Dermal Fillers: The Basics

In a previous entry I reviewed the two types of facial wrinkles, static and dynamic. Dynamic wrinkles occur when facial muscles contract and static wrinkles are present when the face is at rest.

Botox works well for dynamic wrinkles because it relaxes the muscles that cause them. Botox has no effect on static wrinkles because static wrinkles are not related to muscle contraction.

As we age, certain substances (collagen and elastin) within the deep layer of our skin (dermis) begin to deteriorate. Furrows form within the dermis as collagen and elastin disappear. Static wrinkles form when the overlying skin falls into these furrows.

Dermal fillers like Juvederm, Restylane and Belotero are made of a compound (hyaluronic acid... not really an “acid”) that naturally occurs in the dermis. Dermal fillers smooth out wrinkles by filling the furrows between the overlying skin and underlying dermis.

Deep static wrinkles are commonly found on the lower half of the face. Wrinkles that are particularly amenable to treatment with dermal fillers include wrinkles around and below the nose (nasolabial folds), jaw wrinkles (marionette lines) and the lines around the mouth (cigarette lines.)