Types of Fillers

If you’re looking to restore volume or enhance your features without resorting to cosmetic surgery, dermal fillers are probably on your radar. But there are a lot of different types of fillers on the market, and it can get confusing — especially if you’re trying to figure out which type of filler will be best for your purposes.

Read on to get clarity on the main types of fillers, understand what kind of results each one delivers, and figure out which one is right for you.

What Are Dermal Fillers and How Do They Work?

Dermal fillers are gel-based cosmetic injectables that add volume in the area where they are injected. They’re a non-surgical cosmetic solution to correct volume loss and enhance facial contours.

In the US, dermal fillers are classified as medical devices, and they must receive FDA approval to be used in clinics and med spas.

They’re most commonly used in the following ways:

• Fill in lines and folds, especially in the mid and lower face
• Restore volume in the cheeks or temples
• Balance or adjust facial contours, especially in the chin, jawline, and cheeks
• Smooth and add volume to the lips

The different types of fillers are typically categorized by the ingredients they’re based on, like hyaluronic acid, calcium hydroxyapatite, and more.

Hyaluronic Acid (HA) Fillers (Juvéderm, Restylane, and More)

• Brands: Juvéderm, Restylane, Revanesse, Belotero, Teoxane RHA
• How it works: Hyaluronic acid gel plumps up skin and attracts moisture
• Longevity: 1-2 years, reversible with hyaluronidase dissolver
• Treatment areas: Lips, cheeks, chin, undereyes, jawline, and more
• Look: Versatile, soft to firm, very natural to more noticeable
• Side effects: Swelling, bruising, or tenderness at the injection site are common
• Risks: Complications like infection or vascular occlusion exist, but are very rare. Lumps are often possible to correct with dissolver.
• Cost: $600-$2,800

Hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers are the most popular option in the market right now, and for an excellent reason. Made of cross-linked hyaluronic acid, they’re very versatile, creating different effects based on their texture.

Because hyaluronic acid exists naturally in the human body, allergic reactions are rare. The results can last for up to 2 years, but if there are any issues, they’re dissolvable. Many providers today prefer them as a result of that flexibility.

A skilled practitioner will use different fillers and techniques to achieve everything from subtle wrinkle correction to plush lip augmentation to complete facial rebalancing.

Most hyaluronic acid fillers also contain a touch of lidocaine, a numbing agent that minimizes discomfort during the treatment.

Calcium Hydroxylapatite/CaHA Fillers (Radiesse)

• Brands: Radiesse
• How it works: Immediate volume and long-term collagen stimulation
• Longevity: 12-18 months (with potential for long-term collagen production)
• Treatment areas: Nasolabial folds, jawline, cheeks, hands
• Look: Firmer, more structural
• Side effects: Bruising or swelling at the injection site, tenderness, temporary lumps
• Risk: Greater risk of nodules compared to other fillers, persistent inflammation in the injection site
• Cost: $600-$3,701 according to RealSelf

Calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) is a mineral that can be found in human bones. In filler, CaHA microspheres are suspended in a gel carrier, which results in a firmer, thicker product. The only CaHA filler on the market is Radiesse.

When injected into the skin, calcium filler provides immediate volume, but it also creates a scaffold that stimulates fibroblasts to produce more collagen and elastin. Because of its textures, it works best to fill in very deep folds or add structural volume to cheeks and jawline.

It’s important to note that there is a risk of nodules or lumps developing with CaHA-based filler, and unlike with HA fillers, they cannot be corrected with a dissolver injection.

Collagen and Polymethylmethacrylate/PMMA Fillers (Bellafill)

• • Brands: Bellafill
  • How it works: Collagen for short-term lift and PMMA for long-term collagen stimulation
  • Longevity: Up to 5 years
  • Treatment areas: Nasolabial folds, acne scars
  • Look: Subtle volume and smoothing
  • Side effects: Bruising, redness, tenderness at injection site, short-occurring lumps
  • Risks: Allergic reaction (allergy test often required before treatment), nodules are rare but problematic as filler is non-dissolvable
  • Cost: $725-$5,500

Collagen is a structural protein that naturally occurs in the human body. It’s the substance responsible for the skin’s firmness and strength.

The only collagen-based filler still on the market today is Bellafill, a polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and collagen hybrid. It’s made with bovine (cow-derived) collagen for immediate volume, and PMMA microspheres that create the scaffolding and structure for long-term results. This combination stimulates natural collagen production, providing up to 5 years of volume.

There are no longer any fillers made exclusively with collagen available in the USA. Most are no longer produced due to the high risk of late complications occurring months or years after the injection.

Poly-L-Lactic Acid/PLLA Fillers (Sculptra)

• Brands: Sculptra
• How it works: Once injected, PLLA stimulates collagen production. Typically requires 3-4 treatments to create desired results.
• Longevity: Up to 2 years
• Treatment areas: Temples, cheeks, nasolabial folds
• Look: Subtle volume, lift, or wrinkle reduction over time
• Side effects: Bruising, redness, itching, and tenderness at injection site
• Risks: Persistent nodules, granulomas, delayed inflammatory reactions, and rare vascular complications
• Cost: $800-$5,100

Poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) injections like Sculptra are better categorized as biostimulators than as fillers. These injections are designed to stimulate new collagen production where they’re injected for subtle wrinkle reduction and lifting. They do not add significant volume. PLLA gel dissipates within a few days of injection, and results show about 3-4 months after a treatment.

