Dermal fillers
Dermal fillers add volume or support. Many contain cross-linked hyaluronic acid (HA), while others use different materials. Choose by the intended result and exact product.
Lip injection shown as an example of a filler procedure. The photograph does not identify the product or show a treatment result.
- Often discussed for
- Volume, contour, selected lines, or skin smoothness
- Recovery guide
- Swelling and bruising can last days to weeks
Commonly known as
Names you may see for this category or its subtypes. Some describe a technique or a marketing concept rather than the same treatment.
- Dermal fillers / soft-tissue fillers
- An umbrella for injectable products used for volume, contour or correction of folds. Not every filler contains HA.
- HA fillers / lip fillers
- HA means hyaluronic acid. “Lip filler” names the area being treated, not a separate ingredient.
- Biostimulatory fillers
- Some materials, such as PLLA or calcium hydroxylapatite, can stimulate collagen as well as provide correction. They are not non-cross-linked HA.
- Lip augmentation with fillers
- A focused use of an appropriate dermal filler to change lip volume, shape or border definition. It is different from lip revitalization with topical products and cosmetic microneedling.
- HA bioremodelling / hybrid cooperative complexes
- Often discussed alongside fillers, but classic skin-quality hybrid HA treatment differs from targeted volume correction. Thermal stabilisation is different from covalent chemical cross-linking.
HA: cross-linked versus non-cross-linked
Cross-linking connects HA chains into a more persistent gel. Many HA fillers use it for shape and support. Non-cross-linked HA is often used in skin-quality treatments. This is not a strict dividing line: some skin boosters also use cross-linked HA. The product’s intended use and gel properties matter.
The exact product matters
Hyaluronic acid, calcium hydroxylapatite and poly-L-lactic acid have different properties. Some products stimulate collagen. Ask about the evidence and authorized use of the specific product and treatment area.
Risks to understand
Lumps, infection and delayed reactions can occur. Accidental injection into a blood vessel can cause tissue death, blindness, or stroke. These rare complications require an experienced clinician and an emergency plan.
A question about reversibility
Some hyaluronic acid fillers can be dissolved, but removal has risks and may not reverse a complication. Not all fillers can be dissolved.
“What exactly are you injecting and how do you recognize and manage a blocked blood vessel?”
Patient experiences90%“Worth It”Read patient summaries and sources
Accounts include subtle improvements and satisfaction with facial balance as well as asymmetry, unwanted fullness and difficult correction journeys.
RealSelf groups different products, techniques and providers under this heading. The score cannot distinguish individual approaches. Self-selected reviews reflect perceived value. They do not measure clinical success or your chance of a complication.
How to read these reviewsRead the original sources
Professional & regulatory sources
European Commission: aesthetic products and Annex XVI (EU framework) France · ANSM: injectable filler risks U.S. FDA: dermal fillers, uses and risks (United States) ASPS: filler materials and collagen stimulationManufacturer information
Galderma: a cross-linked HA skin booster (manufacturer information)General education. Your clinician can assess your individual suitability. Rules depend on the treatment country; FDA references concern the United States. External sources may be in another language.