Table of contents:
- Types of filler injectable fluids, plus their uses and considerations of the risks
- 1. Hyaluronic Acid
- 2. Collagen
- 3. Using body fat (Autologous)
- 4. Silicone
Injections of fillers have recently become a trend to enhance your physical appearance, whether it's to thicken lips in the style of Kylie Jenner, accentuate cheekbones, and even erase fine lines and wrinkles on the face to make it look younger. Apart from being fast and the results can be seen immediately, this method is favored because of its minimal side effects. So before you go to a dermatologist to get fillers, make sure you know the types of filler fluids used and their uses so that the final result is what you dreamed of.
Types of filler injectable fluids, plus their uses and considerations of the risks
The type of liquid that is injected has a different way of working to produce the promised filler results. What are the most popular ones?
1. Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid is one of the most popular injectable filler fluids because it rarely causes severe side effects.
Hyaluronic acid is an artificial version of a natural compound with the same name that is present in the body of every human being - found in the clear lining of the eyes, joint connective tissue, and skin. Hyalurinic acid stimulates natural collagen production to help maintain skin moisture, prevent oil clogging in pores that cause acne, to reduce fine lines and wrinkles on the face.
Examples of hyaluronic acid commonly used in filler injection fluids are HylaForm, Juvederm Voluma XC, XC Juvederm, Juvederm Ultra XC, Juvederm Volbella XC, and Restylane. How long-lasting the results of hyaluronic acid injections generally vary, depending on the number of times you inject them.
Even though it has minimal serious side effects, filler fluids using HA can always leak and clot under the skin like a lump.
2. Collagen
Collagen filler injections use collagen liquid extracted from bovine collagen. The results of collagen injections appear more natural, but unfortunately they don't last long. Most of the results of collagen injections start to wear off a month after being injected into the face. In addition, collagen also often triggers allergic reactions because it is made from animals.
Collagen for filler injections that are widely used in the beauty world consists of several types such as Cosmoderm, Evolution, Fibrel, Zyderm, and Zyplast.
3. Using body fat (Autologous)
If collagen injections are obtained from bovine collagen extract, autologous filler injections use fat reserves from your own body - usually taken from your thighs, buttocks or even stomach, which are then injected back into the face. The results are semi-permanent, so you may need to go back and forth to injections to keep your face looking youthful.
The risk of side effects from autologous injections is the same as for filler injections in general, namely redness swelling at the injection site that will shrink over time. This is nothing to worry about. However, because this procedure requires the transfer of fat from one limb to another, many health professionals and doctors prohibit the use of injectable fat fillers because they pose a latent danger.
4. Silicone
The price of liquid silicone injections is indeed more affordable than HA filler injections. The result is also more durable. Fillers like HA Restylane and collagen can only last up to six months, while silicone fillers can last a lifetime. Examples of silicone injections are Bellafill, Radiesse, Sculptra, Silicon.
Liquid silicone has a consistency similar to motor oil. When injected into the skin, the immune system reacts to these substances by wrapping them in the body's natural collagen. This new collagen is what will permanently thicken the skin.
However, liquid silicone injection is still one of the most controversial aesthetic methods in the field of cosmetic surgery. This is not without reason. Because the results are permanent, the side effects of silicone injection, although rare, can also be permanent. One of the most dreaded complications is the formation of silicone granulomas, aka siliconoma, which occurs as a result of silicone leaks in the surrounding body tissues and results in an inflammatory reaction.
Other side effects include the appearance of lumps under the skin. In rare cases, the lump can only be removed surgically. When silicone is injected in the wrong way or in the wrong place, injecting these fillers can cause facial damage.
In fact, the FDA's Food and Drug Administration in the United States does not approve the use of liquid silicone or gel injections to remove wrinkles or enlarge any limb. The FDA has restricted silicone injections to breast implants, both for cosmetic reasons and for breast reconstruction procedures after breast cancer surgery.
