Throughout different cultures and times concepts of beauty may change. But it is unequivocally recognized that young faces are more attractive. In the early part of the century, procedures for rejuvenation of the face were aimed at counteracting sagginess due to gravity and removing excess skin.
It is only in the recent decade or two that it has become evident that with aging, there is a loss of volume in the face that contributes to sagging.
In addition, there are some facial contour deficiencies that can only be corrected by addition of volume. Currently there are many options in dermal fillers that can add volume to the face. For example, Juvederm, Perlane, Radiesse, Restylane, Sculptra and ArteFill are some of the available fillers on the market today.
The oldest filler available is fat, used in fat transfer or grafting. Using gentle liposuction, the fatty tissue can be obtained from some other part of the body. Unfortunately, most of these fillers are only temporary and last anywhere from a few months to a couple of years. An alternative and simple way to add volume to the face is by placement of facial implants, which are permanent. The most commonly used facial implants are cheek implants, chin implants and mandibular angle (jaw line) implants.