Types of Filler Brands

With so many types of fillers and brands on the market, it’s easy to get confused. Here’s a quick guide to the main filler brands and the types of products they make:

• Juvéderm is the most popular dermal filler brand in the US, with a large portfolio of hyaluronic acid fillers for very customizable outcomes. It’s manufactured by Allergan, the same company that makes Botox.
• Restylane is another highly popular hyaluronic acid filler brand, with its own versatile collection of fillers. It is made by Galderma, also the makers of Dysport.
• Other hyaluronic acid brands include Belotero, Revanesse, Teoxane RHA, and more.
• Radiesse is the only CaHA filler with FDA-approval. It is manufactured by Merz Aesthetics.
• Sculptra is the only PLLA-based injectable with FDA-approval in the US. Like Restylane, Sculptra is also a product of Galderma.
• Bellafill is the only FDA-approved PMMA filler brand, owned by Tiger Aesthetics.

Best Filler Types by Treatment Area

Lip Filler

The only types of fillers appropriate for the lips are hyaluronic acid fillers. Lip fillers usually fall into two subtypes:

• Medium-firm fillers like Juvéderm Ultra XC, which are ideal for creating volume
• Soft, minimally cross-linked fillers like Juvéderm Volbella or Restylane Kysse, which offer subtle volume and a wrinkle-smoothing effect.

Cheek Filler

Almost all fillers can work for the cheeks, but different ones can create different effects.

Hyaluronic acid cheek fillers come in varying textures, so you can find the exact balance of softness and firmness that you’re looking for.

CaHA fillers like Radiesse will typically give the cheeks a sharper look, while fillers that rely on biostimulation like Belofill (PMMA) and Sculptra (PLLA) will have more subtle smoothing and firming effects.

Depending on the filler and the quantity injected, you can achieve subtle smoothing, a softer, plumper look, or very sharp, chiseled-looking cheekbones.

Chin & Jawline Filler

Chin and jawline definition largely comes from bone structure, so the best types of fillers for the chin or jawline are usually firmer. Both hyaluronic acid and calcium hydroxyapatite fillers can work well, but most practitioners prefer using HA.

Refining chin and jawline contours requires a deep understanding of facial balance and careful injection technique. Having the ability to correct and adjust after is important to ensure peace of mind and precise results.

Fillers for Wrinkles & Nasolabial Folds

Another common use of filler is to minimize nasolabial folds. The best type of filler will add just the right amount of volume to smooth things out, with cross-linking not to spread too much. Hyaluronic acid dermal fillers like Juvéderm Vollure, Juvéderm Ultra Plus, Restylane Defyne, and Restylane Refyne are all great options.

Radiesse may also be used in the nasolabial folds, especially if they’re very deep.

Fillers can also help reduce wrinkles by stimulating collagen, for subtle but long-term results, in which case PLLA fillers like Sculptra are best.

Undereye Filler

Fillers for the undereye area should be more fluid and subtle. For immediate, reversible results, hyaluronic acid fillers with less crosslinking, like Juvéderm Volbella or Restylane Eyelight (as well as a few others in each brand’s portfolio) are a fantastic option.

Other types of fillers are not approved to use in the undereye area.

How Long Do Different Types Of Dermal Fillers Last?

Most fillers, including HA- and CaHA-based fillers, last for between one and two years. Bellafill (collagen & PMMA) can last for up to 5 years.

What Is the Best Type of Filler?

The vast majority of providers consider hyaluronic acid fillers to be the best option on the market. Thanks to different cross-linking techniques, HA fillers are the most versatile option. They can deliver anything from soft and subtle to plush and volumized to more defined or chiseled.

With any type of injectable filler, there’s a risk the patient will not like the outcome, change their mind, or develop unintended lumps or nodules. With most fillers, patients just have to endure until the filler eventually wears away. Hyaluronic acid fillers are the only option where corrections are easy, thanks to filler dissolver.

But the best way to find the best filler for you is also to speak to an experienced injector in your area. Your injector will consider your aesthetic goals, listen to your concerns, and recommend the filler that’ll deliver the right look and longevity for you.

In Summary

By now, you should have a clear understanding of the main types of dermal fillers and what makes each one unique.

That includes:

• Hyaluronic acid (HA)
• Calcium hydroxyapatite (CaHA)
• Poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA)
• Collagen and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)

Hyaluronic acid fillers are most injectors’ favorite option. They’re versatile, low-risk, and reversible. That said, some patients might prefer the biostimulating effect of PLLA fillers or the longevity of PMMA.

No matter which type of filler you choose, it’s important to work with an experienced injector who understands the nuances of the treatment.

If you’re curious about trying hyaluronic acid fillers, book a consultation with a nurse injector and ensure results you’ll love.