By Dr. Maria Laombardo
The aging process is inevitable… We all lose fat, bone and muscle as we age… This process of facial volume loss begins around the age of 25 but it typically takes about 10 years before people start to notice the changes. Have you ever been in front of a mirror and used your finger to “lift” your cheek up just a little bit and noticed the improvement in the wrinkles or jowls… Yep! There’s a filler for that!
Facial fillers have been around for over 20 years and not only have the number of products increased but our understanding of how to use them has improved. It all started with filling in a line: see a wrinkle… plump it with a filler! That technique is still used today but the more natural look is to replace the volume loss that is causing the wrinkle to be there! For example, the reason everyone gets a fold that runs from the corner of the nose to the sides of the mouth (naso-labial folds or “parenthesis”) is not that there was fullness there that went away… it’s because the fullness in the cheeks and cheekbones is shrinking, not supporting the skin as much and the skin “folds” into a crease.
Many fillers can be placed directly into that crease which can soften the depth and appearance. Other fillers are available to restore fullness into the cheek and cheekbone to give back the structure that was once there! Most filler products last for 1-2 years and patients come back to replace the same filler over and over… Wouldn’t it be great if there was a product that lasted longer and could be used all over the face? There is! It’s Bellafill®!
Bellafill® has been on the market for over 10 years and is made from a very different material than most of the other filler options. It is made from polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) microspheres that are suspended within a base of smooth collagen gel. Patients benefit from seeing immediate results and, over time, the PMMA stimulates more collagen production which creates a long lasting outcome!
Most patients who use Bellafill® do continue to add more filler… not to replace what has already been injected but to add to the other areas that are beginning to show age. Treating the whole face is the most natural looking way to look younger and like you used to! Imagine how happy you would be with a filler that keeps looking better for up to 18 months vs. a filler that you have to replace over and over every year.
If you are interested in discussing how Bellafill® might be right for you… Call for your complimentary consultation with Dr. Maria Lombardo 760-610-8990. All fillers are on special for the month of April!
