Increasingly, women and men around the world are turning to dermal facial fillers as a minimally invasive way to add volume to the face, dramatically reducing the signs of aging or addressing areas of concern. But in spite of the popularity and safety of these treatments, many still have a high fear factor when it comes to cosmetic injectables.

Likely due to myths and misinformation circulated on social media, photos of overdone celebrities, or crazy stories heard from friends of friends, fake news makes it hard to separate filler fact from fiction. Before you let fear of fillers prevent you from perfecting your pout or restoring your own more youthful glow, let’s address some of the most common misconceptions about these beauty weapons.

Fillers Will Make Me Look Fake

While there are people that practice the “more is better” approach to injecting fillers, these products are truly capable of giving you subtle, natural-looking results. In the hands of an expert, your post-treatment look in the mirror will reveal the best version of yourself — well-rested and more youthful — not puffy or overdone. During your one-on-one consultation, we will discuss your concerns and analyze your facial structure and proportions to determine where added volume will benefit you most.

By replacing volume lost naturally over time, and encouraging the production of your own restorative collagen, fillers can plump up areas like sunken cheeks that highlight under-eye circles and thinning lips that accentuate lines around the mouth. Results are immediate.

Of course, after your initial treatment, if you do want or need more volume in certain areas, we are here for that too. We want to help you reach your own personal aesthetic goals.

Fillers are too Painful

Many people have a natural fear of needles, and the thought of sticking them in your face may send your heart racing a bit. But there’s no need! The needles used are small, and most patients describe the feeling associated with injectables as no more than a “pinch.” Not only do many fillers contain the numbing medication lidocaine, a topical anesthetic is generally also applied prior to injection, resulting in a sensation more like a light pressure than pain. Some areas, such as the lip line, are naturally more sensitive, so you may feel a bigger “pinch” there, but ice can often be applied directly afterward to limit the sensation and reduce swelling.

Fillers Require Too Much Downtime

Except by personal choice due to the possibility of light bruising and slight swelling, there is no real downtime after injectable fillers. It is recommended that you don’t exercise for 24 hours afterward, but other than that, you can resume all normal activities. There will be some inevitable swelling, and some people bruise more easily, therefore many of our patients schedule appointments on Friday before a few days off or take a personal day from work. These minor side effects are short-lived, can often be concealed with makeup, and are minimized by avoiding alcohol, aspirin, fish or MCT oils, and anti-inflammatory medications in the days leading up to your appointment.

Fillers are too Expensive

While fillers can seem like a big beauty investment at first, they are actually quite cost-effective over time. Unlike Botox, fillers can last up to two years depending on where the filler is placed and the patient’s individual metabolism, so they actually give a big bang for your beauty buck. In addition, it generally costs less for maintenance treatments when results start to fade than it does for initial injections.

All Fillers are The Same

Using the wrong filler in the wrong place on the face could very well explain why some people have a less-than-satisfactory experience. The different types of fillers are expertly developed for specific purposes. Thicker gel formulations are designed for more dramatic augmentations, such as adding lost volume in the cheeks and mid-face, while thinner, more spreadable formulations are used in areas nearer the surface, such as around the eyes and mouth. Make sure you use an experienced and certified expert for your dermal fillers for the best results.

If you’ve been considering injectables but filler fear has kept you from coming in, contact Kalologie MedSpa Austin today. We are happy to talk you through the whole process and show you how dermal fillers can add volume to your face in a subtle, natural-looking way.