The New Era of Facial Rejuvenation

Dr. Zeena Al-Dujaili

Dermal filler injections have literally changed the face of aging and have given us the ability to reverse the visible effects of time instantly. In recent years we have developed a better understanding of the aging process. In addition to changes in the skin, significant changes occur in the subcutaneous fat and craniofacial skeleton. This has led to a paradigm shift in our therapeutic approach to facial rejuvenation. Remarkably sophisticated and refined results can now be achieved by using these non-invasive techniques.

As a dermatologist with a keen interest in the aesthetics of the aging face I gravitated to the idea of rejuvenating the face by replacing the lost volume. It's logical that by restoring the lost volume you can create a more youthful appearance. Loss of volume in the cheeks leads to sagging skin and an aged, hollow appearance. Superficial and deep volume loss can also lead to the manifestation of wrinkles, folds, and lines on the surface of the aging face. Fillers aimed at restoring the lost volume both superficially and deep slow the impeding facial aging process.

Ten years ago, dermal fillers would be injected to bring a line or wrinkle up to the level of the surrounding skin. However, this ignored other aspects of the complex aging process such as under-eye hollows and sunken cheeks, a softer jawline, narrower lips and a flatter bridge on the nose — all caused by shrinking bones, shrinking fat pads and thinning collagen. As we age, our skin laxity increases because we've lost the volume over which to drape it.  Adding a filler to replace the loss volume creates a more rounded and full appearance, which equates with youthfulness.

The new generation of volumizing fillers allow us to recontour the face more efficiently than ever before. Volumizing fillers have been called "liquid facelifts" because they offer a lunchtime solution without the downtime of surgery. For example, judicious use of a thin filler underneath a flattened brow bone will result in a brow lift. And injecting a thicker filler along a sunken cheekbone will not only round out the cheeks but lift up the nose-to-mouth lines too. Volumizing the aging face achieves a more natural youthful appearance.

Multiple injectable soft tissue fillers and biostimulators are currently available to provide facial volume such as hyaluronic acid, calcium hydroxylapatite, and poly-L-lactic acid. The FDA recently approved Voluma, a hyaluronic acid, to temporarily correct age-related volume loss in the cheek area. It is the first and only filler approved to enhance cheek volume. All of these fillers work to reverse the signs of aging, however there are subtle differences between each of them. Set up a consultation with one of our knowledgeable dermatologists to find out which one is right for you.

Sadick Dermatology
911 Park Ave, New York, NY
(212) 772-7242
sadickdermatology.com