How Do You Inject Facial Fillers?

Facial fillers, as the name implies, are injections to fill out wrinkles, lines or hollows in the face due to aging.

Facial fillers are either natural or synthetic substances that may be injected below the skin to eliminate the fine lines and wrinkles and restore lost volume. Facial fillers have seen tremendous development in the past decade.

Facial fillers may:

• Enhance the lip volume
• Eliminate fine lines and wrinkles
• Augment the facial contour
• Diminish scars
• Correct contour defects

• Patients with a history of severe allergy, hypersensitivity to any of the components of fillers
• Patients with a history of bleeding disorder should refrain from undergoing this surgery
• Patients who have used aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or herbal supplements recently should consider postponing their surgery

• During the consultation, discuss your expectations and goals.
• Detail your medical as well as medication history -- especially about allergies. 
• Discuss if you have had any cosmetic procedure related to face in the recent past.
• Your surgeon may evaluate your general health and medical history.
• Your surgeon may detail the risks, benefits, expected results and procedure of this treatment
• Your surgeon may take photographs and otherwise examine your face.

A topical numbing cream will be applied to the areas to be filled. It may require 30 minutes to activate. You will be made comfortable before the start of the procedure.  

The numbing cream will be wiped off; after it has had time to work. The filler will be prepared. The different kinds of fillers include:

• hyaluronic acid, 
• calcium hydroxyapatite, 
• polyalkylimide and 
• polymethyl-methacrylate microspheres. 

The filler is then injected by one of the four methods:

• Serial puncture: Injecting a series of small shots of filler along the defect
• Threading: Injecting the needle below the defect at an appropriate depth and injecting the filler as the needle is withdrawn gradually
• Fanning: Injecting multiple threads of fillers in a radiating manner, without withdrawing the needle
• Crosshatching: Injecting a series of threads of fillers that are perpendicular to one another in a particular area.

When the defect has been corrected, the product is firmly massaged into place. 

After the procedure

• Avoid vigorous activities for 24 hours
• Protect your face from sunlight exposure by using sunscreen lotion with at least SPF 25
• Use acetaminophen for pain relief; all medications can be restarted the the same day after the procedure
• Avoid massaging the corrected areas for a minimum of 24 hours
• In the case of a bruising, use a warm compress to speed up the healing
• To control pain and swelling; a cold compress can be used
• Adverse effects such as asymmetry, overcorrection of wrinkles, skin reddening, skin itching and edema may occur; if untreated, these can lead to serious repercussions.