Injectable fillers are substances own or foreign to the body that are applied under the skin with the aim to smooth and lift aging skin. There are used own fat, collagen, hyaluronic acid, hydroxylapatite, acrylates and others. Anesthesia is local only in form of anesthesia cream. The duration of the treatment depends on the type of filler and size of treated area. Return to normal activities is possible right after the treatment.

What can injectable fillers do for you?

Soft-tissue fillers such as injectable collagen or fat, can help fill in facial lines and creases, temporarily restoring a smoother, more youthful-looking appearance. When injected beneath the skin, these fillers plump up creased and sunken areas of the face. Injectable fillers can also add fullness to the lips and cheeks. They may be used alone or in conjunction with a resurfacing procedure, such as a laser treatment, or a recontouring procedure, such as a face-lift. Injected collagen and fat are primarily used to improve the appearance of the skin’s texture. They can help fill out deep facial wrinkles, creases and furrows, “sunken” cheeks, skin depressions and some types of scars. They can also be used to add a fuller, more sensuous look to the lips. Injectables are usually not helpful for severe surface wrinkles on the face, such as multiple vertical “lipstick lines” that sometimes form around the mouth. Instead, your plastic surgeon may suggest a resurfacing technique, such as a chemical peel, dermabrasion or laser treatments. Rather than filling in facial lines, resurfacing methods strip away the outer layers of the skin to produce a smoother appearance. Deep folds in the face or brow caused by overactive muscles or by loose skin may be more effectively treated with cosmetic surgery, such as a face-lift or brow-lift. Injectable fillers are sometimes used in conjunction with facial surgery procedures; however, injectables alone cannot change your facial contour the way surgery can.

Why injectable fillers Prague?

Prague has many attractive features for those considering injectable filllers abroad. Its location in Central Europe is easy to access; its mild climate is conducive to healing and its experienced clinics and injectable filler surgeons ensure you’ll receive the best possible care. Injectable fillers Prague costs are often much more affordable than in the UK or with the NHS. For more information about getting to and around the Czech Republic, please visit our handy cosmetic surgery Prague info guide.

Types of injectable fillers

Collagen

Collagen is used primarily to fill wrinkles, lines and scars on the face and sometimes the neck, back and chest. Collagen is a naturally occurring protein that provides support to various parts of the human body: the skin, the joints, the bones and the ligaments. Injectable collagen, patented by the Collagen Corporation under the trade names Zyderm and Zyplast, is derived from purified bovine collagen. The purification process creates a product similar to human collagen. Injectable collagen received approval from the Food and Drug Administration in 1981. It is produced in various thicknesses to meet individual patient needs.

Fat

In the medical world, the fat-injection procedure is known as autologous fat transplantation or microlipoinjection. It involves extracting fat cells from the patient’s abdomen, thighs, buttocks or elsewhere and reinjecting them beneath the facial skin. Fat is most often used to fill in “sunken” cheeks or laugh lines between the nose and mouth; to correct skin depressions or indentations; to minimize forehead wrinkles and to enhance the lips.

Anesthesia

Because the anesthetic agent lidocaine is mixed in with collagen, additional anesthetic is usually not used when receiving injectable fillers. However, if you are especially sensitive to pain, your doctor may use a topical cream anesthetic or a freon spray to numb the injected area. You may also choose to have an injected local anesthetic or sedative drugs. Both the donor and recipient fat areas are numbed with local anesthesia. Sedation can be used as well. If you elect to use sedation, be sure to arrange for a ride home after your treatment.

The injectable filler procedure

The injectable filling procedure takes from 15 minutes to one hour. Collagen Injectable filler treatment with collagen can begin after a skin test determines that you’re not allergic to the substance. The collagen is injected using a fine needle inserted at several points along the edge of the treatment site. If a local anesthesia has not been used, you may feel some minor stinging or burning as the injections are administered. Since part of the substance is salt water that will be absorbed by the body within a few days, your doctor will slightly overfill the area.

