Selecting a Product for the Desired Effect

Before this step, know the materials from Calcium Hydroxylapatite and PLLA Fillers and Hyaluronic Acid as a Filler Material. This page covers how a product is chosen, and ends with a check that you can name the properties that matter.

The properties that differ between fillers

PubMed Central states: "Fillers vary in composition, elasticity, hydrophilicity and duration of effect that is tailored to specific cosmetic indications."

That gives four properties to compare: composition, elasticity, hydrophilicity and duration. For hyaluronic acid products, a paper on the rheology and physicochemical characteristics of hyaluronic acid fillers and their clinical implications goes further into the physical side.

Matching the product to the effect

The same publisher ties the choice to outcomes. It states: "Selecting the right product for the desired effect can cut down on unwanted outcomes. Severe adverse events can be avoided with safe injection technique, early recognition of symptoms and a thorough knowledge of the local anatomy."

Note the two halves. The first is about product choice. The second is about technique, recognition and anatomy, which are course topics. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration consumer update on dermal filler dos and don'ts for wrinkles, lips and more is a useful companion at this step.

A society view of the options

The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery page on injectable fillers sets out the options from a clinical society. Compare it with the product sheets you collect.

Four properties for one desired effect

You are done when you can take one desired effect and name the four properties you would compare before choosing a product. Cleveland Clinic's overview of dermal fillers, their types, benefits and side effects is a final read for the wider picture. Then continue to Approved Uses for Dermal Fillers.