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Bellafill: a Filler That Cures Acne Scars

Acne goes away, but acne scarring doesn’t–at least, not without tremendous difficulty.

For those unfortunate enough to experience moderate to severe acne through adolescence and adulthood, sometimes they develop acne scarring on the face that can lead to serious self-esteem issues.

For many individuals, it’s worth it to go through some sort of skin rejuvenation treatment to try and heal these scars. This involves damaging the skin in such a way as to stimulate collagen production, via use of microdermabrasion or lasers.

But a new product called Bellafill is being used to treat acne scars. Not only that, it’s the only treatment by the FDA approved to treat acne scars.

AN INJECTABLE? IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE

Bellafill is an injectable. This means it’s a class of treatment a little less invasive than treatments like Fraxel or other lasers.

But what is it exactly? Bellafill is, well, a filler! It simply fills in the acne scars with a mix of collagen and acrylic.

The majority of fillers are made of hyaluronic acid, a substance chosen because it naturally occurs in the body and has many benefits as far as delivering nutrition and hydration to the skin. But Bellafill’s choice of filler has one huge advantage over other fillers: permanency.

Other fillers simply do not last as long, particularly when it comes to acne scars. Where other fillers will last a year and a half at most, such as your nasolabial folds, Bellafill will last five years. For acne scars, Bellafill lasts up to a year.

This can cause some issue for dermatologists, who find permanency in a filler to be a worrying aspect. While it sounds nice to not have to go through rigorous maintenance year in and year out, it affords the procedure a certain amount of flexibility and safety it otherwise wouldn’t have.

PATIENT CONSIDERATIONS FOR USING BELLAFILL

However, Bellafill went through a rather tough process to get FDA approval. For one thing, Bellafill is a synthetic filler. Unlike hyaluronic acid which occurs naturally in the body, Bellafill has products in it which can, theoretically, cause allergic reactions.

And unlike hyaluronic acid, if something goes wrong, hyaluronidase can’t simply be used to dissolve the filler. This means if a patient simply does not like the look of their filler, they’ll be in a bit of a hard spot as far as removing it.

If a more serious reaction occurs, such as an allergic one, surgery is an option to remove the filler, of course, but doctors would like to avoid that step if possible.

Of course, patients who use Bellafill should be tested for allergic reactions before the filler is ever used. Patients can undergo what’s called a skin test before the procedure to see if they’re good candidates or not.

Other considerations for a patient considering Bellafill include the type of scar that they have. If the patient doesn’t have a rolling scar — a scar where there is a slight depression in the skin around the scar — then Bellafill may not actually help their scar.

Besides that, the use of bovine collagen in Bellafill might be a no-no for vegan patients.

Overall, there are a number of disadvantages to be considered when using a product such as Bellafill versus more natural skin fillers such as those that use hyaluronic acid. For patients with acne scarring, Bellafill might be the best option they have as far as fillers to treat their acne scarring.

Ultimately, it’s up to the patient to do their due diligence and decide what will best meet their needs.

Want to know more about Bellafill injections at Rostami OPC? Call today to schedule your appointment.

SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION

Are you ready to explore your cosmetic treatment options? Schedule a consultation with us at our McLean, Virginia location. Our expert team is here to discuss your aesthetic goals and create a personalized treatment plan tailored just for you. Contact us today to take the first step towards your rejuvenation journey at Rostami OPC.

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