How Do Collagen Stimulating Fillers Differ from Traditional Fillers?

Every once in a while, you play (or used to) a little game in front of the mirror and use your fingers to pull your skin taut, smoothing out all those lines and wrinkles and lifting skin that’s starting to sag. And you smile as you recognize that more youthful version of yourself underneath.

Thanks to dermal fillers, millions of Americans are achieving that same look, and perhaps you have joined them and turned to cosmetic injectables to dial back the years.

While traditional dermal fillers that rely on hyaluronic acid still do a great job, there’s a more advanced version — collagen-stimulating fillers — and we offer them here at Skin Shop Med Spa. Under the expert direction of Dr. Tiffany Su, our team provides top-notch aesthetic services, and we’re thrilled to add collagen-stimulating dermal fillers to our anti-aging arsenal.

Traditional dermal fillers

Dermal fillers have been around for decades, and the ones that have been true workhorses all these years rely on hyaluronic acid (HA). There are many reasons why this ingredient does its job so well, such as:

HA is a naturally occurring substance in your body, so it’s readily accepted
HA retains water — a quarter teaspoon holds 1.5 gallons of water
HA provides immediate results

At our med spa practice, we offer industry-leading dermal fillers that contain HA, including the Juvéderm® line, Restylane®, Belotero Balance®, and Ravenesse Versa®.

The collagen difference

The difference between traditional dermal fillers and collagen-stimulating ones is that we can measure results in years rather than months.

HA fillers deliver fantastic results and can last 4-6 months, sometimes more. However, your body eventually absorbs the HA, and you lose its effects in smoothing and lifting the skin.

As their name suggests, with collagen-stimulating fillers, we take a longer-term approach and work toward rejuvenating aging skin by ramping up your natural collagen production, which can rebuild your skin’s support.

We offer two collagen-stimulating fillers:

Radiesse®

Instead of HA, the active ingredient in Radiesse is calcium hydroxylapatite particles suspended in an aqueous gel. When we inject Radiesse, the gel provides immediate volume like traditional fillers. However, the particles go further by creating a scaffold upon which new collagen can grow.

Sculptra®

This collagen-stimulating filler works much the same way, except the active ingredient in Sculptra is poly-L-lactic. With Sculptra, patients can enjoy up to two years of results, and sometimes more.

You can use both Radiesse and Sculptra in those key areas where aging can leave its mark, such as:

Restoring the volume in your cheeks
Lifting small jowls
Filling in smile and marionette lines
Smoothing out deep nasolabial folds
Addressing craggy hands

You can use these collagen-stimulating dermal fillers almost anywhere traditional fillers can be used. They deliver longer-lasting results you can enjoy for years as new collagen comes online to lift and tighten your aging skin. Not to mention, renewed collagen production also brings back that youthful glow in your skin.

To bring your beauty regimen to the next level with collagen-stimulating dermal fillers, contact our Houston, Texas, office by phone or online to schedule your cosmetic injectable appointment today.