Injectable Fillers

We have entered a new age of facial enhancement. Patients now demand noninvasive treatments, with little to no “downtime,” and industry continues to produce a wide variety of injectable fillers. Physicians must, therefore, become well versed in understanding all the filling agents: their indications, uses, and potential complications. As depicted by the front cover illustration, physicians have become artists using injectable agents as their media. Physician artists must select the appropriate medium, the appropriate patients, and possess the appropriate skills for injection.

In 2004, Facial Plastic Surgery published its first monograph on dermal filling agents, highlighting many treatments rarely used today: Cymetra, Fascian, and Hylaform. Both Restylane and Sculptra were briefly discussed because they had only recently become FDA approved. How the injectable world has changed in the past 5 years!

In this publication, we have attempted to discuss the current fillers available and address those that may soon become part of our treatment protocols. By tapping the resources of our Canadian neighbors and European colleagues, we will have an idea of what is yet to come to the American market.

It has been my honor to serve as a guest editor for this issue of Facial Plastic Surgery. This monograph will be a valuable resource for anyone who uses facial filling agents in their practice. We have adhered to a tight production schedule to provide our readers with the most current information available. The authors represent a variety of medical specialties, and are all expert facial injectors. I applaud the authors for assembling such a thorough discussion of facial injectables, and I expect our readers will glean a tremendous amount of information from this issue.