Picking the Right Injectable Filler Product For You

By Dr Barry Eppley

With so many injectable filler options for cosmetic facial treatments, which should you choose? Hopefully, your plastic surgeon will guide you through the selection process. And although you will likely end up with going with what he or she recommends, you still need to know the thought process behind making that choice.

Despite this plethora of product options, there are several simple methods to determine which injectable filler to use. First, there is clear line of demarcation between what should be used in the lips and what should be used elsewhere. Particulated or beaded fillers, such as Radiesse and ArteFill, should not be used in the lips due to their potential for lumpiness and irregularities. That leaves any of the collagen-based or hyaluron-based fillers to use. I always recommend using the one of these that is known to last the longest. (how many times a year do you want your lip injected ?) There is some debate and uncertainty as to which one of these does last the longest and the manufacturers will certainly tout their own product's longevity. In truth, no clinical trial has ever been done to compare most of the injectable fillers that are on the market today. So the truly 'longest-lasting' one is not really known. But some do last longer than others such as Perlane and Juvaderm.

Using this same strategy of longest-lasting, I treat the nasolabial folds (cheek-lip grooves, facial parentheses) with the beaded fillers. They clearly last longer than any collagen or hyaluron-based filler and are worth the price in that regard. (remember with fillers you generally get what you pay for)

The other strategy, which is equally valid, is to use the injectable filler that you can afford. The beauty of having such a large number of filling options is that their costs are equally broad. Like looking for toothpaste in the drug store (of which all are capable of being used with a tooth brush), there is a wide range of prices and brands. All with do the basic job, some (at a higher price) have a few other benefits as well.

Dr Barry Eppley is a board-certified plastic surgeon in private practice in Indianapolis, Indiana at Clarian Health Systems. (http://www.eppleyplasticsurgery.com) He writes a daily blog on plastic surgery, spa therapies, and medical skin care at http://www.exploreplasticsurgery.com