One typical effect of aging is a loss of volume in the face, which happens as the fat pads shift downward due to the combined effects of gravity and time. This phenomenon leaves many women and men with hollows around their temples, eyes, and cheeks, leading to a haggard or unhealthy appearance. Fortunately, Dr. Schmidt can resolve this issue and restore your self-esteem with two cosmetic solutions – dermal fillers and facial fat grafting. How do these work, and which option is better for your needs?
What Are Dermal Fillers?
If you keep up with beauty trends on Instagram, you’ve almost certainly seen the results of dermal fillers in action, but you may not know these products can do more than create perfectly pouty lips. Hyaluronic acid fillers such as Juvéderm®, Radiesse®, and Belotero come in different formulations that can create stunning, natural-looking results when injected into specific areas of your face.
HA is a naturally occurring molecule that attracts and retains moisture. Fillers can minimize lines and wrinkles around your mouth, while adding contour to areas where you have lost volume. Once injected, dermal fillers integrate into your skin and begin stimulating your body to create new collagen, rejuvenating your appearance from the inside out.
You will eventually metabolize the fillers, which means your results aren’t permanent. However, they are long-lasting when applied by an expert injector such as Dr. Schmidt. If you love your newly contoured look, you can maintain it with periodic touch-up treatments. If you don’t, Dr. Schmidt can dissolve hyaluronic acid with an enzyme called hyaluronidase. Fillers are also a more affordable, minimally invasive choice if you are not quite ready to commit to surgery such as a facelift.
What Is Fat Grafting?
Fat grafting is another excellent remedy for people experiencing age-related volume loss. In performing this minimally invasive procedure, Dr. Schmidt will extract fat from an area where you have a little bit extra, such as your thighs or abdomen. After carefully cleaning and sterilizing this harvested fat using a technology called Puregraft, he will use it to restore fullness to facial areas where you have lost contour, including your temples, cheeks, lips, and tear troughs.
Fat grafting has a long track record of safety. Because it uses your body fat, there is no risk of an allergic reaction, and no need to rely on synthetic materials such as implants. In addition to adding long-lasting contour and definition, this procedure can also provide beautiful overall facial rejuvenation by minimizing fine lines and wrinkles. However, unlike with dermal fillers, there is an average 10-day to two-week recovery period associated with fat grafting. You may experience swelling, bruising, and tenderness around the donor and recipient areas. You might also have tiny, unobtrusive scars left from the incisions that are necessary for a fat transfer procedure.
Contact Denver’s Best Plastic Surgeon
Cosmetic procedures represent an investment in your self-esteem and quality of life. Even when getting minimally invasive techniques, your choice of provider is essential to ensure you get maximum value, satisfaction, and confidence.
Whether you choose dermal fillers or fat grafting, Dr. Schmidt uses his extensive training in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery to create results that harmonize with your unique anatomy, so you never need to worry about an artificially “worked-on” look. Schedule your consultation today to help you decide whether fillers or fat transfer are right for you.
