Anti-Wrinkle Treatments
Wrinkle fillers are one of the most popular anti-ageing procedures the world over.

Anti-Wrinkle TreatmentsFillers add volume, either where no soft tissue existed or where it has diminished with age. They can lift the depression of a crease, plump up thin lips or add contour to flat cheeks.

No wonder, fillers are a buzzword today! But you do need to know the basics before you try them.

First, you need to know why you require fillers, or any other anti-ageing procedure. With age, the skin starts to droop because collagen—the protein that provides the skin its elasticity— starts to deplete. As a result, ageing skin droops and develops wrinkles, lines and furrows. The severity of these changes in an individual depends on her genetics, skin type and exposure to environmental factors that can hasten the signs of ageing.

There is often a degree of asymmetry to the lines on our Anti-Wrinkle Treatmentsfaces, as people tend to smile or frown more on one side than the other (strange, but true!); or consistently sleep on the right, or the left cheek.

One of the earliest signs of ageing is the loss of facial fullness and the appearance of wrinkles. Softening of these facial lines and the restoration of volume and fullness in the face can be achieved non-surgically with injectable fillers.

If you would like to restore your facial contours, or reduce the appearance of lines and creases, injection therapy with soft tissue fillers may be the right option for you. Injectable fillers can:

• Plump thin lips.

• Enhance shallow contours.

• Soften facial creases and wrinkles.

• Improve the appearance of recessed scars.

Note: It is important to get a complete consultation and evaluation by a dermatologist prior to the treatment.



Fillers are either natural or synthetic.

1. Natural, permanent fillers

Human fat Harvested from your own body, it can be reinjected to enhance facial fullness, fill deep creases and build up shallow contours. Fat injections require a more extensive procedure than other injectable fillers because they use liposuction techniques to extract the fat prior to the injection.

USP There is no chance of an allergy or rejection. They work well for the hollow under the eyes, deep lines and sunken cheeks.

2. Synthetic fillers

Collagen: This is the granddad of all fillers as it gives the skin its resilience. Injectable collagen formulae derived from human dermis include Cosmoderm; Zyderm is a form of bovine collagen (as the name suggests, made from animal tissue). Since it can cause an allergic reaction, it needs to be tested a month before you start the treatment. The results generally last 3 to 4 months.

Hyaluronic acid is a natural substance found in our bodies. It is the best option when it comes to plumping thin lips and filling facial creases such as nasolabial folds. The result may last for 6 months or longer. Some of the commonly used brands are Restylane, Aquamid, Derma live and Derma deep. The procedure

The filler is injected using a fine needle inserted at several points along the edge of the site. You may feel a slight stinging or burning as the site is injected. You can resume normal activities following the treatment in spite of some temporary puffi -ness over the injected area that goes away with time. The effectiveness of fillers Anti-Wrinkle Treatmentsvary from person to person so does the period for which it lasts—3 to 6 months or even up to a year.

Risks involved

Risks vary, depending on the specific filler used and the relative permanence of the filler substance. For instance, fillers derived from non-human sources—such as animal tissue—require a pre-treatment allergy test. In some cases, the following side effects have been observed:

• Fillers that are not completely fluid and contain microscopic, granular substances carry a risk of 'clumping' due to facial movements and the natural ageing process. Over time, these can result in lumps or nodules that may require surgery to treat.

• Acne-like skin eruptions.

• Asymmetry of facial contours.

• Bleeding, bruising and swelling.

• Skin rash, itching and swelling.

• Redness of skin, under and over the area of wrinkle correction.