"Plumping" is a cosmetic procedure whereby a dermal filler is injected under the skin to make things larger or smoother. If you have thought about this procedure, you may be wondering what substances are used as fillers. Considering the fact that fillers in other contexts are often artificial and can cause health problems, it helps to know that dermal fillers are very different. Here are some of the more common dermal fillers and what you can expect from their use, should you choose them.
Saline
Saline became a very popular filler when it replaced silicone in breast implants. With breast implants, the saline is encased, and therefore cannot go anywhere unless the implant is punctured. Even then, the saline is just absorbed by the body. Likewise, if you use saline injections to plump lines in your face, the results are very temporary. Your wrinkles are flattened, creating a younger, more youthful appearance, but only for a few hours to a couple of days, depending on how quickly you metabolize the saline.
Botulinum Toxin
This toxin is the same one that causes botulism. However, it is used in the smallest of amounts to garner the greatest cosmetic effects without killing you. It is often categorized as a "filler," since it is injected in the same areas as other fillers. Yet, it does not exactly fill the wrinkles so much as it causes the underlying muscles to seize up and pull the wrinkled skin taught. Additionally, it is now being prescribed to control migraines in controlled amounts, which means that if you have migraines and wrinkles, both can be addressed with Botox.
Synthetic Fillers
Recently, there have been a lot of synthetic dermal fillers entering the market. They are manufactured, but they are toxin-free. The results with synthetic fillers last much longer than either of the other previously mentioned cosmetic injectables. The body cannot break down the synthetic fillers quite so easily, so they remain in place for some time. In fact, you can tell when someone has "had work done" using synthetic fillers because you can press on the skin where the fillers were injected and you can feel the filler material.
Your Own Body Fat
This is something that a lot of cosmetic patients choose. The filler material is all over their bodies, and it can be removed during a little light liposuction. Then your fat is stored in cold storage to prevent rot. When you want to plump your lips or iron out your wrinkles, the saved fat is removed from cold storage, thawed, pureed into a liquid, and then drawn up into a needle. After that, the cosmetic surgeon injects it where you want it. For people who have adequate amounts of body fat and want to move that fat somewhere else on their bodies, this is an ideal dermal filler.
Other Organic Fillers
Some other organic fillers are taken from cadavers. It is a queasy and scary thought, but you should know that the tissues taken from cadavers for dermal fillers have been processed in such a way that your body will not reject them. This is very important, since rejection of a filler can have disastrous results. (This is the leading reason why so many people choose their own body fat as a filler. Their bodies will not reject its own tissues and cells.) Other organic fillers work with the body's natural cell production and cell destruction, which may be a better option for you if you are interested. If you have any worries or concerns about your other dermal filler options, talk with your plastic surgeon.
