Dermal Filler 1)

Dermal fillers are products that support the underlying structure of the skin without any pharmacological effects and are hypodermically injected into the face to improve the appearance of facial wrinkles.

Dermal Filler Ingredients 2)

Most dermal fillers consist of ingredients that are absorbed into the body or dissolved naturally over time, and their effects are therefore only temporary.

- How long the effects of a dermal filler lasts varies depending on the specific filler’s properties (such as main ingredients and viscosity), the method used to inject the filler into the skin (such as amount and technique), and the individual patient.

- Dermal fillers that use as its main ingredient a natural polymer such as hyaluronic acid or collagen are superior in that it is easy to remove the filler using an enzyme that breaks down the filler’s main ingredient.

Certain dermal fillers contain insoluble ingredients that will remain within the body for long periods of time without being absorbed.

- Although fillers that use an insoluble (non-absorbable) substance as its main ingredient produce longer lasting effects, they are harder to remove once injected into the body.

Certain dermal fillers also contain small amounts of anesthetic called lidocaine to reduce the level of pain felt by the patient during the injection procedure

Hyaluronic Acid as a Dermal Filler Ingredient 3)

Hyaluronic acid is the main absorptive (resolvable) ingredient used in dermal fillers and has the following properties

Hyaluronic Acid

- As a type of polysaccharide that makes up the extracellular matrix (ECM) found within the human body, hyaluronic acid plays a major role in the retention of water in bodily tissues. In the sodium salt state, hyaluronic acid dissolves in water. The acid was previously extracted from the comb of roosters, but is today made from microbes that have been fermented using Lancefield group A or C Streptococcus bacteria.

- In most cases, hyaluronic acid is bridged using a crosslink agent in order to extend the acid’s retention period in the body by a certain amount.

- In general, hyaluronic-acid-based products are known to remain in the body between three to twelve months.

• 1) National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation. (2015). Dermal Filler Safety Guide, National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation, Cheongju, Page 1
• 2) National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation. (2015). Dermal Filler Safety Guide, National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation, Cheongju, Page 3
• 3) National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation. (2015). Dermal Filler Safety Guide, National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation, Cheongju, Page 4