When correcting aesthetic imperfections in a person’s face, cosmetic surgeons normally turn to injectable fillers to provide smoothness, balance and proper contouring beneath the facial skin. Such products are typically made or derived from animal tissue, which, while not necessarily unsafe, repulses potential patients for various reasons. Recently, the Danish company Ferrosan introduced a new type of permanent filler implant to the market, a formulation of hydrophilic polyacrylamide gel, which they have dubbed Aquamid. It is claimed that the unique composition of Aquamid naturally conforms to a person’s body and features, and lasts for at least a decade without needing replacement.

Aquamid is commonly used to adjust the shape and structure of one’s face, augmenting a wide variety of areas to suit a patient’s individual needs. Worry lines, for example, can be smoothed out by injecting small amounts of Aquamid into the damaged region. This technique also works well for fixing other similarly-afflicted areas, such as with naso-labial folds, the lines that appear from your nose to your mouth.

Nasal bridge enhancement may also be performed without surgery with the use of Aquamid, to raise the prominence of the same, or to give the nose a firmer, more even appearance.

High cheekbones are also valued highly in a person’s appearance, giving a person a reverse-triangular face shape that denotes beauty and sophistication. Aquamid can fill out sunken cheeks and add definition to the area to achieve this effect.

As a permanent filler, Aquamid can also be used to improve weak jawlines or strengthen chins to give them more prominence, which in turn makes a person’s profile more striking and powerful. Like other fillers, Aquamid can also be used to plump up your lips, restoring their shape and youthful glow.

Before you consider the use of Aquamid on your face, you must first check with your physician whether you can safely undergo the treatment. If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, for example, you will generally not be treated, as the chemicals from Aquamid may affect the health of your child. Also, if you have had previous treatments with other injectable fillers, you will be asked to wait until they have been fully absorbed and metabolized by your body before you are given Aquamid implants.

After the treatment, you must be careful not to engage in any activity that may disrupt or ruin the effect of the implant. You must avoid touching the affected area for at least six hours, or applying cosmetic makeup on the area for at least twenty-four hours. You should also avoid swimming or engaging in strenuous exercise for at least three days, and forego any other cosmetic enhancement procedures, such as dermal abrasion, on the treated area for at least six months. Stay out of extreme sunlight and temperature conditions, as well, as the exposure will adversely affect the implants. You are also expected to avoid taking aspirin or similar medication before or shortly after the treatment, as this may stimulate bleeding or bruising of the treated area.

Although Aquamid is a hypoallergenic and non-toxic substance, some side effects are to be expected as a part of your body’s adjustment to the implant. Itching, redness and swelling are all common, and should vanish in a few hours, or a couple of days at the most. In rare cases, patients have reported allergic reactions to Aquamid treatments, which manifest as either chronic inflammation or as accumulations of liquid in the area around the treated portion. These could also be the result of infection from improperly maintained or stored equipment. In either case, antibiotics and corticosteroids have provided swift and permanent relief.