Question:
I have been reading about the different injectable fillers (Juvederm, Perlane, Radiesse, Restylane) and don’t really understand their differences. What differentiates them, and how are they used?
Answer:
The fillers you have mentioned, Juvederm, Perlane, Radiesse and Restylane, represent two classes of fillers. Juvederm, Perlane and Restylane are all hyaluronic acid fillers. Juvederm is made by Allergan and Perlane and Restylane by Medicis. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring molecule in the body. It is found in skin and joint fluid. As a filler, it is a clear gel which is easy to inject in all locations of the face and produces a smooth result. If for some reason the result is unsatisfactory, the filler may be reversed with an enzyme. Radiesse is made of calcium hydroxyl-apetite. It is also a naturally occurring molecule in the body however it is more associated with bone formation. When injected into the soft tissue however, it does not cause bone formation but merely soft tissue augmentation. Radiesse is a better filler for deep tissue filling like cheek augmentation. It is not good for the lips however it can be used for areas such as nasolabial folds and marionette lines. In some patients it has better longevity and hyaluronic acid, but not all.
Posted by Dr. Buckingham