You may be asked to hold a hand mirror during the procedure to help your doctor decide when you’ve had enough.

Fat After both the donor and recipient sites are cleansed and treated with a local anesthesia, the fat is withdrawn using a syringe with a large-bore needle or a cannula (the same instrument used in liposuction) attached to a suction device. The fat is then prepared and injected into the recipient site with a needle. Sometimes an adhesive bandage is applied over the injection site. As with collagen, “overfilling” is necessary to allow for fat absorption in the weeks following treatment. When fat is used to fill sunken cheeks or to correct areas on the face other than lines, this overcorrection of newly injected fat may temporarily make the face appear abnormally puffy or swollen.

Are you a good candidate for injectable fillers?

An Injectable fillers procedure can enhance your appearance and your self-confidence, however it will not change your looks. Before you decide to have this procedure, keep in mind that the results are not long-lasting. The best candidates for injectable fillers are men and women who are physically healthy, psychologically stable, and realistic in their expectations as to how injectable fillers can enhance their appearance. to see the effect of other people’s injectable fillers surgery, click here for injectable fillers before and after photos.

Before your injectable filler surgery

In your initial consultation, your plastic surgeon will evaluate your face – the skin, the muscles and the underlying bone – and discuss your wishes for the surgery. Your doctor will help you select a treatment option based on your goals and concerns, your anatomy and your lifestyle. Your surgeon will ask you about your medical history, drug allergies, and check for conditions that could cause problems, such as active skin infections or non-healed sores from old injuries. Collagen injections are generally off limits for pregnant women, individuals who are allergic to beef or bovine products, patients who suffer from autoimmune diseases, and those who are allergic to lidocaine (the anesthetic agent contained in the syringe with the collagen material.)

After your injectable filler surgery

Collagen Immediately following the injectable filler treatment, you may notice some minor discomfort, stinging or throbbing in the injected area. Occasionally some bruising or swelling will occur, but it is usually minor. Any redness that appears in the injected site usually disappears within 24 hours. However, in some individuals, particularly fair-skinned patients, this redness may persist for a week or more. Tiny scabs may also form over the needle-stick areas; these generally heal quickly. No bandaging is needed and you are free to eat, drink, and wear makeup with sunblock protection shortly after the injectable filler surgery. There may be some temporary swelling and redness in the treated area which should disappear within a few days. If these symptoms persist, contact your surgeon. Fat If a larger area was treated, you may be advised to curtail your activity for a brief time. However, many patients are able to resume normal activity immediately. You can expect some swelling, bruising or redness in both the donor and recipient sites. The severity of these symptoms depends upon the size and location of the treated area. You should stay out of the sun until the redness and bruising subsides – usually about 48 hours. In the meantime, you may use makeup with sunblock protection to help conceal your condition. The swelling and puffiness in the recipient site may last several weeks, especially if a large area was filled.

How long will the results of injectable fillers last?

Collagen Results

Results from collagen injections varies. The injected material is eventually metabolized by the body. You should not expect the same long-lasting results that may be gained from cosmetic surgery. In some individuals, the results may last only a few weeks; in others, the results may be maintained indefinitely. Researchers believe that age, genetic background, skin quality and lifestyle as well as the injected body site may all play a role in the injected material’s “staying power.” However, the precise reason for the variation of results among patients has yet to be identified. If you’ve had short-lived results from fat injections, you shouldn’t necessarily assume that collagen injections will work better for you. And, conversely, if you’ve had disappointing results from collagen, don’t assume that injected fat is the answer. Although it’s true that some individuals’ bodies are more receptive to one substance than the other, others may find that neither substance produces long-lasting results. Sometimes one substance may work better than the other for a specific problem.

Fat Results

The duration of fat injections varies significantly from patient to patient. Though some patients have reported results lasting a year or more, the majority of patients find that at least half of the injected fullness disappears within 3-6 months. Therefore, repeated injections may be necessary. Your doctor will advise you on how to maintain your results with repeat treatments.