As we age, our faces naturally lose fat and fine lines, wrinkles, and undereye bags start to appear. Fillers have become the most popular and effective way to make these noticeable lines disappear without going under the knife. Celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Cindy Crawford, and Gwenyth Paltrow have recently opened up about using facial fillers to maintain their youthful appearance. As a result, facial fillers have become mainstream for patients of all ages as a safe, reliable way to accentuate their features and maintain a youthful look.

There are many different facial fillers, and some are more beneficial than others depending on the condition and desired outcome. Navigating which facial filler to choose can be difficult and should be considered carefully to achieve the best results. At Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York, our filler injections are performed by board-certified dermatologists with extensive experience. We have the knowledge and expertise to help you choose the best facial filler for beautiful, natural results at our offices in Manhattan and Southampton, New York.

Here’s our definitive guide if you’re considering facial filler and want to know more about the brands and types.

What fillers are made with?

Hyaluronic Acid (HA)

Hyaluronic Acid (HA) fillers are among the most popular filler types, as they produce soft, natural-looking results. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally present substance in your skin that helps keep it plump and hydrated. HA fillers have a gel-like consistency and produce temporary results that dissolve in 6 to 12 months. The following fillers are all FDA-approved:

• Juvederm® products like Juvederm Ultra®, Volbella XC®, Vollure XC®, and Voluma® are among the best facial fillers for smoothing fine lines around the nose, mouth, and chin.
• Restylane® products like Restylane Silk®, Kysse®, Refyne/Defyne®, Contour®, and Lyft® restore hyaluronic acid around the mouth and eyes to diminish the appearance of wrinkles.
• Resilient Hyaluronic Acid (RHA® and Belotero®) fillers stretch and contract with the skin for natural-looking results that can last up to 15 months.

Calcium Hydroxylapatite (CaHA)

Calcium hydroxylapatite is another naturally occuring substance in the body, found primarily in our bones. CaHA fillers consist of microscopic calcium particles suspended in a hyaluronic acid gel. These fillers are thicker than HA fillers and produce longer-lasting results of up to 12 months. An added benefit of CaHA fillers is their ability to stimulate collagen production in the treated areas.

Radiesse® is the FDA-approved CaHA filler used to improve the appearance of deep wrinkles around the mouth. Because Radiesse is thicker than a regular HA filler, it’s also used to contour the face around the chin and jawline.

Poly-L-lactic Acid

Poly-L-lactic acid fillers contain biodegradable synthetic substances that help stimulate collagen production in the skin for longer-lasting results of up to 2 years.

Poly-L-lactic acid fillers require a series of injections over several months to gradually replace collagen lost with age. The restored collagen adds volume for those experiencing loss of facial volume. Sculptra® is the FDA-approved poly-L-lactic acid filler that can be used to treat significant volume loss in the cheeks and deeper facial creases around the mouth and chin.

Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)

Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) is a synthetic, biodegradable substance that takes the form of a “microsphere” in collagen gel. PMMA fillers are injected to provide support to the facial skin in areas that need more structure and firmness.

Autologous fat injections (facial fat grafting)

Autologous fat injections, or facial fat grafting, involve injecting fat from other areas of your body into your face to restore volume. Unlike the other facial fillers, facial fat grafting involves surgery. Fat is removed from another part of the body, like your abdomen, and injected into the areas of the face where more volume is desired, such as the temples, cheeks, or lips.

Fat injections can require multiple sessions to achieve your desired results. However, results can last several years longer than other fillers. Like any surgical procedure, fat grafting should only be performed by a board-certified cosmetic surgeon.

Which filler is the best for my problem?

Wrinkles

Many facial fillers help with fine lines and wrinkles. However, some fillers produce the best results in certain regions of the face.

The best fillers for smoothing wrinkles around the mouth, like nasolabial folds and laugh lines, include:

• Juvederm Vollure XC
• Juvederm Ultra XC
• Restylane Silk
• Restylane Refyne
• Belotero

When it comes to more dynamic wrinkles, such as those on the forehead and around the eyes, RHA fillers are injected to smooth these lines while preserving movement of the area. Unlike Botox, which was previously used to fill in these lines, RHA doesn’t prevent patients from making expressive facial movements. Another advantage of RHA fillers is their long-lasting results of up to 15 months.

Under-Eye Bags & Dark Circles

Eye bags and dark circles become more prominent as we age, and some patients even begin encountering these issues as young as their 20s. These bags and dark circles can dramatically age our appearance, making dermal fillers an attractive treatment option to maintain a youthful look.

• For eye bags: soft hyaluronic acid fillers like Juvéderm and Restylane are used for small, strategic injections around the eyes. These are the best dermal fillers for adding support to the sensitive under-eye area and upper part of the face to reduce the appearance of bags.
• For dark circles: these circles appear when the skin under the eyes is significantly thinner than the surrounding area, creating a shadow and making the under-eye area appear dark and hollow. Soft HA fillers like Juvederm and Restylane are also recommended for dark circles. Their smooth consistency is ideal for adding volume to the fat pads under the eyes to create a brighter, smoother look.

Thin Lips

If you’re self-conscious about thin lips, facial fillers can add volume to create a fuller pout. Juvederm fillers are used on thin lips to add volume while maintaining the skin’s softness. Juvederm Ultra and Volbella XC enhance lips and produce natural, subtle results lasting up to 6 months. Juvederm Vollure XC adds additional structure and shape for results that can last longer (up to 18 months).

In addition to Juvederm, Restylane Kysse is popular for plumping the lips and providing structural support, with results lasting 6 to 12 months on average. Lastly, fat injections are a more invasive way to add volume to the lips and achieve longer-lasting results.

Volume Loss

The collagen in our skin deteriorates as we age, leading to volume loss in the skin. On the face, we notice flatter cheeks, sunken temples, and sagging skin around the mouth and jaw. Facial fillers can be injected into these areas to restore volume and create a fuller, more youthful appearance.

Juvederm and Restylane are some of the best fillers for the face to address volume loss. They help the skin retain moisture and volume to produce smooth and natural-looking results.

For significant volume loss, Sculptra is used to stimulate natural collagen production and restore volume. Fat injections are also used for volume restoration, but require surgery to add fat to the face. However, unlike fillers, this produces results that last for several years.

Facial Contour

Many patients wish to contour their cheeks and jawline to add more structure or symmetry to their face. As we age, we lose structure in our facial features due to volume loss and sagging skin. Restylane Lyft and Restylane Contour are some of the best face fillers to lift the cheekbones and define the contours of the midface, while Radiesse is a thicker filler often used to improve the structure of the jawline.

Where to Get Fillers in NYC

Overall, the best face filler depends on the condition you want to improve and your desired results. At our offices in Manhattan and Southampton, New York, our board-certified physicians at Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York will provide a thorough initial consultation to determine the best filler for you.

Our physicians have a track record of beautiful and natural-looking results with facial filler injections for thousands of patients. For the most effective skin rejuvenation, patients can even combine filler injections with other treatments, such as lasers, peels, and facials.

We’re committed to providing the best treatment for our patients by conducting research at our full in-house research center. Contact us to book a consultation at our Manhattan or Southampton offices and learn more about the best dermal filler for the results you want to achieve.