Injections 101

Get to Know: Fillers

Have you begun to notice subtle changes to your face? Perhaps you’re developing “puppet lines” at the corners of your mouth, or feel your cheeks are looking “flat,” or maybe your lips seem to be shrinking before your eyes. Believe it or not, many of these visible signs of aging are due to volume loss from changes in bone, fat pads, and tissue.

Though it is difficult to reverse the impacts of aging directly in the bone, fat pads, and tissue; we can use fillers at our medical spa in Vero Beach to replace the volume that has been lost to help smooth lines, lift cheeks, and plump lips, restoring a more youthful appearance to the face.

What exactly are dermal fillers?

Dermal fillers are a gel-like substance that is injected under the skin to help address lost volume. There are a variety of filler products on the market, but here at White Orchid Spa, we use the Juvederm family of fillers made out of Hylauronic Acid (HA).

HA is a sugar found naturally in our body that holds a thousand times it weight in water, by using HA in fillers we can place the hyaluronic acid in the area of need allowing it to draw in water and create a “filling” effect. Since HA is something our bodies already produce, this type of filler is safe and very natural appearing.

Why is there a “family” of fillers?

Though we use JUVÉDERM®, we choose a “member” of the “family,” depending on the area being treated and the goal we’re seeking to achieve. There are many members included in the “family” as each filler has unique properties and purpose. For example, JUVÉDERM VOLUMA® has a great lifting capacity that is wonderful for enhancing and defining the cheeks. On the other hand, Juvederm Ultra has a lesser lifting capacity, which works very beautifully in the lips. Other fillers are more flexible, such as JUVÉDERM VOLLURE, which is designed to stretch and move with the animation of the face and is great for smile lines.

When you have a consultation, your nurse practitioner will customize a treatment for you utilizing different “members” of the “family” to achieve your goal. Injecting fillers are never “one-size-fits-all” treatments, and having multiple options to choose from allows us to achieve the best results.  

What to expect during treatment?

Just before the actual treatment, the area to be treated will be cleaned, and a topical anesthetic to numb the area may be applied. The JUVÉDERM filler contains lidocaine as well, which can minimize any discomfort felt. Once the area is prepared, your nurse practitioner will then inject the chosen filler product strategically beneath the skin. It does take multiple injections, but it is our goal to keep the treatment as comfortable as possible!

When can I see results?

You can see the results immediately after receiving your injections. However, patients may experience mild bruising, swelling, and redness that will subside over the coming weeks. We recommend not having an important event for two weeks after treatment and to follow the post-treatment instructions we provide for the best results.

How long do results last?

Hyaluronic acid fillers typically last from 6-18 months. Injections in the lips and around the mouth area tend to wear out more quickly due to the increased mobility of the area. Whereas injections that are placed more deeply with a denser product can last well over a year.

Will I look “overdone”?

Absolutely not! Here at White Orchid Spa, our nurse practitioners take a very natural approach; the goal is to restore volume that has been lost, not dramatically change your natural appearance. The best-placed filler is undetectable!