Fillers, skin boosters and biostimulators: what each one does

Three treatments tend to get grouped under the word "injectables" as if they were versions of the same thing. They are three different tools. One restores volume, one improves how the skin holds water, and one prompts the skin to rebuild its own collagen. Knowing which is which makes the evaluation a much easier conversation.

Start with the concern, not the product

Most people arrive with a product in mind. The more useful starting point is what you see in the mirror. A shadow under the eye or a flatter cheek is a volume question. Skin that looks dull and feels dry is a hydration question. Skin that has become thinner and less firm over a broad area is a collagen question.

Each of those has its own treatment, and choosing the wrong one is the usual reason a result disappoints. At Clinique Medix the evaluation with Dr. Andrew Gyopar, physician is where the concern is identified first and the treatment is chosen second.

Dermal fillers: volume and shape

A dermal filler is a hyaluronic acid gel that is firm enough to hold a shape. It is placed at a specific depth to restore volume where it has been lost: under the eyes, in the cheeks, along the folds from nose to mouth, in the lips, the chin and the jawline.

The result is visible as you leave. Swelling settles over three to fourteen days, and that is when the result should be judged. It lasts six to eighteen months depending on the product and the area.

Hyaluronic acid can be dissolved with an enzyme, usually within a day or two. That reversibility is the reason this family of product is used. Fillers are priced per millilitre, and the amount is agreed at the evaluation.

Skin boosters: hydration under the skin

A skin booster uses the same family of material for a different job. The hyaluronic acid is soft and is spread in many tiny points across an area, so it holds water in the living layer of the skin instead of holding a shape.

It suits dull, dehydrated skin and fine lines on the face, neck, décolleté and hands. Your features stay as they are. What changes is the quality of the skin over them.

Small raised points where each deposit went in are normal and flatten overnight. A plan usually starts with two or three sessions spaced two to four weeks apart, with a first change at about two weeks, then one session every four to six months.

Biostimulators: your own collagen

A biostimulator adds no volume of its own. It is a suspension of particles that prompts the skin to produce new collagen around them over the following weeks. The particles break down, and the collagen is what stays.

It suits a broad loss of firmness: thinner, crêpey skin on the cheeks, jawline, neck and hands. It is the choice for a gradual change that builds quietly.

Nothing shows on the day. Firmness starts to build at four to six weeks, the result is clearest at three to six months, and it can last up to two years. It is given as a short series, usually two or three sessions, and you will be shown a simple massage routine to follow at home for five days.

How the three compare

Timing is the clearest difference. A filler shows on the day. A skin booster shows at about two weeks. A biostimulator shows over months.

Purpose is the second. A filler shapes, a skin booster hydrates, a biostimulator firms. None of the three relaxes an expression line, which is the role of a neuromodulator, and none resurfaces sun damage, which is the role of a laser such as LaseMD Ultra.

Can they be combined?

Often, yes, because they work at different depths and answer different questions. A plan may restore volume in one area and improve skin quality in another, usually over more than one visit. The order and the spacing are part of the plan set at the evaluation.

What the evaluation decides

In Québec these are medical treatments, and every plan begins with a medical evaluation in person. The physician looks at where volume has changed, how the skin behaves and what result you want, then tells you which treatment fits, how much is needed and what it costs. You hear all of that before you decide anything. Injection care and follow-up are provided by Tatiana, nurse, at the same address.

Clinique Medix is at 1220 Bernard Avenue in Outremont. To start, request an evaluation and the clinic will call you back.

FAQ

What is the difference between a filler and a skin booster?

Both use hyaluronic acid. A filler is firm and placed in one spot to hold a shape. A skin booster is soft and spread across an area to hold water. One changes contour, the other changes skin quality.

Which one lasts longest?

A biostimulator can last up to two years. A filler lasts six to eighteen months depending on the area. A skin booster is maintained with one session every four to six months.

Which one shows results fastest?

A filler, which is visible as you leave. A skin booster shows a first change at about two weeks, and a biostimulator builds over three to six months.

Can a filler be reversed?

Yes. Hyaluronic acid fillers can be dissolved with an enzyme, usually within a day or two.

How do I know which one I need?

That is the purpose of the evaluation. The physician identifies whether the concern is volume, hydration or firmness, and the treatment follows from that.