Madonna and Kylie Minogue are examples of stars whose new, youthful glow seems to suggest they may have had dermal fillers or fat implants in their cheeks, causing a pillow face effect. Nicole Kidman appearing at the Cannes Film Festival with a puffy face led cosmetic surgeons to speculate that she has gone overboard on Botox and Dermal Fillers. The same can be said about Tom Cruise after his recent red carpet appearances especially at the BAFTA awards.
As the search for the fountain of youth continues, more people as well as celebrities are leaning towards a more plumped-up look, as opposed to the pulled back ‘wind tunnel’ results of the traditional Face-lift procedure. In the past, Botox has been the go-to treatment to turn back time, freezing the aging process, however Botox does nothing to counter the effects of volume loss.
The new term given for this trend is called the “Pillow Face”. There is a simple explanation for “pillow face” and “blowfish” lips; it is simply the overuse of injectable filler. The amount of filler used should always err on the side of caution, since volume can continue to develop over the months that follow – and too much will result in the dreaded puffy ‘pillow face’.
Years ago, fillers such as Collagen were popular and were used to fill folds and wrinkles giving a very natural effect. Although it fulfilled the purpose, it didn’t last very long, and the fact that it was sourced from animals (bovine) collagen, gave it a higher risk for allergic reaction.
Fast forward to today, there is many name brand Hyaluronic Acid fillers available from all over the world such as Juvederm, Teosyal and Restylane. Hyaluronic Acid is very safe and stable and lasts much longer than previous fillers. Most injectable fillers and wrinkle injections used today are made from Hyaluronic acid and can last from 4 months to 2 years.
Hyaluronic acid is a substance produced naturally by the body that binds with water to plump up sunken, aged skin. If too much is used or misused, puffiness occurs.
Due to the fact that Hyaluronic Acid is able to “pull” water it is always best to adopt a less is more attitude. You can always add to the area a week or two later if more fullness is desired. This is especially true when placing filler under the eyes to fill the tear trough as well as when enhancing the cheeks.
Fillers work wonders when they are used correctly and in moderation. It is very easy to say “just a bit more” and go from looking natural to overdone and puffy.
Visit us at Lasting Looks Clinic www.lastinglooks.ca in Toronto to book your consultation to see if you are a candidate for dermal fillers.