Injectable Fillers in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas

Our Dallas and Fort Worth cosmetic surgery patients have several options if they want to fine tune whatever plastic surgery they have already had or if they're not quite ready for plastic surgery but want to do something to make themselves look and feel better. There is a variety of injectible fillers to choose from.

My Approach

An office consultation reviewing the desired changes and the appropriate products is the first step. Lisa, my nurse in Dallas for the past twenty years, assists me in the evaluation and treatment of patients requesting injectables. She is compassionate and gentle in the injection techniques, and is fluent in all the latest products, their indications and limitations. Topical anesthetics and blocks can be used to make the procedures as comfortable as possible. It takes a clinically trained artistic eye to decide what filler or combination of fillers would best help a patient realize their goals.

The wide array of wrinkle treatments and facial rejuvenation options in Dallas and Fort Worth today can seem overwhelming. Schedule a consultation today and Dr. Byrd and Lisa will help you sort through your choices and select the product best suited to your needs.

Expectations/Results

Are You A Candidate?

If sun damage, injury or natural aging have created frown lines, crow's feet, marionette lines, or vertical lip lines on your face, you may derive great benefit from one of the injectable product therapies available. The fillers supplement your body's natural collagen while BOTOX® Cosmetic keeps your own deep muscle tone from creating permanent facial creases.

How the Procedure is Performed

A topical anesthetic is applied about 30 minutes prior to the injection of fillers used in the nasolabial folds, cheeks, eyelids, and chin area. If lips are to be injected, a dental block is utilized to minimize any discomfort. After the products are injected, pressure, massage and ice therapy are begun immediately to achieve the desired effect while minimizing swelling and any possible bruising. (Please advise the scheduler and arrive 45 minutes prior to your appointment to allow the anesthetic time to work properly.) BOTOX Cosmetic does not require any topical numbing, but can be administered upon request. We advise stopping all aspirin containing medications 10-14 days prior to receiving any of these injections to limit bruising.

Recovery

Fat Injections

Fat injections are my overall favorite filler. Lab results indicate a 40% -50% cell survival rate, which translates into permanent, stable and long-term outcomes. Fat does not migrate to other parts of the body, but has the advantage of staying exactly where it is injected.

Fat cells are harvested from the patient's abdomen or thighs using a small cannula and syringe, not a liposuction machine. Prior to removing the fat, a numbing solution mixed with fluids is injected to the harvest site to reduce pain and bleeding. We remove several times as much fat as will be injected in the selected site. After the cells have been purified, the fat is placed in syringes and made ready to inject.

The procedure requires IV sedation and a short office recovery time prior to returning home. The injection area may be swollen for approximately 3 weeks, but as healing occurs, the injected area becomes soft and smooth, taking on the body's normal feel and texture. Microfat injections are my favorite overall lip filler, and also can be used successfully for the nasolabial folds, hollows or depressions near the eyelid/cheek area, cheeks and even in body contour deformities. Since a 50% take of the fat is expected, a slight over-fill is planned although we are reluctant to double the desired fill volume for fear of getting an undesired lump or over correction.

Since approximately 50% of the fat injected is expected to remain permanently, we plan for a slight "over-fill" to compensate somewhat for that expected and normal loss. To avoid a permanent "over-fill" appearance or possible unsightly lumps, we do not 'double fill'. You can always add more fat, but you can't remove it.

Hyaluronic Acid - Restylane

By now, most people have probably heard about Restylane, one of the most popular dermal fillers available today. Like other fillers, it was developed to restore a firm foundation for facial skin, "plumping up" those problem areas that make men and women look older than they feel. Firmly supported, wrinkles such as the smile lines around the mouth lie flat as they did years ago.

But exciting recent developments indicate Restylane appears to do more than just plump up the skin. An independent research study at the University of Michigan Medical School suggests that Restylane actually boosts the body’s own natural collagen production and protection processes, thereby improving as well as supporting aging, sun-damaged skin. The scientists found that Restylane acts on cells called "fibroblasts," stretching them and stimulating them to produce more collagen the way they did when they were younger.

Restylane is an injectable gel made from a natural, non-animal derived hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a sugar molecule, occurring naturally in the body, which is used to restore volume and fullness to the skin in the area of facial wrinkles and folds, like the smile lines and little wrinkles around the mouth. The substance gradually degrades, usually taking 4-6 months depending on your body/skin composition, site selected, and the amount of hyaluronic acid utilized. The University of Michigan study supports the notion that as facial skin improves with time, the period between treatments may be gradually extended.

A usual appointment in our Dallas office allows 30 minutes for topical anesthetic to numb the area, and then an additional 30 minutes for the injection. We advise stopping all aspirin containing medications 10-14 days prior to receiving injections to limit bruising.

Microcrystalline Calcium Hydroxyapatite - Radiesse

Radiesse is a fine granule, mineral based product suspended in an absorbable gel medium that carries the injections through a fine needle. Because the body absorbs the carrier over a 3-4 month period, booster injections are sometimes required to obtain the final, desired outcome. The result is longer lasting than most other fillers and is effective for ~ 18 months when used in deep lines and creases. It is selected for use in our Dallas office for the nasolabial lines, sublabial area (the depression below the corners of the mouth) and for minor nasal defects. We advise stopping all aspirin containing medications 10-14 days prior to receiving injections to limit bruising.

Polylactic Acid - Sculptra

Sculptra is another injectable which was approved by the FDA for use in HIV patients with 'facial atrophy", the loss of fat between the skin and muscle of the face creating a gaunt look. Sculptra has been used safely outside the United States for years for cosmetic treatment of deep volume loss or atrophy in the face. Sculptra has now become a favorite long-term filler for Dallas and Fort Worth patients seeking correction of deep lines and hollows. Applications for use include gaunt cheeks, tear troughs, nasolabial folds, and sublabial hollows (the depression below the corners of the mouth) Correction of the sublabial depression helps minimize the appearance of jowls either pre or post facelift. Two to three injections are scheduled 6-8 weeks apart to establish the desired fill and contour. Following the last injection the result should be last for 18-24 months. We advise stopping all aspirin containing medications 10-14 days prior to receiving injections to limit bruising.

Collagen - Cosmoplast and Cosmoderm

Injectable collagen is human-derived and known by the trade names of Cosmoplast and Cosmoderm, made by Inamed. Collagen is the most abundant protein in the skin and it is responsible for the skin's structure. This soft, natural feeling product has been used for over two decades in the U.S.A. It is ideal for vertical lines around the mouth and for accentuating the lip edges or the columns between the mouth and nose. A follow-up treatment may be necessary at 2-4 weeks post initial treatment. Human derived collagen, unlike bovine derived collagen, does not require allergy testing. We advise stopping all aspirin containing medications 10-14 days prior to receiving injections to limit bruising.

If you're interested in injectable fillers in Dallas / Fort Worth but you're just not sure which option is best for you, give us a call at 214.821.9662. We'll be happy to give you a full evaluation and recommendation in our office on North Central Expressway – you'll be looking and feeling better before you know it.