Facial Fillers and Injectables - Which is right for you? Cosmetic fillers are not all alike. Injectables and fillers include a variety of materials, that last different lengths of time and have different effects and uses. Here we explain each type, in addition to what makes a good candidate for treatment and recovery advice.

With so many products on the market, finding the most suitable injectable filler for your condition can be confusing. On the one hand we have an injection called ArteFill. One of the main attractions of ArteFill is its permanence. ArteFill consists of a product as synthetic microspheres which are made in a bovine collagen suspension. It is an FDA-approved product which is an injectable filler for fine lines but also used for lip augmentation, acne scars fading, and more. ArteFill is an enhanced version of Artecoll, which has been used in Europe and Canada in over half a million patients over the past 10 years. ArteFill was approved by the FDA in October 2006, so already several years in the market and used for the fading of the nasolabial folds, ie the lines. It is the only dermal filler "permanent" approved in the U.S. What causes wrinkles? Some are caused by muscle contraction. Botox interrupts the process and essentially paralyzes the muscle, the contraction stops, and the wrinkles disappear for about three months. Botox is the number one cosmetic procedure in the United States with 3.8 million treatments performed in 2005. Botox was introduced in the early 80's it was used by ophthalmologists for treating optic muscle disorders. It was approved by the FDA for cosmetic use in 2002, helping millions of patients get rid of the annoying facial lines and wrinkles. Today, the variety of uses for Botox include treatment of eye muscle spasms, problems with coordination of eyes, severe underarm sweating, and as anti-wrinkle treatment for crow's feet, expression lines and to eliminate wrinkles on the forehead. It is being studied to treat a long list of other conditions, osteoarthritis of the knee and hip and joint disorder (TMJ) for migraine and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Botox combats wrinkles that are created when nerve cells in the muscles under the skin release a chemical called acetylcholine. This chemical causes a muscle contraction that creates wrinkles. The product Botox, medically known as Botulinum Toxin Type A, is an injectable compound that disrupts the release of acetylcholine, which essentially paralyzes the muscle and stops the contraction. Results are fully evident within one week after treatment and stay for a minimum of three months. Botox typically reduces wrinkles by 80 percent. Patients are usually between the ages of 35 and 60. Results vary between individual cases and the results are temporary. You will have to plan for additional injections, depending on their goals for long-term treatment. Juvederm is a gel implant of hyaluronic acid, which includes a natural complex sugar that enhances skin elasticity, providing a smooth and supple appearance. It is biocompatible, supplementing the body's natural hyaluronic acid, which age has depleted. The transparent gel Juvederm is injected with a syringe in the middle to deep dermis of the face. The dermis is the skin layer of subsoil that contains connective tissue, nerve endings, sweat and sebaceous glands and blood vessels. Juvederm improves your appearance by lifting and adding volume to wrinkles and creases in the treatment area. After six to nine months, the biocompatible compound is naturally absorbed by the body. One advantage of consistency of Juvederm gel is flexible, able to provide a soft and more natural than some of his predecessors. Another advantage is that Juvederm may last longer, keep the best of six to nine months. The benefits can last even longer if you have a follow-up treatment a few weeks after the first treatment. Finally there is collagen Collagen is a protein complex that supports the skin, bones, cartilage and blood vessels. The collagen filler is temporarily wrinkles, scars, thin lips, lines and wrinkles around the nose and mouth. The benefits are immediate and last about three months. Collagen is the main protein found in connective tissue. It is compatible with the skin, bone, cartilage and blood vessels. Collagen makes up 80 percent of the skin. Its function is to maintain the integrity of the skin. The breakdown of collagen during the aging process can lead to wrinkles, lines and creases. Collagen injections replenish the skin's natural collagen. There are several types of collagen fillers on the market. For example, collagen fillers containing human collagen include CosmoDerm and Cosmoplast. The cow collagen fillers are Zyderm and Zyplast. ArteFill is a gel filler made of millions of hybrid synthetic microspheres (polymethylmethacrylate or PMMA) suspended in pirificado cow collagen.