Pump Up the Volume… in your Face!

Injectable fillers… they’re more popular than ever, and for good reason. They work!  Fillers can rejuvenate the face non-surgically are perfect for the person who isn’t ready for a facelift but could definitely use a little lift and volume correction. Remember when you were younger and had a full face?  You may not have liked the look at the time, but it’s actually a sign of youth. Facial fillers can fill in the gaps when your face begins losing volume. The Plastic Surgery Channel sat down with Mark Elliott, MD, a board certified plastic surgeon in Meridian, Mississippi to discuss how injectable fillers have changed the way we view facial aging.

by The Plastic Surgery Channel
and Mark Elliott, MD

One of the earliest signs of aging is a loss of facial fullness and wrinkles. Softening facial lines and restoring volume and fullness in the face often can be achieved non-surgically with injectable fillers.

Fillers can:

• Plump thin lips
• Enhance shallow contours
• Soften facial creases and wrinkles
• Improve the appearance of recessed scars

How to Get Lovely Lips

A full, well-defined lip is a sign of youth. A thinning upper lip can give an appearance of anger or old age. If your lips are thinning, you may be a candidate for lip augmentation. There are many different ways to augment a lip, one of which is Juvederm® XC, a filler which can last up to a year.

Transferring fat is another option to plump up lips that is growing in popularity. Fat from an area on the body that has had liposuction can be processed and injected or grafted to almost any area. However, the body will reabsorb some percentage of the fat that is transferred.  This means it may take more than one fat transfer procedure for the ideal results.

What is JUVEDERM VOLUMA®?

Juvederm Voluma® XC is the first and only FDA-approved injectable gel that is used to instantly add volume to the cheek area. Placed deeper in the cheek than fillers used in other areas of the face, such as the lips, Juvederm Voluma® provides contour and a subtle lift that can last up to two years.

“There’s a technique to injecting, you need to go the correct depth and be cautious of how hard you are pressing; that alone can go a long way toward avoiding complications.” – Mark Elliott, MD

Where should I go for injections?

Carefully selecting an experienced plastic surgeon ensures that you are being treated by someone who has completed at least five years of surgical training with a minimum of two years in plastic surgery. Board certified plastic surgeons adhere to a strict code of ethics and operate only in accredited medical facilities. “Unfortunately, you have people injecting a variety of fillers without the proper experience,” says Dr. Elliott.

“If someone comes in with lots of skin laxity; adding volume won’t get them where they want to go,” says Dr. Elliott. “However, if it is just a little jowling, and some folds in the face — those patients are perfect for fillers and this may stave off surgery for a long time.”