It’s a new year and there’s never a better time to dive into aesthetic trends/predictions for the upcoming year.
Where We’ve Been: For years, facial fillers varieties in the Juvederm & Restylane brand of hyaluronic fillers have been a cornerstone in aesthetic treatments. We began with treating specific areas of the face such as the nasolabial folds and lips directly with the needle technique. Over the next few years, both Allergan and Galderma expanded their portfolios and we had several types of Juvederm & Restylane to use for expanded treatment options. In came the treatment of the cheeks, chin, undereyes, jawline and temples. While most of these areas were still treated with filler in isolation, our filler results were getting better. BUT, what wasn’t quite understood was how long these fillers actually last and many patients were over-treated with filler, resulting in a “cartoon” or “pillow face appearance” due to filler being continuously injected every 6-12 months without really assessing if that was truly necessary.
Where We Are Now: In most recent years, a new filler brand has become approved in the United Stated and has some important differences. The RHA Collection of fillers by Revance Aesthetics, is the first hyaluronic filler to be approved for use in dynamic areas of the face. I began researching this filler about 4 years ago, right before its initial approval in the United States. It intrigued me and it’s important to me to always do thorough research of any new product I am considering. The RHA brand of fillers has significant science behind it that has allowed this to be not only the first filler to be approved for dynamic facial areas, but also the only filler in the U.S. that is very close to our own natural hyaluronic acid that is produced by our skin. I’ve been using this product for over 3 years and have found it not only to give a very natural result, but to also last much longer than many traditional fillers as well as to have a decreased risk of migration when injecting the lips. This brand has also allowed for pan facial injection/facial balancing (injections of the entire face and in different layers of the face) while giving a soft, natural result that isn’t still rigid or alien like!
Where We Are Going: I think facial filler is here to stay, but I do think less will be used & the trend will continue to move towards using newer fillers such as the RHA brand as well as some of the new skin boosters (Skinvive by Juvederm is the first one approved in the US) as well as biostimulatory products such as Sculptra, Radiesse and PRPF/EZ-Gel. Using a combination of collagen stimulators and smaller amounts of filler injected to the full face will allow for natural volume replacement and enhancing beauty without completely changing a patient’s appearance. Gone are the days of treating isolated areas and chasing lines!
