Some people, when hearing the term “filler” at first glance, think that it is a substance that removes wrinkles or restores youth, but the truth is that the word “filler” in English means filling, and it is the name of the technique and not the name of the material used in this technique. During this article, we will talk about filler injections, its most important advantages and disadvantages, as well as the expected results from the operation.

What is a facial filler?

Filler for the face is a non-surgical procedure that does not require anesthesia, and the filler process for the face takes between a quarter of an hour to half an hour to fill the spaces under the skin caused by wrinkles and signs of aging, which restores the face a youthful, full and beautiful appearance. In the technique of facial fillers, several materials are used, including natural ones, such as fat cells or collagen, and industrial ones such as hyaluronic acid or artificial polymers.

Reasons for choosing filler injections

The aging since the beginning of history is one of the most worrying for any woman because of the wrinkles and annoying signs that accompany the body in general and the face in particular, which made women around the world constantly search for what preserves the permanent youth of their faces, some of them resorted to herbs and natural recipes, and some of them continued to Sports and healthy food.

We cannot deny the benefit of sports, healthy food, and natural recipes in preserving the skin, but they have a simple effect that is almost non-existent in light of the counter factors that surround women, starting with the pollution surrounding us everywhere, passing through bad habits such as smoking, drinking alcohol and staying up late, and ending with psychological pressure and tension. All this led to the appearance of wrinkles and unwanted lines on the face, perhaps for those who are not yet forty.

Then surgeries appeared, and it was one of the appropriate ways for some to return to a youthful appearance again, but many did not accept the idea because of the risks involved in it being a surgical operation performed on the face, and if anything went wrong, the shape of the face might not return to the way it was.

However, the matter changed after the appearance of the filler needles. It became easy to obtain an attractive youthful appearance and treat the effects of stress and tension on the face in record time and without any risk. Filler needles are used in several places, such as the lips, cheeks, lines under the eyes, and the nose.

Filler types

There are two types of filler injections: the first is a temporary injection, which lasts between six months and two years and is considered the least dangerous and has side effects, while the other type is permanent, but it has risks and is not preferred to use it often because of its negative effects that can appear after a while, such as the use of hyaluronic acid

The difference between filler and botox

Both Botox and Fillers are used to overcome signs of aging and wrinkles, but there are several differences between them, the most important of which are:

Botox is botulinum toxin, a substance that helps remove wrinkles. As for filler types, it is one of several materials such as animal collagen or fat cells, and is used to fill the spaces under the skin.

Botox is used to stretch and relax the muscles, while fillers are used to fill the spaces under the skin.

Botox is used in places of lines between the eyebrows and on the forehead, and treats wrinkles at the corner of the eye. As for fillers, it is used in the areas above the mouth and cheeks, and recently it has been used to treat dark circles around the eyes.

Filler injection procedure steps

Filler injection is a non-surgical procedure that does not require total or local anesthesia, but there are some women who fear injection pain, so the doctor uses local anesthesia with them, and needles are filled for injection with the appropriate substance and quantity for the patient determined by the doctor during the examination, then the injection is done in the desired places. One of the great advantages of filler injections is that it does not take more than half an hour, and the results can be seen immediately.

Expected results after filler injection

After the filler is injected in the correct way and quantity, the patient can see that the signs of aging have completely vanished and that there are no traces of any wrinkles in the area in which the injection was injected, and the general appearance of the face has become more youthful and full. In addition to feeling the face tightened in a natural way that is not exaggerated, all of these results lead to a feeling of permanent youth and self-confidence.

When will the results of filler injections appear?

When will the results of filler injections appear? Of course, this question may be directed to the plastic surgeon after undergoing the operation, due to the urgency of the results, and we can say that the appearance of the results varies according to the material used, in the case of using the immediate filler, the results appear before leaving the doctor’s office, or within hours of the operation.

Other types of fillers may need several days or weeks to obtain the final results, as you may need more time for the tumor to subside after the injection, in addition to the fact that the filler material may merge with the body tissues, which reduces the initial volume that appears after the operation, so the results do not rush .

What are the side effects of fillers?

Despite the simplicity of the filler injection process and the speed of results, it is also very safe, but some damage and complications may occur after a long period of injection. The damages increase when using the permanent type of filler injection more than the temporary type, and the inexperience of the doctor who performs the injections may lead to negative results.

Common side effects of filler injections are:

• Bruising: It is one of the minor effects that occur after the filler injection and disappears after a few days, but if it persists, you should see a doctor.
• Infections: They may be minor infections that do not cause concern, but if they persist, they may lead to an abscess under the skin, a doctor should be consulted immediately.
• Lumps: Lumps occur due to the inexperience of the doctor who injects the filler, so the substance is not distributed under the skin in equal and accurate proportions, which leads to it gathering in the form of lumps, after which it may be necessary to make a surgical incision to remove it.
• Allergies: It often occurs in the case of injections with collagen, which is extracted from the skin of cows. The attending physician must make sure that the patient does not suffer from an allergy to this substance by doing a simple test for it before injecting the filler.
• Granuloma: It occurs as a result of the immune system dealing with the injected substances as foreign bodies in the body and fighting them. These substances gather to form small vesicles, and in order to treat them, the wall of these vesicles must be broken and the gatherings inside them be removed.

One of the biggest damages that filler injections can cause is the effect on the eye and stroke. It has recently been proven that the materials used in filler injections are unsafe, especially when injecting in the forehead and around the eye, as these substances leak into the blood vessels around the eye and may affect vision. Or they block the blood vessels, which leads to a stroke.

Tips to consider before injecting the filler

Before you get the filler injection process, a cosmetic site offers you several tips to get safer and more effective results:

• Choosing the right doctor: He must have expertise in the field of cosmetics in general and the field of filler injections in particular, preferably those who have had research or studies in this regard.
• Choosing the right clinic or beauty center: One of the important factors for the success of filler injection is choosing the right place, as the clinic or center must have a documented official license and an international quality certificate.
• Tell your doctor about any medications you are taking, and any diseases you suffer from.
• Do the allergy tests that the doctor will tell you about. You may be allergic to one of the injection materials and you don’t know.
• Inform the doctor about the results you wish and imagine after the filler injection.