Susan Marie K
Hi Susan,
The choice of filler really depends on what the objectives are as well as your doctor’s recommendations. Here is a brief guideline.
Although there are indeed many types of fillers available, there are three basic categories:
(1) hyaluronic acid fillers
Hyaluronic acid is a sugar that your skin already has. The injection products use HA from bacteria however. Examples include: Juvederm, Restylane and Perlane. All of these can be used for depressions and the lips. Belotero is a newer hyaluronic acid filler which is specific for lifting fine surface lines. Unlike the other three, it is less prone to a light (Tyndall) effect which discolors the skin
(2) Radiesse which is made of calcium hydroxyapatite
Radiesse is excellent for restoring volume, particularly large area applications. It can also enhance contours of the face since it is made of calcium particles which offer firmness and the ability to hold structure.
(3) Sculptra is made of the same substance and water soluble sutures which can dissolve. It too can be used for large volume applications. An example would be the sunken cheeks of HIV patients.
Without images, it would be difficult for me to make a specific recommendation. Typically women in your age bracket are able to achieve positive outcomes by filling nasolabial folds. Radiesse is a good choice for this. It can also help improve the appearance of jowls. In some cases, enhancing the cheekbones can give the face a nice lift. Since Radiesse can maintain structure, it can be used to perform a non-surgical cheek lift.
