Patient education
Dermal Fillers: A Denver Nurse Injector Explains
Peak Plastic Surgery Center ·
Drawn from a video in which Makayla Donato, BSN, RN, the nurse injector at Peak Plastic Surgery Center, answers these questions herself.
Dermal fillers are made of hyaluronic acid, and when they are injected into the face, they give it more structure and more support. Makayla is a registered nurse who treats filler patients at Peak Plastic Surgery Center in Cherry Creek, Denver, and as she puts it, good filler should actually be undetectable.
Individual results may vary.
What are dermal fillers made of?
Hyaluronic acid. Once filler is injected into the face, Makayla explains, it gives the face more structure and more support.
How is filler different from a wrinkle relaxer?
They do different jobs. Filler gives the face more structure and support, while a wrinkle relaxer works on the fine lines and wrinkles of the face.
Which areas of the face can filler treat?
Areas Makayla names include the temples, the cheeks, the lips, the jawline, the chin and even the nasolabial fold lines. Peak's injectables page lists them under dermal fillers.
Her approach is structural. Instead of focusing on one area of the face, she treats the face as a whole, because an area that concerns a patient may be due to another area of the face, simply from aging.
How do you avoid an overdone look with filler?
Makayla's answer:
To avoid the overdone look of filler, sometimes actually being treated less is more.
What she tells her patients is that it's always easier to add than it is to take out.
Does getting filler hurt?
On average, patients rate the filler procedure about 2 out of 10 for pain. Numbing is also available to make patients a little more comfortable and at ease.
What is recovery like after filler?
Recovery is very patient-specific and depends on the area treated. Bruising and swelling are normal.
How long does filler last?
Depending on the area treated, filler lasts anywhere from 12 to 18 months. After it wears off, Makayla says, patients should go back to their normal, untreated selves. Individual results may vary.
Can filler be dissolved?
Yes. It is a question Makayla often gets. Peak has an enzyme, a medication called hyaluronidase, that can be injected into the areas where the filler was placed to dissolve it.
Who is a good candidate for filler, and what are the alternatives?
A good candidate for filler is someone with mild volume loss who needs more support in the face. For someone who isn't a great candidate, there are other options, such as Sculptra and even surgery.
Sculptra is listed with the biostimulators on Peak's injectables page. Surgery at Peak is performed by Dr. Eric Barker, MD, the plastic surgeon who founded the practice. Which option fits is decided at a private consultation.
Quick answers
How long do dermal fillers last?
Depending on the area treated, filler lasts anywhere from 12 to 18 months. After it wears off, patients should go back to their normal, untreated selves. Dermal fillers are made of hyaluronic acid, and if needed, an enzyme called hyaluronidase can be injected to dissolve them. Individual results may vary.
Does dermal filler hurt?
On average, patients rate the filler procedure about 2 out of 10 for pain. Numbing is available to make patients a little more comfortable and at ease. Afterward, bruising and swelling are normal, and recovery is very patient-specific, depending on the area treated.
Can dermal filler be dissolved?
Yes. Peak has an enzyme, a medication called hyaluronidase, that can be injected into the areas where the filler was placed. Makayla's approach is that, to avoid an overdone look, sometimes less is more, and it is always easier to add filler than to take it out.
Who is a good candidate for dermal filler?
A good candidate is someone with mild volume loss who needs more support in the face. For someone who isn't a great candidate for filler, there are other options, such as Sculptra and even surgery. Candidacy, risks and recovery are set at a private consultation at Peak Plastic Surgery Center.
What areas can dermal filler treat?
Filler can treat the temples, the cheeks, the lips, the jawline, the chin and the nasolabial fold lines. Makayla treats the face as a whole rather than one area at a time, because an area that concerns a patient may be due to another area of the face, simply from aging.
To book a consultation with Makayla Donato, BSN, RN, call Peak Plastic Surgery Center at (720) 500-3815 or request one online.
Individual results may vary. General education, not medical advice; candidacy, risks and recovery are set at a private consultation.