Facial fillers are becoming increasingly popular and patients now have a wide range of facial fillers to choose from. Dermal fillers are popular because they are a way of ironing out wrinkles in the face including crows feet and between the brows, as well as helping plump out the lips, taking years off the face, all without the need for surgery and enabling patients to have the cosmetic treatment in their lunch break.

Naturally there are downsides to this form of cosmetic procedure. There can be swelling after the dermal filler injections, there is the possibility of allergic reaction to the filler itself and the dermal fillers need to be topped up as they wear off.

Restylane

Restylane is made of hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring substance in the skin. Restylane was the first dermal filler to use non-animal hyaluronic acid. Before Restylane, facial fillers were made of animal products such as bovine collagen, silicone or body fat. Hyaluronic acid is a good choice for dermal filler because it is a substance that occurs naturally in the body therefore the incidence of allergic reaction is very low.

Restylane is approved by the FDA for lasting up to 18 months. It is currently the world’s leading dermal filler having been used over 10 million times since it’s inception in 2004. Restylane is most commonly used for the hollows under the eyes, lines around the nose and mouth, and in the lips.

Perlane

Perlane is made by the same company who manufacture Restylane and is also made of hyaluronic acid. However it is only FDA approved to last for up to 6 months. A relative newcomer to the dermal filler market, Perlane has only been in use since 2007.

Juvederm

Juvederm is made of hyaluronic acid and is from the same manufacturers who make Botox. Juvederm is very popular for deeper wrinkles such as for plumping out crows feet and the lines between the nose and the mouth.

Prevelle Silk

Prevelle Silk is made of hyaluronic acid and also incorporates lidocaine, a local anaesthetic to help numb the injection site. This makes it a good filler for use in sensitive areas such as the lips, however it should be noted that some discomfort will still be experienced from the injection despite the numbing sensation.

Radiesse

Radiesse is made of calcium-based microspheres and claims to promote collage reproduction which helps plump the skin out, however this claim is probably not as good as it sounds. The body will naturally produce collagen to wall of foreign substances therefore all dermal fillers will actually see the body producing collagen.

Evolence

Evolence is another relative newcomer to the dermal filler market having been around since 2008. Evolence is made from porcine collagen (from pigs). Porcine collagen is very similar to human collagen hence it’s usage. There is no risk of catching pig diseases from having these dermal filler injections.

Dysport

Touted as a safer and better alternative to Botox, Dysport has only recently been released into the cosmetic market. Dysport uses the same active ingredient as Botox however it is claimed to act more quickly than Botox and also has a much lower risk of the toxin spreading to other areas of the body. Dysport is also priced lower than Botox.

However Botox has 20 years of research and use behind it whilst Dysport is very new therefore little is known about long-term effects ofusing Dysport.

So which filler is best? The answer is there is no one best filler. If you are planning on getting facial fillers it is best to talk through the options with your cosmetic practitioner to discuss what the best dermal filler for you is.