Which Fillers Are The Most Safe and Effective?

An FDA hearing last November in suburban Maryland, minutes away from one of my offices, focused on the safety of dermal fillers both before and after they enter the marketplace[1]. Specific topics of discussion included approved versus unapproved uses of fillers, the appropriate qualifications and training for those who inject fillers, special considerations when injecting patients of color and the need to gather long-term safety data. The independent advisory panel that made presentations to the FDA noted that hyaluronic acid fillers have a well-established record of safety.

If you're interested in filler injections to restore volume to your face, then hyaluronic acid fillers such as Restylane, Perlane aand Juvederm are a good - and safe - bet. Restylane has been approved and used safely worldwide for over twelve years and for over four years in the U.S. Perlane and Juvederm also have excellent safety records. They are biosynthetic sugar-based gels that naturally restore support and structure to your skin. When injected with expert technique, they fill under-eye hollows and bags, lines around your mouth and lift your jawline. Non-surgical facelifting with Perlane and Restylane is one of the hottest new non-invasive cosmetic procedures. I've found that these fillers can be injected with a variety of techniques, to give the best results for a wide range of aging patterns in pigmented as well as non-pigmented skin.

It is likely that the FDA hearing will be followed by recommendations regarding the labelling and testing of new fillers that are currently under development. You can assure yourself of the best results by selecting an expert cosmetic surgeon who is board certified in one of the "core four" specialties of dermatology, plastic surgery, facial plastic surgery and oculoplastic surgery. Make sure you have enough rapport with your surgeon to be able to discuss the pros and cons of various fillers with her, so that you can select together the filler that is most suitable for you, given your aims and objectives.