Injectable fillers, such as collagen or fat, are used to fill he lines and creases formed because of different reasons (facial movement, sun exposure, gravity, aging).  This will help to restore a more youthful look to your appearance, but the results are not permanent (the filler will be absorbed by your body) and it wont stop the aging process or the formation of new wrinkles.  This technique can be used also for lip augmentation or to give more fullness to cheeks. 

Other procedures could be used with fillers such as laser treatment or facelift.  It is not indicated in all the cases of facial wrinkles specially in cases as deep wrinkles in face or brow, and your plastic surgeon may propose you different procedures according to your case. 

The results are never completely predictable and may last only a few weeks; in others, the results may be maintained indefinitely.

Possible Complications

Before Injections Fillers  

Your skin, muscle and bones will be evaluated before the procedure and you will decide withe the help of your plastic surgeon the best options for your specific case.  You surgeon should determine if fat or collagen fillers are indicated for you.  Collagen injections are not indicated in pregnant women, allergy to beef or bovine poducts, autoinmmune diseases and allergic to lidocaine (local anesthetic that comes with the collagen injection).  The brochure that comes with the product could be usefull for you to be fully informed about it. 

The procedure is not usually cover by insurance programs, but in the case of treatment of scar or indentation from an acciden or injury, a portion of the cost could be cover, you should ask your company before te procedure to be sure.

Collagen:

The injections have an anesthetic agent mixed with the collagen but additional anesthesia could be used according to your needs.  It is used primarily to fill wrinkles, lines and scars.  It is usually a derivate from purified bovine collagen, a product similar to human collagen but not the same, you should be request for a skin test to determine that you are not allergic to it.

You could feel some discomfort, bruising or swelling with the injections but it should be controlled with the anesthesia and prescribed medication.  Redness could persist for a week or more in some patients, if any of these situations persist or increase you should contact your plastic surgeon.

The results are variable and their longevity depends on the patient's lifestyle, physical characteristics and the part of the body treated.

Fat

In this case, fat will be removed from a different part of your body (abdomen, buttocks, etc.) and reinjected beneath facial skin.  It is usually used to fill cheeks and lines between nose and mouth, also to correct skin depressions, minimize wrinkles and enhance the lips.

The surgeon will clean the selected area and apply the local anesthetic, then the process start.  Sometimes an adhesive bandage is applied in the injection site.  As with collagen, your plastic surgeon may overfill the treated are because part of the filler will be absorbed by your body even inmediately after the procedure.   Some sweeling, bruising, redness or discomfort could appear but it is usually minor and will subside in about 48 hours.  Specially in large treated areas, the swelling and puffiness could lat fo several weeks.

In some cases the results can least for a year or more, but the majority of patients report a duration of 3 to 6 months.  Then, repeated injections could be recommended.