Getting older can be a highly fulfilling journey. However, many people worry about the visible signs of aging. As we get older, our skin becomes less elastic and this can lead to the development of wrinkles and fine lines. Dermal facial fillers, like Juvederm, can have a revitalizing effect on our skin. At MacMed Spa in Milford, MA, we offer dermal fillers in a relaxed and professional environment to help give your skin a rejuvenating boost.
How Long Does Juvederm Last?
Facial fillers can give your face a fuller, fresher look and help you feel more youthful as you go about your day. Although facial fillers are not a permanent solution to the signs of aging, the effects are more long-lasting than many people think. A Juvederm facial injection can keep your face looking noticeably fuller and smoother for up to 18 months.
There are also varying factors that can affect how long your facial filler lasts. These can include things like which area of your face receives the injection and how quickly your body metabolizes and breaks down the filler gel. This is highly individual, however, so every person’s experience of this will vary slightly. It can also be impacted by the volume of filler that is injected into your face.
Why Might I Want Facial Fillers?
Aging is a natural process and something that everyone must deal with in their own way. However, the natural elasticity in our faces depletes faster than you might think. In fact, experts believe that by around age 25, your natural collagen production has already reached its peak and begins to decline steadily after this. Natural collagen production then halts entirely before age 30.
Once collagen production has ceased, skin will gradually grow less smooth and supple as you age. This depletion of collagen stores causes the skin to crease and leads to the development of wrinkles and fine lines. Certain areas of the skin, such as the cheeks or jawline, can also begin to fall over time, leading to changes in the face’s shape and natural contours.
Fillers can create a smoothing effect by padding out the skin’s underlying soft tissue. This causes lines to fade temporarily and can restore some of the face’s natural, youthful structure. Facial fillers can also help create a smooth surface texture on the skin which can be aesthetically appealing and can mimic the effects of naturally occurring collagen in the face.
Juvederm treatment can be beneficial to your mood and give you more confidence in your physical appearance, especially if you are someone who feels self-conscious about aging. Furthermore, a boost to your physical confidence can also help you feel more confident in other aspects of life.
How Do Dermal Facial Fillers Work?
Dermal fillers are essentially designed to give your skin a plump, full look. This look is achieved by injecting the filler gel into certain areas of the body. Facial fillers are a particularly common choice because the skin on the face tends to become noticeably thinner as we age. Muscle movements in the face can also cause your skin to crease and gather, creating fine lines in areas such as around the mouth and eyes.
Facial fillers are injected into the soft tissue layer beneath the blood vessels and nerves of the face. The filler expands within the soft tissue, stretching the skin and creating a stunning, voluminous look. This process also stimulates collagen production, which tightens the skin and aids the filler in creating a toned, fresh surface.
Does the Filler Spread to Other Areas?
Once injected, the filler gel will stay in the selected area of the face. It will not absorb into the larger skin area or spread into other parts of the body. Instead, only the targeted skin area will receive the full benefit of the filler injection. However, the stimulation of collagen production caused by the filler can have a rejuvenating effect on your whole facial surface.
The presence of filler in certain key areas of the face, such as the cheeks or jawline can also have a de-aging effect overall and can give your face a noticeably more youthful look. This is because filler pockets can alter the shape and structure of your face by adding contours, angles, and plumpness.
At MacMed Spa, our trained cosmetic practitioners can work with the contours of your face, once the gel is injected, to shape and mold the pliable filler into the exact shape you want. Juvederm facial filler is extremely flexible, allowing our experts to create soft and natural-looking facial contours.
What Are Facial Fillers Made From?
Juvederm facial filler is made from a hyaluronic acid gel. Hyaluronic acid is an organic compound that already exists in your skin and that combines with naturally occurring collagen to create your skin’s soft surface texture. Hyaluronic acid is also present in parts of the deeper, Dermis layer.
Facial fillers made from hyaluronic acid eliminate the risk of allergic reactions or unpleasant side effects because they use natural chemicals that already exist in your skin. They, essentially, help to support your skin’s organic processes – that slow down as you age – without introducing any unnatural or foreign chemicals into the body.
Is Facial Filler the Same as Botox?
