Treating wrinkles from nose to mouth (nasolabial folds).

I have deepening nasolabial folds that really bother me. I'd like to treat them with dermal fillers. One complication I'm concerned about is the fact that I may have Sjögren's syndrome (still being determined). Are fillers a no-go for me?

Treating wrinkles from nose to mouth, or the nasolabial folds, is probably the most area requested for fillers, even more than lips. FDA approved for most fillers in the U.S. Remember one key fact, deepening folds in this area almost always indicate some volume loss in the cheeks, which causes the cheek to sag toward the nose. You can soften the folds by just filling the fold space in……..but it won’t be generally as good as lifting the cheek some at the same time. This more true in women/men over 50.

Fillers used vary but the most common  in this location are the hyaluronic acid fillers (HA) like Juvederm, Restylane, Restylane Lyft, Voluma, etc. Next is probably Radiesse and Sculptra.

HA fillers are generally safe in people with autoimmune diseases like Sjogrens because hyaluronic acid is already found in our skin and reactions to these products are extremely rare. Avoid Sculptra and Radiesse in my opinion which also cannot be easily reversed if there is a problem, unlike the HA fillers.

In my opinion, any permanent filler like Artefill or silicone is not safe and they doesn’t age well in the face. They are also more likely to cause reactions in patients with autoimmune diseases.

Hope this helps,  Dr. Irwin

See Dr. Irwin’s Guide to Fillers

Dr. Brandith Irwin, MD

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Hi, I’m Dr. Irwin. I believe that consumers deserve a medically trained and unbiased skin care advocate.

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