Are Fillers Safe?

Dermal fillers are a safe way to enhance your aesthetic appearance if you choose a board-certified dermatologist.

Those who get filler injections from an unqualified physician risk experiencing undesirable side effects. Sometimes, unqualified providers use fillers that aren’t FDA-approved, increasing the risk of side effects and safety concerns.

Fillers are injected into treatment areas on the face to add volume or smooth away fine lines and wrinkles. They can be used to plump lips, lift cheeks, or build jawlines to enhance a patient’s profile. These aren’t permanent solutions, but have longevity spanning 6+ months. 

Dermal fillers are all soft, gel-like substances that get injected under the skin in specific areas. They are typically composed of hyaluronic acid, calcium hydroxylapatite, or poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA). The first two are naturally occurring bodily substances, while the last is a biodegradable, synthetic material. Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), a filler composed of beads suspended in a collagen solution, can also be used. Unqualified physicians may use fillers that are not FDA-approved and contain other substances, which can be dangerous for the patient.

It’s important to trust a board-certified dermatologist with this procedure so that it remains safe and achieves your desired results. These experts understand facial anatomy, the fillers themselves, and injection techniques, which greatly reduce the risk of side effects and create an overwhelmingly safe treatment. 

Why Do People Think Fillers are Dangerous?

People can have negative experiences when they trust unqualified physicians to inject them with fillers.

Pictures and videos of fillers that have migrated or led to an undesirable appearance are easy to find. These situations most often occur when physicians sell services that they’re not qualified to provide, and their patients experience undesirable results as an outcome. Sometimes, these providers don’t use FDA-approved fillers either. 

Getting fillers injected by someone who’s not highly qualified is dangerous. It can lead to increased side effects and disastrous results. However, when you choose a qualified expert for dermal fillers, the treatment is extremely simple, safe, and effective.

What Fillers Can and Can’t Do

Fillers have specific uses and can achieve a variety of aesthetic goals. They aren’t an overall cure for every aesthetic need but are very useful for applicable treatments. Where the filler is injected, how often it’s injected, and how much of it is injected are essential to achieving proper visual enhancement.

These versatile treatments can be used to add volume to facial features, as well as smooth away fine lines and wrinkles. They’re great for bringing balance to facial proportions and perfecting a patient’s profile. When used correctly, they’ve been shown to improve skin quality over time.

• Juvéderm® is a wrinkle relaxer that specializes in restoring natural facial contours lost due to aging. Its best applications are for the mid-face, cheeks, cheekbones, and chin.
• Restylane® uses hyaluronic acid to restore youthful volume to facial features.
• Revance RHA® dermal fillers are excellent at treating dynamic wrinkles, which are wrinkles caused by repetitive movements.
• Sculptra® works a little differently as an injection that stimulates natural collagen production to bring back youthful volume to the face.
• Radiesse® is a structure-enhancing injection that also stimulates natural collagen production, allowing for improved results over time.

Unlike surgical procedures, dermal fillers can’t produce permanent or drastic results. If you’re looking for a treatment that produces permanent results for significant aesthetic alteration, you should consider a surgical treatment instead.

When Do Complications Occur?

If the physician injecting fillers isn’t properly trained, complications are far more likely to occur. It’s important to remember that getting dermal filler injections is a medical procedure and is not the same as getting a facial. When you ensure you’re in capable hands, you minimize the risk of complications. 

Fillers can migrate due to too much filler being injected into the treatment area. They can also migrate as a result of improper injection by an unqualified physician. Migration is not a common side effect when an experienced and well-trained dermatologist conducts the procedure.

Other possible complications include:

• Temporary bruising and swelling
• Allergic reactions
• Inflamed nodules
• Skin necrosis
• Blindness

These are highly unlikely to occur with a board-certified dermatologist, with the exception of possible minor bruising and swelling immediately following treatment. Dermal fillers have a time-tested and proven track record of being safe when administered by an experienced, qualified professional.

Patients with bleeding disorders or certain allergies are not good candidates for this type of treatment. Make sure you communicate these conditions to your board-certified dermatologist before getting dermal fillers, as complications could be more likely to occur.

The most serious risk with dermal fillers occurs when a filler is accidentally injected into a blood vessel, which can cause skin necrosis (death of the tissue), stroke, or blindness. The chances of this occurring with a board-certified dermatologist are minuscule.

Patients who take chances with unqualified physicians risk experiencing these severe complications. 

How Can You Avoid Complications?

Avoiding complications begins with choosing the right physician. You always want to trust this procedure to the hands of an experienced board-certified dermatologist. They understand anatomy, the substances being used, and the best applications for fillers. These experts help you achieve a much better aesthetic result and greatly lower your risk of side effects.

Once you’ve found the right professional, make sure you communicate with them effectively. Describe your aesthetic goals and medical history with them in depth. Doing so will help ensure you’ll receive the visual enhancement you want while avoiding any type of aesthetic complication.

Trust Your Dermal Filler Procedure to Coast Dermatology

We’ve established that you want the best possible board-certified dermatologist to handle your procedure for dermal fillers & wrinkle relaxers to minimize the risk of complications. Dr. Glenn Goldberg of Coast Dermatology is a board-certified cosmetic, medical, and surgical dermatologist located in Laguna Beach, CA.

With experience and artistry, Dr. Goldberg knows how to safely and effectively treat the aesthetic issues of patients seeking dermal fillers. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and learn more.