Answer: After performing thousands of syringes of Bellafill over the last 7 years, half of my patients returning 9-12 months later notice that their Bellafill looks even better than after the initial treatment.
The duration of improvement with Bellafill® varies between patients. Results are usually visible immediately, but take 2-4 weeks to settle in. Bellafill® contains non-absorbable PMMA microspheres.
If you are using this product to eliminate acne scars, you can expect the results of treatment to be immediate. Contrastingly, if you are using this product to smooth away smile lines or improve your appearance beneath your eyes, it can take four to six weeks to see the final results of treatment.
Due to the microsphere support structure, your skin will continue to improve for 12 months, and patients have a 90% satisfaction rate at this point. It's likely that even after 5 years your skin will continue to look healthy and smooth. Many people experience results that can last as long as 8-10 years after injection.
In my experience with performing a high volume of Bellafill treatments for many years, I find that not only can Bellafill last 5 years, but as a collagen stimulator, Bellafill also gives a more natural appearance than hyaluronic acid fillers like Juvederm and Restylane.
Granulomas, lumps, and swelling have been reported in Bellafill® patients and may form years after injection. Granulomas, lumps, and swelling frequently resolve over time or with treatment.
While Bellafill can be molded a little bit right when it is being injected, after about an hour it will no longer move and it will remain in place. If your injection was recent then you are likely experiencing changes due to swelling that can change the shape of your lips for about 3 weeks after your treatment.
Common side effects include swelling, bruising, tenderness, redness, or slight bleeding at the injection site. It's possible but rare to develop an infection at the injection site. In rare cases, the microspheres can cause lumps, also known as granulomas, by forming scar tissue under the skin.
As a 5-year filler, Bellafill won't go away nearly as fast as Restylane or Juvederm. Many doctors only prefer Restylane and Juvederm, not because these temporary fillers are any better than Bellafill, but because they know that if they make a mistake, a temporary filler goes away quicker.
Bellafill is considered a long term, semi-permanent dermal filler. This means that once it is injected, it cannot be dissolved or removed from the treated area. Unlike hyaluronic acid dermal fillers that can be removed or dissolved with hyaluronidase injections, PMMA stays put in the skin once it is injected there.
For instance, a 39 year old with deep lines might achieve full correction with just 1 or 2 filler syringes whereas at age 66, the same person might require 4 or 5 syringes to adequately treat the same areas.
Bellafill for the cheek apple will usually take 1 to 2 syringes per side. It is important for the provider to understand that Bellafill can be placed quite superficially.
Bellafill Works
Anyone who considers the use of cosmetic injectables wants to be assured that they will notice a difference in all their problem areas and that the filler will effectively treat their wrinkles. The treatment is effective, and it works.
Some physicians who use Bellafill may have their patients massage after the treatment and others may not. If you do massage, this should just be done gently. It is very unlikely that you have caused any damage to your face by massaging it in the first 24 hours.
Bellafill cannot be removed once injected but will be metabolized by the body after a few years.
Collagen Types I and III are predominant forms found in the skin. Bellafill stimulates both Type I and Type III collagen for long-lasting correction.
BellaFill can be used in the cheeks to restore volume and create lift. It is always good to start with a reversible filler just to ensure you like the results the injector is providing you with. The beauty with BellaFill is that it is long lasting and you can build up an area over time.
A good candidate for Bellafill is a healthy individual over 21 years of age with atrophic acne scars or moderate to severe facial volume loss. They should not be allergic to bovine collagen or lidocaine, two ingredients in Bellafill that can cause allergic reactions.
Since an amount is injected into each individual scar, one syringe covers about 9 acne scars. If additional treatments are needed, they'll typically be about 8 weeks apart as we don't want to inject more than one syringe at a time.
Hyaluronidase will not help with fillers such as Radiesse, Bellafill, and Sculptra. In certain patients, a steroid injection may help reverse the effects of some of these fillers to an extent, but the only surefire way to “undo” the results of these fillers is to wait for them to be absorbed by the body.
Answer: Q: Can you get a facelift after having Bellafil injections? Yes, you can have a facelift after having any filler injections. If the filler has not achieved any significant volume addition your surgeon can also add more volume with other synthetic fillers, implants or your own fat.
Furthermore, filling out the cheeks can help give the face a more lifted, firmer appearance and accentuate the cheekbones. Because Bellafill also triggers the body's natural production of new collagen, patients should notice tighter, healthier-looking skin over time.
It is especially great at improving the upper and mid-face to a youthful size and shape, which results in an improvement of the appearance of under-eye hollows, temples, sallow cheeks, deep nasolabial folds, as well as jowls.
Yes, this filler works beautifully to erase the appearance of sagging, wrinkles, puffiness, bags, and dark circles under the eyes. It is much more predictable than under-eye fat grafting and lasts far longer than dermal fillers made with hyaluronic acid (HA).
How long does Bellafill last in the jawline? Perhaps the most exciting aspect of Bellafill is that it is often considered a long-term filler. When used in the jawline, patients typically enjoy their results for a minimum of five years, with many reporting continued satisfaction after ten years or longer!