Dermal Fillers

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At Sieber Plastic Surgery, a well-chosen dermal filler can do more than refresh your appearance—it can bring balance back to your features in a way that still feels like you. Today’s injectable dermal fillers work with the natural contours of your face, using safe, FDA-approved materials such as hyaluronic acid or calcium hydroxylapatite to soften lines, lift shadowed areas, and restore volume where time has taken it away. In the right hands, a dermal filler treatment is less about changing how you look and more about letting your own facial features stand out.

What are Dermal Fillers?

Think of dermal fillers as a way to give certain areas of your face a gentle lift or softening without surgery. These gel-like substances are placed just under the skin in specific areas to reduce facial wrinkles, replace lost volume, or achieve a more balanced appearance. Some are made from hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring substance in the body that helps keep skin hydrated and full. Others, like calcium hydroxylapatite or poly-L-lactic acid, have different textures and can last longer. The type we choose depends on your skin, your goals, and how subtle or long-lasting you want the change to be.

Benefits of Dermal Fillers

When done well, filler injections don’t change your face; they bring it back to where it feels like you again. They can soften nasolabial folds, smooth out marionette lines, and lift areas where volume has slipped away over time. Some patients use them to refine their lip shape, ease vertical lip lines, or restore fullness in the cheeks and temples, achieving a more youthful appearance. The treatment is quick, often finished in under an hour, and you see the difference right away. In the right hands, a dermal filler treatment blends in seamlessly, leaving people noticing how refreshed you look, without guessing why.

Types of Dermal Fillers

Walk into a cosmetic clinic and you’ll hear about more than one kind of dermal filler. Some are soft, almost fluid in texture; hyaluronic acid fillers fall into this group, and they’re often chosen for lips, tear troughs, or anywhere the skin needs gentle volume. Others, like calcium hydroxylapatite, feel denser and hold their shape in places that need more structure, such as the cheekbones or jawline. Then there’s poly-L-lactic acid, which doesn’t fill so much as it nudges the skin to stimulate collagen production; the results build slowly, sometimes over months.
A synthetic filler such as PMMA can act as a more permanent solution, while fat injections borrow tissue from the patient’s own body to create fullness that can last for years. Choosing between them isn’t just about longevity, it’s about the area treated, the texture that works best there, and the kind of finish that suits the face.

Non-surgical Specialists

in San Francisco

and Marin

Sally Sherrard, PA-C

Armeen Karia, FNP

Lexi Sherer, PA-C

Dermal Fillers Before and After

Coming soon

Am I a Good Candidate for Dermal Fillers?

Candidates for dermal fillers typically share a similar goal: restoring shape or softness in areas where time, stress, or weight changes have left a noticeable mark. Fine facial wrinkles near the eyes, deeper folds such as the nasolabial folds, or hollow cheeks due to lost volume are common reasons to explore treatment. Good skin health helps, but so does being upfront about medical history to avoid rare issues such as an allergic reaction. The safest approach comes from a qualified cosmetic surgeon or experienced injector, someone who understands how injectable fillers interact with the skin’s structure and movement.

How Long Do Dermal Fillers Last?

The life of injectable dermal fillers depends on what’s used and where it’s placed. Around the mouth or in smile lines, results might soften sooner because of constant movement. Cheek or jawline work often holds longer. Hyaluronic acid formulas typically last half a year to a full year, while poly-L-lactic acid continues to work for over two years by prompting the skin to produce its own collagen. Options like fat grafting or PMMA can offer more staying power. Even within the same face, different areas age and change at different rates, which is why follow-up treatments keep results consistent.

Dermal Filler Procedure Cost

The price of a dermal filler session isn’t set in stone. It varies depending on the type of dermal filler chosen, the amount of product required, and the number of areas being treated. A softer hyaluronic acid filler for fine lines isn’t priced the same as a longer-lasting option used to restore volume or soften deeper wrinkles in the cheeks. Experience matters, too; an injector or cosmetic surgeon with advanced training will often charge more, and for good reason. Even the location of the clinic plays a role. Big-city practices, or those known for highly specialized work, usually carry higher rates. And sometimes it comes down to technique, sculpting sharp definition can require more time, product, and precision than a quick touch-up.

Dermal Filler Do's and Don'ts

With any plan to inject dermal fillers, start with a qualified, licensed provider who works with authentic, FDA-approved products. Follow their aftercare, it can help swelling ease faster and keep results looking their best. Skip bargain offers or trying to buy dermal fillers online; counterfeit products are risky. And don’t book a session right before a major event, since even the best treatments can leave mild swelling or redness for a few days.

Dermal Fillers vs Facial Fat Grafting

In cosmetic treatments, dermal fillers are the quicker option, gel-like substances injected just under the skin to soften folds, smooth lines, and restore lost volume. The results appear quickly, with little downtime. Facial fat grafting takes a different route, moving a patient’s own fat from one area of the body to the face. It’s a surgical cosmetic procedure, so recovery is longer, but the change can be more enduring. The choice often comes down to how soon results are needed and how long they’re expected to last.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Dermal Fillers and Facial Fillers Safe?

Yes, when performed by a qualified provider using FDA-approved dermal fillers, risks include swelling, bruising, or rare complications like accidental injection into a blood vessel.

How Much Do Dermal Fillers Cost?

Costs vary based on the type of injectable filler, the amount used, the treatment area, and the provider’s expertise.

Dermal Fillers Near Me

Search for licensed providers who use authentic brand-name fillers and have strong patient reviews.

What is the Downside of Dermal Filler Procedures?

Possible side effects include bruising and swelling, as well as rare, serious risks. Results are temporary and require ongoing maintenance.

Which is Better, Botox or Dermal Fillers?

Botox relaxes muscles to smooth lines; dermal fillers add volume and can treat deeper wrinkles or folds. The choice depends on the concern.

What Are Autologous Fat Injections?

A cosmetic procedure where a patient’s own fat is transferred to the face to restore lost volume.

What is Calcium Hydroxylapatite?

A biocompatible dermal filler made from a mineral-like compound used to treat moderate to severe facial wrinkles and volume loss.

Book a Consultation

Contact Sieber Plastic Surgery 415-915-9000 to schedule a consultation and start discussing your needs and concerns.

References

https://ambrdfcs.org/blog/injectable-dermal-fillers-guide

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22667-dermal-fillers

*Disclaimer: Results may vary from person to person. Editorial content, before and after images, and patient testimonials do not constitute a guarantee of specific results.