What Areas Can Dermal Fillers Be Injected Into? A Comprehensive Guide

Dermal fillers have become a popular and versatile solution for those looking to enhance their facial features or combat the visible signs of aging. Whether it’s plumping the lips, smoothing out wrinkles, or restoring volume lost over time, dermal fillers offer a non-surgical, minimally invasive way to achieve a youthful appearance. But if you’re considering dermal fillers, you might be wondering: What areas can dermal fillers be injected into?

In this blog, we’ll explore the different areas of the face (and even some off-face locations) where dermal fillers can be used, the types of fillers available, and what you can expect from treatment in each area.

What Are Dermal Fillers?

Before diving into the specific areas, let’s briefly cover what dermal fillers are. Dermal fillers are injectable substances designed to restore volume, smooth wrinkles, and enhance facial contours. The most common types of dermal fillers are made from hyaluronic acid (HA), a naturally occurring substance in the skin that helps maintain hydration and volume.

Fillers can be temporary (lasting from 6 to 18 months) or more semi-permanent, depending on the material used. Popular brands include Juvederm, Restylane, Radiesse, and Sculptra. Each product is tailored for specific results, such as volumizing or contouring.

Now, let’s explore where dermal fillers can be injected to help you achieve your aesthetic goals.

1. Lips: For Plumping and Shaping

One of the most well-known uses for dermal fillers is lip enhancement. Lip fillers can add volume to thin or aging lips, enhance the lip line, and improve symmetry.

Lip Treatment Benefits:

    •    Enhance volume: Adds fullness to naturally thin lips or lips that have thinned with age.
    •    Define shape: Accentuates the lip border, known as the Cupid’s bow.
    •    Improve symmetry: Corrects asymmetrical lips, giving a more balanced appearance.
    •    Hydration: Some fillers can make lips appear more hydrated, giving a fresh, youthful look.

The filler used for lips is typically softer and more flexible than those used for other areas of the face to ensure a natural, subtle result.

2. Nasolabial Folds: For Softening Smile Lines

Nasolabial folds, commonly referred to as “smile lines” or “laugh lines,” run from the sides of the nose to the corners of the mouth. These lines can deepen with age due to volume loss and repetitive facial movements.

Nasolabial Fold Treatment Benefits:

    •    Reduce the appearance of deep folds: Fillers smooth these lines and restore lost volume.
    •    Lift the lower face: By injecting fillers here, it can give a lifting effect to the mid and lower face.

This is one of the most requested areas for dermal fillers, as it can make a significant difference in creating a refreshed, youthful appearance.

3. Cheeks: For Volume and Contour

As we age, the cheeks can lose volume, causing the face to look hollow and saggy. Dermal fillers can restore lost volume, giving the cheeks a lifted and more youthful appearance.

Cheek Treatment Benefits:

    •    Restore volume: Adds volume to sunken or flat cheeks, improving facial structure.
    •    Lift the midface: This can create a subtle lifting effect, reducing the need for invasive procedures like a facelift.
    •    Contouring: Filler in the cheeks can help define the cheekbones, giving a more sculpted appearance.

Different types of fillers may be used depending on whether the goal is to create volume or contour the cheekbones. For contouring, a thicker filler is often preferred to create definition.

4. Under the Eyes (Tear Troughs): For Reducing Hollows and Dark Circles

The area under the eyes, known as the tear troughs, is one of the first places where volume loss becomes noticeable. This can cause hollowing, dark circles, and an overall tired appearance, even when well-rested.

Tear Trough Treatment Benefits:

    •    Reduce hollowness: Fillers can plump up the sunken area, minimizing the appearance of dark circles.
    •    Brighten the eyes: By filling in under-eye hollows, the eyes look more awake and refreshed.
    •    Smooth transitions: Creates a smoother transition between the lower eyelid and the cheek, reducing shadowing and dark circles.

Tear trough fillers require precision and expertise, as the under-eye area is delicate. Typically, softer hyaluronic acid fillers are used for a natural and smooth result.

5. Marionette Lines: For Smoothing Downturned Corners of the Mouth

Marionette lines run from the corners of the mouth down toward the chin. As volume in the face decreases with age, these lines become more pronounced, sometimes giving a sad or angry appearance.

