The Filler Market Is Changing, Not Going Away

You’ve probably seen the reports and think pieces saying we’re leaving filler behind. Some celebrities are opting for undetectable facelifts and there’s more news of dissolving old fillers. But, the data shows that injectable fillers remain hugely popular. Based on the sheer number of patients, there’s no evidence to support the idea that it’s going away. But filler has changed.

Featured Experts

• Aviva B Preminger is a board-certified plastic surgeon based in New York
• Jennifer Segal is a board-certified plastic surgeon based in Houston
• Orit Markowitz is a board-certified plastic surgeon based in New York
• Jennifer Hopkins is a board-certified plastic surgeon with practices in Southlake, TX and Monroe, LA

The Expert Touch

“You’ll notice that there have always been quality fillers and patients that age beautifully with fillers,” notes Houston, TX dermatologist Jennifer Segal, MD. “That’s because it’s much less about the filler than the filler, the person actually injecting.”

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“Placing filler is an art,” adds Monroe, LA dermatologist Janine Hopkins, MD. “For fillers to have the best outcome, you need to consider what product you’re putting where, and you need the anatomical expertise to know how that placement will age over time.”

Experts in this art have refined techniques and focus on providing the most natural-looking results.

“We’re increasingly going for a more natural, less-detectable approach,” New York dermatologist Orit Markowitz, MD says. “And that means using fillers more for subtle enhancement than for full volume restoration or to try and provide lift.”

Keeping Injectable Fillers Undetectable

“The key to undetectable fillers is restraint, precision and anatomical understanding,” notes New York plastic surgeon Aviva B. Preminger, MD. “My approach focuses on enhancing facial harmony by focusing on balance and proportion. I also use micro-droplet techniques or cannulas for the smoothest distribution and choose the right filler for the right area. The lips need softer, more flexible fillers, while the jawline benefits from a firmer filler that supplies structure.”

And when injectable fillers aren’t undetectable, it can start to look worse over time.

According to Dr. Segal, the idea that we’re shifting away from fillers has a lot to do with poorly injected filler aging poorly, becoming more and more detectable with age. “As we age, our skin thins and you can start to see when filler is injected too superficially,” she notes. “You start to age around the fillers. That’s why it’s so critical to have a fully undetectable approach that plays the long game.”

The Toolkit

“It’s important for patients to understand that filler isn’t a fix-all,” Dr. Hopkins says. “I have seen plenty of young patients who think they need under-eye fillers, for example, when they really just need a ring light for Zoom calls. As practitioners, we have to be ready to offer the most effective solutions, and that means using filler when it will create a positive, natural enhancement.”

In the right hands, fillers have been and continue to produce quality, lasting results that age gracefully. And experts don’t see them going anywhere.

“Filler will always have a place in comprehensive anti-aging treatment plans,” says Dr. Segal. “In an expert’s toolkit, dermal fillers are a great option for a natural-looking refresh that works alongside options like neuromodulators, lasers, Radio Frequency, PRP, microneedling and skin care for a holistic approach.”