Dermal fillers have been a game changer for rejuvenating the face without surgery. Even so, plastic surgeons have had to take a bit of a “one size fits all” approach until recently, using the same filler in different ways and concentrations to treat various areas of the face.
That is no longer the entire case. Today, there are fillers that have been uniquely designed to treat specific issues including sunken cheeks, fine lines, and a loss of volume in the lips. The latter has been a real problem area for both patients and plastic surgeons with a tendency to overfill and create unwanted results. The media has made it clear the downsides of too much filler in the lips with countless stories chronicling over-filled “fish lips” on otherwise beautiful celebrities.
Volbella, recently approved by the FDA, allows patients to achieve a natural-looking, fuller lip. Dr. Shaun Parson of Scottsdale, AZ discusses this latest darling in the filler realm and why it is so revolutionary.
Hyaluronic Acid Is Your Friend
“As plastic surgeons, one of the things that we haven’t had up until now were unique tools for different problem areas of the face to restore volume,” explains Dr. Parson. In our 20’s, we have big, round, fat faces. As we move into our 30’s and 40’s, we begin to lose a little of that roundness achieving what is probably the best times of our lives in terms of facial structure. Then in our later 40’s to 50’s, we start to lose soft tissue and bony volume, causing the skin to sag.
We also lose hyaluronic acid. By 50, we only have about 25% of the hyaluronic acid that we used to have. Why is this important? Because hyaluronic acid makes the difference between a grape and a raisin. The former has it and the latter doesn’t. Restoring a youthful look to the face is often about plumping, which is why all of these different fillers have some form of hyaluronic acid that helps to attract water and fill in the areas where we’ve lost volume with age.
“Volbella is a very exciting new product because it allows us to do something that we haven’t been able to do before,” says Parson. The lips have alway been a problem area. Plump lips are more youthful looking, but until now, there hasn’t been a filler with the right concentration to really deliver natural looking lips.
Volbella can fill in the fine lines around the mouth and increase volume in the lips without going overboard.
More Tools For the Non-Surgical Toolbox
Volbella and other fillers and injectable treatments continue to expand what non-surgical facial rejuvenation means. When it used to be just Botox and a general “filler”, now options exist for specific areas and desires, offering an immense amount of control for physicians. As new tools continue to be researched and released, finer, more precise non-surgical remedies can be delivered to patients who appreciate avoiding the OR, for now.