Trends: Erasing Wrinkles with a Filler

By Julia Crowley First Coast News

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- Most women have a wrinkle or two they would like to erase. Now there are dozens of ways to do just that. One of the most trendy options is to use a filler.

Currently there are a dozen FDA approved wrinkle treatments on the market. Each one is designed to work best on a different area of the face, explains Cosmetic Surgeon Johan Brahme.

"There's some that are better in the lips and some that are better in the nasal labial folds," says Dr. Brahme.

Before choosing a filler, doctors recommend people compare where the fillers work best, how long they'll last and the prices. We compared the top five wrinkle fillers.

First, is Artefill. "It's the first permanent filler," says Dr. Brahme.

Artefill is usually used on deep folds between the nose and mouth. It's the longest lasting, five years. And the most expensive at about $1500 a treatment.

Dr. Brahme says the problem is that Artefill is hard to reverse. "You have to actually surgically remove it," says Dr. Brahme.

Next is Cosmoderm and Cosmoplast. Both are temporary fixes used to treat scars and fine lines around the eyes. The results usually last three to four months. The cost is $350 to $500.

Third, the most popular and commonly used fillers in America: Juvederm, Restylane and Perlane. They share the same ingredient, hyaluronic acid, which binds water up to a thousand times its weight. They will plump lips and fill in deep folds. These fillers last about six months to a year and costs $500 to $700.

57-year-old Debbie Belenzon recently had a filler injected for the first time in the deep folds around her mouth. "I can already see it's puffed up," says Belenzon.

Number four is Radiesse which is made from bone. It fills in large areas on the face, hands and feet. Results last up to two years and cost $800.

Sculptra rounds out the top five. It's used mainly in large areas like the cheek or hands. Results usually last one to two years. The price is around $1,200 a treatment.

Many people use Botox to treat wrinkles but it is not a filler. Botox blocks muscle activity. When the muscle doesn't move, neither will the skin, so wrinkles temporarily relax.

"Botox is excellent for the forehead, the crows feet an so on, but it's not a filler, you can't use it around the lips so much," says Dr. Brahme.

For Belenzon, fillers are the way to go. "I want to look as young as I feel," says Belenzon.

Doctors say no matter which filler you choose, the one thing you must check is to make sure the filler is FDA approved. Also make sure the person injecting the filler is licensed to do it and has plenty of practice.

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