The other day one of my male associates had dermal fillers injections. And no, it’s not what you’re thinking (duck lips). He wanted to define his jawline and chin. According to him, he doesn’t have a very defined jawline and chin, and he has gone through his adult life with a beard, which by the way made him look dang good. So, in order to undergo the non-surgical jawline contouring with dermal fillers for men, he had to shave his entire beard, and I immediately saw what he was talking about and why he felt that he needed the procedure (I’m not judging). To cut a long story short, after the bloody good facial plastic surgeon was done with him, his jawline and chin looked like they belonged to his Adonis next-county neighbor (I’m hoping he doesn’t read this).

Dermal Fillers for Men

This brings me to men and cosmetic injectables. When most folks hear of dermal fillers, they usually associate them with women, and they couldn’t be further from the truth. Dermal fillers for men have become more and more popular because men, just like women are noticing not only the signs of aging on their faces but are also concerned about their appearance. The goal of this procedure is often to look slightly youthful and to enhance and maintain masculine features. In short, they don’t want feminine features anywhere on the face or any other body part.

So, to get a bit of insight on these dermal fillers for men, I had a little tête-à-tête with one of Dubai’s leading plastic surgeons, Dr. Dragana Spica, and she had this to say about men and cosmetic injectables, especially dermal fillers (we’ll leave Botox for another day).

What are Dermal Fillers Used for?

According to Dr Dragana, fillers are used for replacing lost volume in the face, treating deep frown lines and smile lines at the sides of the mouth (nasolabial lines), lines from the mouth to the chin (marionette lines), filling the deep hollows under the eyes (the tear trough) and to also enhance the shape of the jawline and chin (in the case of my associate). Fillers can also shave off years from the face (you may need to take a facial anatomy crash course to understand this bit).

How Do the Dermal Fillers for Men Treatment Work?

Dermal filler treatment is a quick and straightforward treatment that usually lasts for about 30 minutes onwards depending on how big or complicated the target area is. Prior to the treatment, you may need a topical numbing cream, depending on your pain tolerance (I’ve seen people who went in without any). After around 20 to 30 minutes, the filler is administered by injections into the skin. This adds volume to the area targeted, in this case, the jawline and chin. The plastic surgeon then remodels the area to create the desired contours reshaping that particular area.

Dr. Dragana insists that that procedure is not painful, but I have a feeling you may feel it after the anesthesia wears off (it’s just a ‘little’ discomfort, so I hear). You may notice the results immediately after the treatment but there might be some swelling and bruising for a few days after. Two days after my associate had his ‘filling’, you could see the bruising on the chin, and he had some difficulty moving his jaw (that should tell you something). Anyway, thanks to the mandatory facial masks we have to wear courtesy of Ms. Rona, not many people noticed his Adonis predicament.

The Procedure is Not Permanent

Dermal fillers are not permanent, says the good doctor, adding that depending on the filler used, they can last anywhere from 6 months to 18 months depending on the patient’s metabolic rate. A person with a fast metabolism will need to retouch sooner than one with a slower metabolism. Modern fillers are allergy-free with a safety and efficacy of almost 20 years and are broken down and metabolized by the body over time.

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That said, Dr. Dragana advises that if you are going to have dermal fillers for men or women, it is important to go to an experienced and board-certified plastic surgeon who is an expert in the said treatment. As for the cost of dermal filler treatment, it all depends on where you are; just remember that cheap can turn out to be quite expensive in the long run!