Dermal Fillers

Dermal fillers are products that are injected into creases, hollows, and "deflated" areas of the face to restore youthful contours and soften wrinkles. Among the most popular aesthetic treatments at Skin Spectrum in Tucson, Arizona, dermal fillers such as JUVÉDERM® and Restylane® create noticeable improvements immediately and are very safe, with little if any downtime. Volumizers, such as Sculptra®, help fill in relaxed areas on the face to lift and soften the effects of aging.

If you're ready to enhance the health and appearance of your skin, visit the cosmetic dermatology leaders at Skin Spectrum. To get started with your comprehensive facial assessment, request a cosmetic consultation online or call us at (520) 797-8885.

What are dermal fillers?

The main ingredient in many popular dermal fillers is hyaluronic acid, which is identical to that which occurs naturally in our skin. Restylane, Perlane®, JUVÉDERM® Ultra, and JUVÉDERM® Ultra Plus are the most popular hyaluronic acid dermal fillers in our Tucson practice. Both products now come with an option of having anesthesia already added to the product for increased comfort during the procedure. Sculptra is comprised of poly-L-lactic acid, a safe synthetic material, and fills and lifts the skin with a natural, soft appearance. We also add anesthesia to the injectable Sculptra to minimize discomfort.

For more impressive improvements, we might suggest a combination of a filler treatment with BOTOX® Cosmetic or Dysport injections or another non-invasive or invasive treatment. This practice is called "combineese." When you visit us for your cosmetic consultation, we will recommend a treatment combination that will best benefit your unique aesthetic goals and needs.

Where are fillers used?

Fillers are commonly used to plump the lips, help a down-turned mouth, soften "smoker's lines" around the lips, improve marionette lines and nasolabial folds, soften frown lines, dark circles, and hollows below the eyes, lift the brows, and plump up wrinkly earlobes. They can also be used as a "liquid face lift" to dramatically restore volume to a "sinking" face and restore the facial structure of your youth.

What can I expect?

Treatment involves injection of the filler into the skin. A numbing cream and fine needle make discomfort mild. In the sensitive lip area, we can numb the area completely before injection, although most patients do not find this necessary. Improvement is immediate. There may be swelling, redness, or bruising, which varies with the individual and the area treated.

We recommend avoiding blood-thinning substances, such as aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, fish oils, and vitamin E prior to your treatment, and we recommend taking certain supplements to minimize bruising and swelling.

Results last for a minimum of 6 to 12 months, depending on the individual and the area treated.

What is the cost of a filler treatment?

Filler treatments cost $575 and up, depending on the amount of filler used.

What makes Sculptra® different?

Sculptra is a dermal filler or volumizer that is used to correct the loss of facial fat that happens as we age, resulting in concerns like smile lines, sunken cheeks and a lax jawline. This filler, comprised of poly-L-lactic acid, stimulates the skin to produce more collagen, restoring youthful fullness and firmness. Improvement with Sculptra is gradual and typically requires a few treatments spaced approximately 6 weeks apart. While it usually takes about 6 weeks for initial results to appear, your improved look will typically last for 2 to 3 years. The typical side effects could be swelling and bruising for a few days after treatment. Many patients do not have any downtime or healing.

Sculptra costs $850 per vial and is discounted with additional vial purchases.