Various Filler Applications
This a a excerpt from an article on this site :
http://www.thebody.com/content/art47327.html#for_you
Which Facial Filler Is for You?
The following chart describes the 10 most popular treatments for facial lipoatrophy, how each works and the comparative benefits and risks. The first six are temporary; the last four are permanent. Only two, Sculptra and Radiesse are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for facial lipoatrophy, but all are used, to better or worse effect. Comparing costs is tricky because cheaper materials tend to require more procedures and more touch-ups; the priciest, Bio-Alcamid ($4,500), can be injected in one session and is permanent — yet is generally unavailable in the United States. Don’t forget to include the cost of travel expenses when figuring out how much products not approved in the United States will cost.
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Facial-Filler Chart |
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Type |
Product |
How It Works |
Pros |
Cons |
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Temporary |
Fat injections/ grafting |
Fat cells are taken from one part of the body and injected into the face |
Most natural filler; fat can be stored for touch-ups; long-lasting (over three years); use of own bodily material |
Post-op swelling; complicated procedure; fat may be hard to find due to lipoatrophy |
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Collagen injections (Zyderm, Zyplast) |
Collagen, usually made from purified bovine collagen and salt water and used to fill wrinkles, is injected into the face |
FDA-approved product, but not for lipoatrophy; simulates body’s own collagen |
Allergic reactions; frequent touch-ups |
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Human cadaveric dermis (Cymetra, Dermalogen, Fascian) |
Skin is cultivated from a cadaver, then injected into the face |
Impressive filling of facial hollows |
Need for large-gauge needles; frequent touch-ups |
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Hyaluronic acid (Restylane, Restylane SubQ, Perlane, Hylaform) |
Designed to prevent rapid breakdown, the material is injected into the face |
FDA-approved product, but not for lipoatrophy; easily reversed |
Post-injection discomfort; only lasts a year on average; large volumes are needed for severe lipoatrophy |
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Calcium hydroxylapatite (Radiesse, Radiance) |
Synthetic material is injected into the face, causing body’s own production of collagen |
FDA-approved as a cosmetic procedure; safe and effective; appears to be long-lasting; natural looking |
Swelling and nodules |
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Poly-L-lactic acid (Sculptra, New-Fill) |
Synthetic material is injected into the face, causing body’s own production of collagen |
Only filler approved by the FDA for lipoatrophy; insurance may cover it; safe and effective; long-lasting (two to three years); natural looking; financial-assistance programs available by Dermik Laboratories, the maker |
Numerous injections for volume; requires four to six weeks for full effects; occasional touch-ups; swelling and nodules |
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Type |
Product |
How It Works |
Pros |
Cons |
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Semi-permanent & permanent |
Silicone (Silikon 1000) |
Highly refined silicone oil mixed with water is injected into the face using “microdroplet technique” |
Safe and effective in small amounts |
Numerous injections for volume; cannot be removed; can migrate causing jowls; swelling and nodules |
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Polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA; Articol, Artefill, Metacrill) |
Material (small amounts of PMMA surrounded by bovine or synthetic collagen) is injected into the face, causing body’s own production of collagen; the PMMA does not break down |
Safe and effective; can be removed |
Numerous injections for volume; allergic reactions; requires three months for full effects; sometimes visible under skin |
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Poly-Alkyl-Imide (Bio-Alcamid) |
Synthetic material is injected into the face, then molded and pressed into precise shape; a thin collagen capsule forms around it |
A single procedure can inject large volume; can be removed; extremely stable |
Not available in the U.S.; little data on efficacy and safety |
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ePTFE implants (Gore-Tex, Gore SAM, SoftForm) |
Solid implants are surgically inserted into the face through a small incision |
Fills large, sunken areas |
Post-op swelling and infection; possible fibrosis around implant; tends to be unstable |