What Is The Difference Between Collagen Stimulating Injections and Dermal Fillers Consisting of Hyaluronic Acid Gel?

As we get older we can begin to lose confidence in the way that we look. This is mainly due to the pressures of the modern world and the unrealistic beauty standards set by the media; the concept of youth is idealised, making it impossible for us to feel satisfied with our looks as we age. We’ve all been there, it’s so difficult to feel good about yourself when society constantly tells you that beauty is about looking young and wrinkle free.

Often, people view non surgical aesthetics as a way to enhance beauty or change the way that you look, but we believe it’s about helping you to look the best for your age. At Cosmetier, we want you to feel confident in yourself and we aim to do this by holistically restoring the health and appearance of your skin and facial profile. Nowadays, cosmetic procedures have become especially popular with the rise of reality shows like Love Island, but we want to assure you that our therapies are not designed to make you look fake. Our overarching goal is to make you feel better about yourself by restoring your natural appearance with bespoke treatments, tailored to your needs.

When deciding whether or not to get an aesthetic treatment, you need to think about why you want it and exactly what you want to get out of it. Having an online video consultation can help you to ask the right questions, determining the best way forward for your skin. Hyaluronic acid Dermal fillers can help to restore the natural support of your skin, making you look younger and more radiant by filling and lifting your skin. Another popular option for some clients is collagen-stimulating injections. Choosing between these two treatments depends on which areas of your face you want to focus on and what works best for your skin’s needs. 

Dr Sharma always performs a thorough assessment of your skin each time you see her online and when you come into the clinic for treatment, so that she can determine which treatment your skin actually needs. Ultimately, Dr Sharma’s role is to provide expert advice and guidance that will help you make an informed choice about which treatment is best for what you want to achieve. In this article, we have described how each treatment works and which areas of the skin they target. Understanding what you need and why you need it will help you to decide on the best course of action for your skin type to achieve the best results.

Dermal Fillers

What is Hyaluronic Acid and how does it help our skin health?

Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is a naturally occurring sugar in the body that is found in the skin, the connective tissues and the eyes; this substance is renowned for its impressive ability to retain water, keeping your tissues moist and lubricated. Ensuring that your skin is hydrated is vital because it gives the appearance of bouncy skin that is baby soft. 

The reason that HA is such an effective filler is because it is a plumping substance that addresses sagginess and tiredness by filling areas of your skin where you have lost volume. This filler rids your skin of that tired, haggard look, leaving it looking radiant and refreshed. Most of the time, aesthetics is not actually about altering the way that you look, but bringing back balance so that you look youthful again. 

In addition, as we age, we lose the HA and collagen in our skin, leading to fine lines and wrinkles. Although this may be a natural part of growing older, it often means that we feel less confident and less like ourselves. HA dermal fillers can help to restore the skin to that smooth, youthful look that it once had as well as balancing your facial profile so that it looks youthful again.

How do hyaluronic acid dermal fillers work?

At Cosmetier, we use Teoxane’s Teosyal® dermal fillers which is an injectable used to improve skin quality and reduce the appearance of wrinkles by volumising where you have lost volume due to ageing. Generally, we would use this treatment to bring back balance to your facial profile, helping you to feel like your best self by reducing the number of dips and peaks. When we look in the mirror or take a photograph, our eyes and the light pick up these shadows making us look more tired or older than we feel.

Understanding how your skin is ageing and which techniques and products are needed to address your concerns is essential as it helps you to choose which treatment is best for you. If you opt for HA dermal fillers, Dr Sharma will use a cannula to place the product strategically where you have lost support deep under the skin which can help some natural collagen stimulation. However, the product itself does not stimulate collagen although it can help soften and smoothen your skin as well restore lost volume.

There are various consistencies of HA fillers which are all used for different purposes. For example, lip fillers would use a medium thick consistency to get a subtle effect, whereas cheek and jawline fillers would use a thicker consistency because they need to address the sagginess deep underneath the skin. The thicker the HA fillers, the more difficult it becomes for your natural enzymes to break them down, meaning that the effects won’t wear off as easily. 

HA is very effective when used on the mid-face area; it can also be used on the lower jaw, but you would need much more HA to achieve the same results as you would compared to collagen stimulation injections. The effects of these fillers usually last for 12-18 months, but we may review your progress after 6-9 months to see if you need another top-up; this would help the results to last even longer.

Collagen Stimulation

What is collagen and why do we need it?

Collagen is a protein that keeps your skin, nails and hair healthy; it is a substance that is needed for keeping your skin tight and smooth. After the age of 25, your body reduces its production of collagen, meaning that your skin loses elasticity and develops lines and wrinkles. 

Collagen is extremely important for keeping your skin smooth and tight. Think about how many facial expressions we use every day; we smile, we laugh, we frown, we raise our eyebrows, all of which create lines on our face. When we are younger, whilst our bodies are still producing collagen, our facial skin springs back into place without leaving any lines. However, when the collagen production decreases, the structural foundation of the face becomes weaker leading to the development of facial lines.

How do collagen-stimulating injections work?

Our collagen stimulation treatment uses Radiesse® which aims to restore the skin and refine the natural contours of your face. This injection is made up of calcium hydroxylapatite which is the same substance that is found in your teeth and bones; when placed in the skin, it lays down a scaffolding for your natural collagen to enter, resulting in tighter and smoother skin. Radiesse® also triggers the production of elastin which further helps to keep the skin flexible.  This filler is best suited to people who want to improve their lower jawline and reduce the appearance of jowls, making your skin less saggy and more defined.

How can you choose between the two treatments?

Both dermal fillers and collagen-stimulating injections are extremely effective and will greatly improve the overall appearance of your skin and facial features. Ultimately, the choice between these two treatments depends on what is uncovered about your skin’s needs during your initial consultation with Dr Sharma. The main aim of the consultation is to equip you with all the knowledge and advice you need to make an informed decision about which treatment you feel would best meet your needs. 

Remember, what works for your friend may not necessarily work for you too, as it is all dependent on your skin type. With Dr Sharma, you can always be sure that you will receive the highest levels of care and expertise as she offers bespoke treatments that are specifically designed for you. One of our core beliefs is that non surgical aesthetics is the coming together of medical science and art. We treat your skin for what it needs, not for what is trending on social media; our primary goal is to help you get the right treatment based on what you want to get out of it.

By using these specialist techniques and substances, you can restore your skin to what it once was. Book a free video consultation here.