How Long Do Wrinkle Fillers Last?

Feb. 17, 2006 -- Wrinkle fillers containing hyaluronic acid smooth out wrinkles for more than four months, according to researchers.

New York plastic surgeon Sydney Coleman, MD, wrote the report which appears in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Three products containing hyaluronic acid have been approved by the FDA in recent years, Coleman notes. Those products are Restylane, Hylaform, and Hylaform Plus.

Coleman's report is not a head-to-head comparison of those products. Instead, it sums up current knowledge about safety and duration of results.

Coleman writes that the products are "clearly effective at diminishing wrinkles and folds for longer than four months."

"It is generally believed that hyaluronic acid injection fillers are safe and have no occurrence of serious adverse reactions or allergic reactions," Coleman writes.

However, he mentions a "low incidence of risks," such as temporary discoloration, bruising, and redness at the injection site. Occasionally, some symptoms last more than 10 days, including swelling, redness, darkening of the skin, blue discoloration, and lumpiness, the report states.

Patients should be informed about any risks, however rare, before getting the wrinkle fillers, Coleman notes. He adds that the fillers aren't intended to be injected into blood vessels because of the potential risk of serious side effects, including blood clots.