What is injectable hyaluronic acid?
Injectable hyaluronic acid (HA) is a type of temporary dermal filler. Hyaluronic acid is found naturally through out the body, with the highest concentrations in the joints, eyes, and skin. In the skin hyaluronic acid attracts water, which allows the skin to become more hydrated. As we age, the fat, muscles, bone, and skin in our face begins to thin. This loss of volume leads to either a sunken or sagging appearance of the face, fine lines, wrinkles, folds, and thin lips. Injectable HA is used to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, facial folds, and to create structure, framework, and volume to the face and lips. The effects of injectable hyaluronic acid are seen immediately.
A variety of injectable HAs are currently available include:
Belotero Balance, Juvederm Ultra, Juvederm Ultra Plus, Restylane, Restylane Silk, Restylane Lyft, and Voluma. Each of these HA fillers has unique characteristics, which influence what location(s) on the face they are best injected, what level they should be injected in the skin, and their longevity after injection.
For example, Belotero and Restylane Silk are often used for the correction of shallow, fine lines. For improving fine lines around the lips and/or lip volume and/or structure, Restylane Silk, Restylane, Juvederm Ultra, and Belotero are commonly used. To reduce of the appearance of nasolabial folds and marionette lines, Juvederm Ultra, Juvederm Ultra Plus, Restylane, Restylane Lyft, and Belotero Balance may be selected by your ASDS physician. Finally, cheek augmentation is most commonly performed with either Voluma or Restylane Lyft to create structure, elevate, and reposition the cheek into a more youthful appearance.
Outcomes and longevity vary from patient to patient and are influenced by the location of the injection, the individual properties of the hyaluronic acid filler, the age of the patient, and the individual characteristics of the patient’s skin. For example, results in the lips may last 6 months, but those in the nasolabial folds may last 9-12 months or longer. Voluma can last up to 24 months when injected in to the cheeks. After that time, additional injections are required to maintain the desired effect.
Your doctor will evaluate the areas of your face and/or lips needing improvement in lines, structure, and/or volume. Topical or injection numbing medication may be used for added comfort prior to your procedure. For additional patient comfort lidocaine, an anesthetic, is mixed with the many of the available injectable hyaluronic acids.
What should first be done before considering injectable hyaluronic acid?
First, an ASDS dermatologist will review the patient’s medical history and examine the condition to be treated. Areas to be treated should be kept clean. If there is a skin infection, then treatment needs to be postponed until it resolves. Patients who take blood thinners (such as aspirin, ibuprofen, certain herbal medications) should stop them two weeks prior to injection with the approval of their prescribing doctor.
