Skip to content 
You’ve seen facial dermal fillers – the beautiful, the bad, and the ugly. But, did you know your very own blood can be used to fill facial deficits – one might even call it a natural filler. You might be wondering: how does it work? And how do you choose?
PRF EZ Gel works by centrifuging and heating then cooling components of the blood to extract albumin and platelet-rich-fibrin into a gel-like consistency. This gel acts as a carrier for all of the good components of your blood like PDGF, TGF-B1, VEGF, IGF, and EGF. The carrier state allows for those components to integrate into the skin and its surrounding tissues for 4-6 weeks (unlike PRP or liquid PRF which only sticks around for 2-3 weeks). We recommend a series of at least 2 spaced 4-6 weeks apart, to compound that collagen stimulation that’s occurring in that time frame, then a yearly maintenance. It’s completely natural with no additional additives. Now that this sounds too good to be true, I’ll share some things that PRF EZ Gel won’t give you that hyaluronic acid dermal fillers can. PRF EZ gel works a little more slowly as it is asking your body to repair and replenish cells – healing takes time, just like a broken bone. It also won’t provide you an immediate robust lift like one might want in the cheeks (but it can beautifully fill in under-eyes and help with discoloration and hollowing). Finally, we can’t use PRF EZ Gel in the lips but we can definitely give you that beautiful hydration and plumpness with an HA dermal filler like Versa.
Now let’s talk about your traditional hyaluronic acid dermal fillers. Hyaluronic acid is a substance our body also naturally produces and it lives in our joint spaces, skin, connective tissues etc. doing exactly what we ask it to do when we inject it exogenously or apply it topically — moisturizes, hydrates, plumps, defines, and cushions. Cool, right? But how do we know what hyaluronic acid dermal filler to choose? Well they are made with different g’s (re: g prime’s) which is a term to define the firmness of the filler. A low g’ is softer and more flexible – like whipped cream. It moves with the face more naturally and is great for highly dynamic areas. A higher g’ is more firm and provides more structure, like modeling clay, and is great in the cheeks or jawline. And lastly, what is a syringe? How many syringes do I need? Medical aesthetics is shifting to a more natural looking aesthetic – which is great – but also requires what we call facial balancing. It’s where anatomy, architecture, and aesthetics come together. One syringe of filler is typically 1.0mL-1.2mL. To visualize that, it’s like a big blueberry. For facial balancing it typically requires multiple syringes, of different product, to give that natural looking results – so don’t let the number of syringes freak ya out! We have a trained eye for facial shadows and deficits, allowing us to skillfully place product to craft a more beautiful version of you. Maintenance of dermal fillers depends on what product we use, where, and how much but can vary anywhere from 3-18 months. Additionally, dermal fillers can also be dissolved by something called hyaluronidase.
To wrap up – both PRF EZ Gel and dermal fillers are great options for harmonizing the face. They work in different ways and timelines, depending on what you’re wanting. We want to meet you where you’re at. Stop in for a consultation and we can explore what will work best for you!
Stay tuned for an upcoming post about biostimulators!
Warmly,
Emma Cornwell, PA-C
Aesthetic Injector @ MaVie MedSpa
