Tired of Refilling? Short Term Fillers or Long?

There are many reasons for the success of Tesla but one of the big ones is that folks are just plain tired of refilling their cars with gas all the time.  In addition, there is the concern about burning fossil fuel, the car is very well made and it looks pretty good as well.

I think facial fillers are very similar.  Most if the fillers that are used today are made of hyaluronic acid.  You have heard of them;  Juvederm®, Restylane®, Belotero® are some.  These are all great products that are made and supported by great companies.  The results can be nothing short of spectacular and no surgery is required to get abolish those wrinkles.  The problem is that the short term wrinkle erasers last up to about 12 months and then like a car, the tank runs to empty as the filler is absorbed.   You then need to refill again.  Some patients have no problem with this and gladly sign up for more injections along with the accompanying side effects of these treatments; painful injections, swelling that can last a week or so and bruising that can last two to three weeks; and they get this done every 6 to 9 months!

There are alternatives to augmenting those deflated lips and cheeks as well as getting rid of the downturned mouth look (marionette lines), the deep laugh lines (nasolabial folds) and the sunken temples; all of which serve to give us that “mature” look.  The first alternative is a group of fillers that I call the medium term fillers.  These include Radiesse®, Sculptra, the Vampire Lift or PRP Lift and the new hyaluronic acid that just came out, Juvederm® Voluma.   These all last up to 24 months.  Again, great products and again you will be back to get refilled within a couple of years.

The other way to go is the long term filler Artefill®.  The clinical studies show that Artefill® will last at least 5 years.  How is that possible?  The technology of Artefill is different than other filllers.  Artefill® has microbeads of a substance called polymethylmerthaculate or PMMA that actually induce you to make your own tissue.  This results in a long lasting, natural feeling and natural looking result that all my patients just love.  This is super news for patients who are tired of getting regular injection treatments only to have to repeat the process in a matter of months.

Artefill® is even better news for your pocket book.  It costs a little more per syringe ($1000) but you are not back regularly to get refilled.

So now you see why I think the long term wrinkle filler, Artefill® is just similar to the Tesla.  The gas take does not require filling!  The product may cost a little more up front but it is cheaper in the end with a quality result that looks great!

I hope you enjoyed this piece and hopefully you learned a little at the same time.