, which can persist for months or even years after the initial treatment.
Enhancing Skin Texture and Elasticity
The improvements in collagen and hydration lead to enhanced skin texture and elasticity. Fine lines become less noticeable, and the skin feels smoother.
With regular maintenance treatments, the overall health and appearance of the skin can continue to improve over time, as more collagen builds up.
By addressing both the visible signs of aging and the underlying structural issues, fillers provide a comprehensive approach to facial rejuvenation.
Understanding how fillers work, how they integrate into the skin, how they degrade over time, and how they promote skin rejuvenation, can help you make an informed decision about whether this treatment is right for you.
Dermal fillers offer a versatile, non-surgical option for achieving youthful, natural-looking results, but its success depends on the expertise of the injector and the quality of the product used.
If you’re considering dermal fillers near Windsor, ON, schedule a FREE consultation with Dr. Bryce Leontowicz to create a personalized treatment plan for you.
