Dermal​‍​‌‍​‍‌ Fillers: What Are Cosmetics Fillers Made Of?

Most are made from hyaluronic acid.

Body's Blueprint for Biological Aesthetic Ingredients

Facial plastic surgery combined with aesthetic dermatology is nowadays based on skin-safe ingredients that the body can easily process. Dermal fillers have significantly changed since they first came in the form of unpredictable bovine collagen and permanent silicone injections. Patients who want to restore facial volume, sculpt jawlines, or remove nasolabial folds are no longer getting foreign, inert substances injected into them. Rather, they are injected with highly sophisticated man-made materials which either imitate or trigger the body to create its own natural elements.

It is a clear clinical fact that cosmetic fillers are divided by their primary active ingredients and their working mechanism in the dermal matrix. Almost all modern fillers are made up of complex sugar molecules, naturally occurring minerals, or biocompatible polymers. These formulations are created not only to give an immediate lift and add volume, but also to harmonize the product with the skin to an extent that the results feel totally natural both to the touch and safely broken down by the body over time.

The Mainstay of Aesthetic Cosmetics: Hyaluronic Acid (HA)

Without doubt, the major ingredient in cosmetic fillers is hyaluronic acid (HA). The leading companies on the market, like Juvéderm, Restylane, and Belotero, have it as their mainstay ingredient. In fact, it is not something harsh, but a naturally occurring glycosaminoglycan, in other words, a complex sugar molecule, that is present abundantly in human skin, joints, and connective tissues. Its main function in the biology of the body is to attract and bind water molecules, which makes it act internally as a moisturizer as well as a shock absorber for the skin layers.

When hyaluronic acid is used as a cosmetic filler, it is synthesized in the lab where it is "cross-linked" into a smooth and pliable product. The level of cross-linking determines the hardness of the final filler: fully cross-linked, dense forms of HA gels are the ones used to create solid structures like cheekbones and jawlines, whereas partially cross-linked, softer products are used to plump up delicate regions like lips. Undoubtedly, the main strength of HA fillers over and above the rest is that it is totally reversible. If there are beauty mishaps, then the surgeon is capable of instantly dissolving the filler with a specialized enzyme called hyaluronidase.

The Long-term Solution: Biostimulatory Fillers

For patients who need support not only of the outer skin but also of the deep layers, aesthetic specialists are offering the use of biostimulatory fillers mainly containing Calcium Hydroxylapatite (CaHA) or Poly-L-lactic Acid (PLLA). Calcium Hydroxylapatite is the main component of Radiesse, and it's a suspension of calcium particles in a smooth, water-based solution. In fact, as calcium is a predominant mineral in bones and teeth, the filler, which is a very heavy one, is highly compatible with human tissues and especially good in mimicking skeletal features from the jawline right up to the chin.

Biological functioning of Poly-L-lactic Acid, or Sculptra for the public at large, is totally different from the rest. PLLA is a man-made, totally safe for the body, and biodegradable material that has been the same type of material used in dissolvable surgical stitches for many decades already. While other filler ingredients such as HA offer instant, pinpointed volume increase, PLLA is used across the whole face by injecting small amounts of the product to provoke a biological reaction. It creates a situation where your body starts to manufacture a large amount of its own native collagen over the course of several months, thereby gradually restoring a deep, thick, and highly resistant dermal support from the outside.

Protecting Facial Structure and Post-procedure Instructions

Strictly following protective and behavioral post-treatment rules for a short term is essential for people who want absolute perfection from aesthetic investments and the best results from the procedures. When it comes to how fillers work, whether HA or structural supportive polymers, it is the location of their injection that determines the contour of a face, so it is quite easy to see why a freshly injected filler needs to be well protected from any mechanical shift.

To have facial contours fixed with the maximum level of structural precision, one has to strictly follow some precepts such as avoiding vigorous facial massages, avoiding resting on tables face-down, or avoiding wearing tight eyewear that might compress the product in a physical way and change the shape of the injected filler. Moreover, it would not be wise to engage in very physical sports like running or boxing, or even spending time in a hot environment, as it can cause heavy swelling and internal bruising. It is absolutely necessary to stop consuming nicotine or tobacco in any manner, as nicotine narrows the vessels so the skin cannot get the blood enriched with oxygen needed both to deal with biostimulatory fillers and to heal piercing wounds cleanly.

LIN Europe Clinic

LIN Europe Clinic is a leading medical spa where your face is sculpted with unparalleled accuracy through skin resurfacing and facial rejuvenation treatments; you will be in a medical setting of the highest standards, where each and every detail of the aesthetic procedures will be handled by expert, caring, and dedicated professionals without any compromise. The skill of handling hyaluronic acid profiles with very precise injections, the use of biostimulatory materials, and structural analyses has only been possible as a result of a highly demanding, totally transparent, and extremely supportive environment that we have created in our facility, which is one of the key pillars of patient safety at the most advanced medical level.

It has never been easier to put so much trust in the excellent hands of a team of doctors at  LIN Europe Clinic in Istanbul, because you are being taken through the whole process with maximum precision in terms of identifying the areas that need fillers. We will make sure you get detailed preoperative imaging, a review of your tissues by high-definition imaging, and a checklist tailored to your healing process that will help you through every step of the natural maturation of your tissues and the way you lead your life. You are safe and sound while the beauty and health of your body are handled by our super-skilled doctors, who will be watching closely for any signs of complications so you can get used to your newly acquired look without a single moment of worry.