Marionette Line Treatment Benefits:

    •    Lift the mouth corners: By filling in these lines, the mouth can appear more neutral or uplifted.
    •    Reduce the appearance of jowls: Treating this area can reduce the appearance of jowls by restoring volume to the lower face.

This area is particularly beneficial for creating a more positive, happy expression by reversing the downturned corners of the mouth.

6. Chin: For Enhancement and Symmetry

The chin plays a key role in facial balance, and dermal fillers can be used to enhance the chin’s shape, size, and projection. Fillers can also help create a more defined jawline, or smooth out dimpling.

Chin Treatment Benefits:

    •    Improve facial harmony: A balanced chin can create better proportions between the lower, middle, and upper parts of the face.
    •    Smooth out dimples or wrinkles: Fillers can address skin dimpling on the chin, creating a smoother appearance.
    •    Add projection: For individuals with a recessed chin, fillers can add projection and shape.

Chin fillers are a non-invasive alternative to surgical chin implants, offering a quicker and less permanent solution for enhancing the lower face.

7. Jawline: For Definition and Sculpting

A defined jawline is often seen as a sign of youth and beauty. As we age, the jawline can lose its sharpness due to sagging skin and a loss of volume. Dermal fillers can be used to sculpt and contour the jawline for a more defined look.

Jawline Treatment Benefits:

    •    Create definition: Adds structure and sharpness to the jawline.
    •    Correct asymmetry: For those with uneven or undefined jawlines, fillers can create a more balanced appearance.
    •    Enhance masculinity or femininity: Depending on the desired aesthetic, fillers can create a sharper, more masculine jawline or a softer, more feminine contour.

Jawline contouring has gained popularity in recent years as a non-surgical alternative to jaw implants or other invasive procedures.

8. Temples: For Filling Hollows

The temples, located on the sides of the face between the eyes and hairline, can lose volume over time, leading to a gaunt, hollow appearance. Dermal fillers can restore lost volume in this area, creating a smoother transition from the forehead to the cheeks.

Temple Treatment Benefits:

    •    Restore volume: Fills in the hollows of the temples, giving a more youthful appearance.
    •    Balance facial proportions: Enhances symmetry by restoring balance to the upper face.

Though often overlooked, the temples are an important area for achieving overall facial harmony.

9. Nose: For Non-Surgical Nose Jobs

Also known as the liquid rhinoplasty, fillers can be used to reshape and contour the nose without surgery. This is a great option for people who want to correct small imperfections, such as a dorsal hump or a flat bridge.

Nose Treatment Benefits:

    •    Smooth bumps: Fills in dips and humps to create a smoother nasal profile.
    •    Improve symmetry: Filler can correct minor asymmetries in the nose.
    •    Enhance the nasal bridge: For those with a flat or low nasal bridge, fillers can add height and definition.

While filler results are temporary, they offer a non-invasive alternative to surgical rhinoplasty with little to no downtime.

10. Hands: For Rejuvenation

Though not on the face, the hands are another area where dermal fillers can be beneficial. Over time, the hands can lose volume, causing veins and tendons to become more prominent, and the skin can appear wrinkled and thin. Fillers restore volume, making the hands look more youthful.

Hand Treatment Benefits:

    •    Restore lost volume: Fills in hollow areas, creating a smoother, fuller appearance.
    •    Reduce the appearance of veins: By adding volume, fillers can minimize the visibility of veins and tendons.
    •    Smooth out wrinkles: Filler plumps the skin, reducing fine lines and wrinkles.

What to Expect During a Dermal Filler Treatment

Most dermal filler procedures are quick and require little to no downtime. The treatment process involves the following steps:

    1.    Consultation: During your consultation, your practitioner will assess your face and recommend the best areas for filler, based on your aesthetic goals.
    2.    Preparation: The injection area will be cleaned, and a numbing cream or local anesthetic may be applied to minimize discomfort.
    3.    Injection: The filler is injected into the targeted area using a fine needle or cannula.
    4.    Post-Treatment: You may experience mild swelling or bruising, which should subside within a few days.

View our full range of Dermal Filler here including Juvederm, Flawless, Restylane, Stylage, Teosyal and many more