If you’ve been getting dermal fillers for several years to maintain a youthful, refreshed appearance and have noticed diminishing returns after recent injections, you might be experiencing “filler fatigue.” We help patients who get dermal fillers such as JUVÉDERM® at our Dallas dermatology practice avoid filler fatigue by using a conservative approach to treatment. And it may help you to know a bit more about what filler fatigue means—and the steps you can take to avoid it.
What Is Filler Fatigue?
To understand why some patients may experience filler fatigue, you should know how dermal fillers work. Most fillers—including the JUVÉDERM and Restylane® product families—are formulated using hyaluronic acid (HA). The body naturally produces hyaluronic acid, which helps keep the skin hydrated.
Patients concerned about aging’s effects get fillers to restore volume to areas of the face where the loss of fullness contributes to wrinkles and a hollowed-out appearance. The smooth gels are injected into the cheeks, lips, around the mouth, and the jawline, with the results lasting for several months to as long as 2 years, depending on the type of filler used.
Filler fatigue occurs when patients get fillers too often, and the skin stretches with each treatment. Less experienced injectors may also overfill the treatment areas, causing the skin to stretch more than needed. As the filler wears off, the skin may sag or appear looser. This, in turn, may lead patients to get more filler and continue a cycle that results in filler fatigue.
Too-frequent filler injections may also cause the face to look heavier because hyaluronic acid fillers draw water to the treatment area. This extra water can be retained in the face and interfere with lymphatic drainage.
How To Avoid Filler Fatigue
Choosing skilled, experienced injectors is the best way to ensure you won’t experience filler fatigue. Conservative use of fillers produces more attractive results and avoids stretching skin unnecessarily. Younger patients who get fillers to contour their faces rather than combat aging may also encounter filler fatigue as they get older. This can be especially true for patients who get lip augmentation from injectors who create an overfilled look.
Another benefit of choosing a provider you trust is that they will provide a comprehensive treatment plan that doesn’t rely exclusively on fillers. The plan may include a different skincare regimen, injections of neuromodulators such as BOTOX® Cosmetic, and laser skin resurfacing procedures.
Treating an aging face involves more than replacing lost volume. It’s important to take into account other factors that include the loss of skin firmness, decreased collagen and elastin, and waning bone density.