Despite their very different characteristics, there is a common misconception that Botox and facial fillers are the same treatment. Although the effects are similar, facial fillers and Botox employ very different means to prevent the development of wrinkles and fine lines.
Unlike facial filler, which targets the soft tissue of the skin itself, Botox is injected directly into the muscles. It’s likely that the method of administration is the reason that these two treatments are frequently confused. However, whereas hyaluronic acid is harmless and is already a natural component of the skin, Botox is a powerful toxin and causes temporary muscle paralysis.
Who Can Have Facial Fillers?
Anyone can opt to have facial fillers. The treatment is fast and painless and can be performed in one brief session. Facial fillers are a common choice for spa weekends or for rejuvenating relaxation days because of their swift administration and their revitalizing physical effects.
How Is the Treatment Administered?
Juvederm is administered in the form of an injection, which pushes hyaluronic acid gel into the selected areas of the face. This shot moves plumping gel into the deep tissue layers, and this creates the product’s volume-enhancing effect. You can also select the amount of filler you want and choose which areas of the face you would like the filler to be placed.
As the treatment is administered via injection, an anesthetic cream is applied to the area. This will numb the skin to any stinging caused by the needle entry. The treatment is painless, though you may still feel some sensation in your face. Overall, the treatment should take only 20-30 minutes to complete. Facial sculpting may also be requested after the treatment has been administered. A skilled MacMed practitioner can work with your facial shape to create results you love.
You will then be advised on any aftercare steps to help protect your skin while the filler is fresh. It’s common to notice some swelling after the initial injection. This is normal, however, and should reduce fairly quickly and without pain. Your MacMed treatment provider can also offer you suggestions on how to manage a normal level of swelling that may affect the injection site after the process.
How Long Do Facial Fillers Last?
Juvederm can maintain its effects for anywhere between 6 and 18 months. The filler pockets of gel themselves break down beneath the skin over time and are metabolized by the body – a process that is totally safe and natural. This metabolization usually takes place within a three-month period after the injection of dermal filler.
Despite the gradual erosion of the dermal fillers themselves, the filler gel has the ability to draw water into the skin and retain it there. This excess moisture can remain in the soft tissue beneath the skin for several months after the filler gel itself has been completely metabolized. This means that, although the filler itself has a finite lifespan, the effects on the skin surface last far longer than that.
What Factors Affect the Length of Time That Fillers Last?
The length of time that facial fillers can last also varies from person to person. There are a number of reasons why this variety may occur and why, for some people, fillers retain their plushness longer than for others.
The Volume of Filler Injected
Of course, the amount of dermal filler that is injected into your skin will have a bearing on how long the gel lasts inside the body. Larger concentrations of filler will dissolve more slowly and, therefore, your face will look plumper for longer. Smaller concentrations may be better for a quick, short-term boost rather than a longer-term treatment or may be preferable if you want a less dramatic effect.
However, because of Juvederm’s collagen stimulation, a small amount can be highly effective in rejuvenating the skin naturally. Since it is possible to receive booster injections of facial filler, it is perfectly possible to start with a small amount and go back for more if you like the results. Larger amounts of filler may also be more useful for facial sculpting, rather than simply expanding the skin and decreasing lines.
How Quickly Your Body Can Metabolize the Filler
Some people’s bodies will naturally dissolve facial filler at a faster rate than others. This comes down to individual metabolic factors and is not something that can be predicted by your MacMed facial treatment provider. Some people may experience slightly faster or slower filler degradation over the same period of time.
Can You Have a Filler Top-Up?
Since Juvederm is made from natural compounds, there is no upper limit on how many times you have facial filler treatment. Receiving regular top-ups or booster shots of facial filler is, in fact, highly recommended as this helps to combat both the gradual dissolution of the filler beneath the skin and helps you retain a youthful look. Since the treatment can last up to 18 months, however, most people only need around two syringes to give great, long-lasting effects.
Live Your Best Life
Overall, dermal facial fillers are a natural, safe way to rejuvenate your skin and achieve an effortless, natural glow. As one of the quickest and least invasive facial revitalization treatments, it’s something that’s well worth considering. For more information, visit us at MacMed Spa in Milford, MA.