Semi-Permanent Fillers

Age, weight changes, smoking, and sun exposure can all contribute to developing lines and wrinkles. There are several classes of FDA-approved fillers which can be used in many areas. A consultation with Dr. Erin Kennedy will help you determine which product is right for you.

Areas treated with semi-permanent fillers include:

• Lip volume
• Vertical lipstick lines
• Downturned corners of the mouth
• Flat cheekbones
• Lines between the nose and mouth
• Under-eye bags
• Frown lines
• Contour deformities & scars
• Facial asymmetry (unevenness)

What to Expect

Semi-permanent fillers are a safe, in-office injection with little downtime. Bruising and swelling is variable and is minimized by avoiding Aspirin containing products for 5-7 days before your injections, using ice for 24-48 hours after injection, and avoiding cardio exercise for 2-3 days. Results are immediately apparent (and can appear exaggerated for the first 2-3 weeks if swelling occurs). The biggest concern with semi-permanent fillers is bruising and swelling, although there is the possibility of blood vessel injection which can cause skin loss, vision changes, and the need for further treatment. The best way to minimize these risks is to make sure you are being treated by a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon rather than a variable trained aesthetician or nurse injector. You deserve the added safety a physician provides!

Types of Fillers

Hyaluronic Acid Fillers provide a natural soft fill which is very uncommonly felt under the skin

Juvederm Ultra® is an FDA-approved semi-permanent filler used to restore volume lost by aging, weight loss, or volume that you may have never had but have always desired. Juvederm Ultra® is used primarily to restore volume around the mouth, lips, and between the mouth and jawline.

Voluma® is the stiffest of the Juvederm fillers. Voluma® is used to restore (or add) volume to the cheekbones or cheek areas. Voluma lasts 15-18 months.

Vollure® is very effective in ‘putty’ the lines of the face, around the mouth, lips, or chin without adding volume. It can last up to 18 months in some patients.

Volbella® is the ‘thinnest’ of the fillers and can erase small lines without adding volume. It is commonly used to erase the ‘smokers’ lines around the mouth. We like to refer to Volbella as the ‘icing on the cake’.

Calcium Hydroxyapatite / Radiesse® contains small microspheres used to form support deep within the tissues for a more youthful appearance and natural results. Radiesse® offers deep fill correction to the cheek bones, under eye tear trough (eye bags - closer to the nose), and sometimes in the lower corners of the mouth and chin. Radiesse lasts 18-20 months.