Treating facial wrinkles and creases with injectables is nothing new — it all started with Botox in 2002, the year the FDA approved Botox for the treatment of facial wrinkles around the eyes and on the forehead. But you can read about Botox on another page on Dr. D’Amico & Dr. Ferrauiola’s site. This page is all about dermal fillers.
The dermal fillers Dr. D’Amico & Dr. Ferrauiola uses are Juvéderm® XC, Juvéderm® Voluma XC, and RHA Collection by Teoxane. And, unlike most practitioners, Dr. D’Amico & Dr. Ferrauiola personally perform all the injectable treatments in the office.
What Are Dermal Fillers?
Dermal fillers are appropriately named. They do their job by filling wrinkles, creases, and areas of decreased volume by adding volume beneath the injection area and pushing the skin back upward. Some fillers also encourage the production of new collagen at the injection sites to lengthen their results.
What areas of the face can be treated with dermal fillers?
Dermal fillers are used on the mid-face down through the mouth area. Juvéderm XC is the world’s most popular dermal filler. It was the original filler before the line was extended. Juvéderm XC is excellent for all the lines that form around the mouth: smile lines from the nose down to the corners of the mouth, parentheses lines framing the sides of the mouth (like parentheses), marionette lines descending from the corners of the mouth downward, and even barcode lines above the lips.
Juvéderm Voluma XC returns volume to the cheeks. Dr. D’Amico may call it “age-related mid-face volume loss.” You call it sunken cheeks. As our body produces less collagen with age, our cheeks lose their support and they flatten. This is a telltale sign of aging. Voluma returns volume to lift and contour the cheeks. Plump cheeks are a tenet of a younger appearance.
The RHA collection by Teoxane is the newest filler in the US. The RHA collection of RHA2, RHA3 and RHA4 contain unique hyaluronic acid molecules that are high quality matching what is naturally found in the skin.
Natural Vs. Synthetic Injectable Fillers
Dermal fillers are classified as either natural or synthetic.
Dr. D’Amico & Dr. Ferrauiola only use natural fillers. These fillers are basically made with hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid naturally occurs in the human body; its job is to plump, hydrate, and firm the skin. It does this by binding with water molecules.
Synthetic fillers are not used because they can extrude through the skin over time causing painful eruptions.
What’s The Difference Between Dermal Fillers And BOTOX?
Dermal fillers “fill” wrinkles from beneath. Botox is a neuromodulator. When injected into a muscle, it temporarily paralyzes that muscle. Botox works on what are called “dynamic” wrinkles. These are wrinkles that form due to muscle contractions when we perform certain typical behaviors such as squinting or frowning. They form mainly on the upper third of the face. Botox has no effect on “static” wrinkles that show themselves at all times. Dermal fillers are used to fill static wrinkles and return lost volume.
What is the difference between Juvéderm and other dermal fillers?
Dr. D’Amico trusts the reliable results provided by Juvéderm XC and Juvéderm Voluma XC. By limiting the fillers he uses, he thoroughly understands how they both work and there aren’t any surprises.
Juvéderm and Restylane are very similar fillers. All of the fillers in both lines are natural fillers, made from hyaluronic acid. Juvéderm generally provides longer results.
Other fillers you’ve heard about using synthetic materials, such as calcium microspheres, to add volume and to possibly trigger the production of new amounts of collagen in the injection areas. Dr. D’Amico prefers to stay with the Juvéderm natural fillers and to stay away from synthetics.
What Dermal Fillers Do Dr. D’Amico and Dr. Ferrauiola Use?
Dr. D’Amico & Dr. Ferrauiola offers Juvéderm® XC, Juvéderm® Voluma XC and now RHA to their patients. These dermal fillers address lines and volume loss in different areas of the face.
Are Filler Injections Painful?
Dr. D’Amico & Dr. Ferrauiola are among the few doctors who combine topical local anesthetic cream AND fine needles so injections are virtually painless.
Dr. D’Amico & Dr. Ferrauiola use very fine needles when injecting these products.
Can Dermal Fillers Be Combined With Other Treatments?
Dermal fillers don’t have to be a stand-alone procedure. Botox can be used in conjunction with fillers to address a wider range of wrinkles and creases. Dermal fillers can complement a facelift, returning volume to areas not specifically addressed with the lift. Dermal fillers can even be used in lieu of nose surgery, giving the patient a test run of sorts to see if he or she likes the new dimensions of their nose before opting to have the changes made permanently with surgery.
What dermal fillers are used for lip augmentation?
The Juvéderm fillers designated expressively for lip augmentation are Juvéderm Ultra XC, Juvéderm Ultra Plus XC, and Juvéderm Volbella XC. Ultra and Ultra Plus provide more obvious volume and plumping. Volbella was created to add subtle volume to the lips.
What dermal fillers are used for cheek augmentation?
As mentioned above, Dr. D’Amico uses Juvéderm Voluma XC to return the volume to the cheeks. The cheeks flatten and sag with age, and this returns volume to the area.
What Our Patients Have to Say
“My birth certificate reads 59, but my skin appears 39. I now see myself as I looked in my thirties. Dr. D’Amico administered Juvederm and Voluma, the results are far more than I expected. The (…..) around my mouth are GONE. My cheeks are higher, reducing the circles under my eyes. The song Happy by Pharrell Williams is the only way to explain the change in my appearance.” -Barbara C.
Recovery From Injectable Fillers
You might have a slight redness around the injection site for the first two hours. It will be obvious to you when you should come in for another treatment, as the wrinkles will begin to reappear. Because our office is very busy, we suggest that you make an appointment for your next treatment when you have each treatment.
Risks Of Dermal Fillers
Because hyaluronic acid naturally occurs in the human body, any reactions to these products are extremely rare. That’s one reason why Dr. D’Amico & Dr. Ferrauiola prefers natural fillers; synthetic fillers are more prone to allergic reactions in the patient.
Patients may have a slight redness around the injection sites for a couple of hours, but that passes quickly. Patients can go back to their normal activities immediately after their session.
What if I don’t like how an area looks after I’ve had a filler injected?
Hyaluronic acid dermal fillers, like Juvéderm and RHA, have a nice characteristic that allows a patient to, basically, change her mind. If you don’t like how a filler changed an area where it was injected, our doctors can inject an enzyme called hyaluronidase. This instantly breaks down the hyaluronic acid in the filler and completely negates its effects. The area immediately returns to how it was prior to the filler injection.
Schedule a Consultation
Dr. D’Amico & Dr. Ferrauiola will review your skin’s condition to establish the best treatment for your needs. The first step in achieving your cosmetic goals is to request a consultation with him. Serving the New York metro area Dr. D’Amico & Dr. Ferrauiola enjoy spending time with you one-on-one to understand your objectives and give their professional opinion about the procedures that are best for you. You will never feel pressured to choose surgery and you will even have a second consultation visit (included with your fee) to bring along family or loved ones and ask follow-up questions. The consultation fee is applied to any surgical procedure you choose. We are also happy to schedule appointments by phone by calling (201) 567-9595.
* = Results may vary
