What are dermal fillers?

As the skin ages, it loses collagen and fat, causing sagging and wrinkles. Dermal fillers can be used to plump up areas of the skin, helping them look firmer and restoring the skin's former youthful appearance.

Having dermal fillers is an increasingly popular cosmetic procedure, with more people than ever choosing to use a growing range of different filler substances. For instance, products including Restylane, Perlane, Juvederm and Hydrafill are some of the main types of fillers, having largely replaced collagen for facial line smoothening and lip augmentation.

These fillers are non-animal based clear gels that are almost identical to a naturally occurring substance in the body called hyaluronic acid. They work with the body's own hyaluronic acid to smooth, fill and plump out lines and instantly enhance lips.

Present in all living organisms, hyaluronic acid has already been used widely in general medicine to help eye surgeons perform cataract operations, and for injection into arthritic joints to aid mobility. In your skin it creates volume, resulting in a healthy and vital appearance.
However, the final result you can achieve depends on the type of filler you use and the problem you want treated.