During the aging process, our facial fat descends especially from the malar or cheek region. This descended fat results in the deepening of the laugh lines or nasolabial folds. A relatively new method to combat this groove is to augment the region with a variety of fillers or autologous fat. These fillers are also often used to perform lip augmentation. After your consultation and careful analysis of your face, I will make a treatment plan specific to your needs.

These soft tissue fillers are viscoelastic gels made of hyaluronic acid that allow quick and noticeable corrections without the need of a skin test. They are injected just under the skin's surface at intervals along the wrinkle until the right amount is achieved. Soft tissue fillers can be used to "fill" and smooth out deep facial furrows, acne scars, and smile lines. They can also be used to enhance the border of the lips for those who desire a fuller look. Treatments take less than half an hour, and may require a local anesthetic to numb the area.

Radiesse is a soft tissue filler that has been approved by the FDA and is made up of smooth calcium hydroxyl appetite microspheres suspended in an aqueous gel that remains soft and malleable long after injection. Because calcium is a natural mineral found in our bones, it will not cause any allergic reactions and is completely biodegradable. As the body will grow natural tissue around the crystals, the results can last as long as 1-2 years. Radiesse is an ideal filler substance for the improvement of laugh lines (nasolabial folds), marionette lines as well as general volume restoration of the face. Radiesse is also an excellent choice for contouring and correction of bumps on the nose to achieve a more smooth profile.

ArteFill is the first and only FDA-approved non-resorbable injectable filler for the correction of nasolabial wrinkles (smile lines). It contains 20% tiny round and smooth particles (PMMA microspheres) and 80% purified bovine collagen gel with 0.3% lidocaine, an anesthetic. First, ArteFill visibly corrects the wrinkle. Then the microspheres provide the permanent support your skin needs to correct the wrinkle and prevent further wrinkling.

Fat injections are often used to fill in volume deficiencies or fill in scars. This procedure is performed on an outpatient bases with local anesthetic. The donor site is injected with lidocaine and fat is harvested. The extra fluid is removed and the concentrated fat is then injected into the area. Due to the normal reabsorption process, the treatment area is slightly overfilled with the understanding that it will resolve over time to give the final appropriate volume.

Most patients can resume normal activities soon after the treatment is performed. A small amount of swelling is expected at both the donor and treatment sites and should resolve within the first 48 hours. Fat injections can be used to fill irregular scars on any portion of the body. Just as with the other fillers, fat injection is not a permanent solution and requires a regular maintenance regimen.