Hand Filler

Anti-aging treatments tend to focus on the face and neck. Still, it is not only these areas that are susceptible to aging. The entire body ages. For example, fat tends to descend and accumulate easier, skin thins, and various areas of the body can lose or gain volume disproportionately. One of the areas not often thought about–but is highly visible and often causes patients distress–is the hands. Unable to avoid looking at our hands, patients tend to notice quickly when their hands become wrinkled. Luckily, in most cases, there is a quick, simple, and non-surgical way to address aging hands: dermal fillers. Northwest Face & Body offers the best hand filler Bellevue and Kirkland provide.

Hand Filler Injections Summarized

Hand fillers address one of the main causes of hand aging, volume loss. While changes and damage to the skin also contribute to aging hands, those who experience hollowing, new prominence of veins, or the visibility of tendons, often can benefit from hand filler. Though, treatments for the skin can often be carried out concurrently.

Dermal filler injections for the hands work similarly to facial fillers. Using a needle or a cannula (though more commonly a cannula for the hands), your injector plumps hollowed areas of the hands. This usually results in hands that look more vibrant and youthful. It also disguises veins and tendons. The exact technique and filler used will depend on various factors determined during a consultation.

Treatments For Aging Hands: Pros And Cons

Beyond fillers, there are many treatments and procedures that can prevent and treat the aging of the hands. Many can be combined with Bellevue hand filler injections for optimal results. The right procedure or combination of procedures depends on the state of your hands, anatomy, medical history, and your individual goals.

Below are some of the most common and popular procedures to treat aging hands. Let’s review the pros and cons of each hand rejuvenation option.

Hyaluronic Acid Fillers

Hyaluronic acid fillers are widely considered the safest and most frequently used filler in the United States. It is estimated that over three million people in the United States get filler injections every year. The vast majority of these injections are hyaluronic acid fillers.

Made of a naturally occurring substance in the body,  hyaluronic acid fillers have a low complication rate and are used all around the face, including in the lips, cheeks, temples, and chin. In 2018, Restylane Lyft was the first hyaluronic acid filler to gain FDA approval for the hands.

There are many benefits to choosing hyaluronic acid based fillers for the hands. Among them include:

• Natural looking and feeling results
• Address lost volume in the hands
• Can make some minor skin improvements (though other treatments are better suited for treating skin concerns)
• Dissolvable
• Pliable
• Hydrating
• Difference immediately noticeable with final results in about two weeks
• Low risk and safe

Like any elective, cosmetic procedure, using hyaluronic acid fillers does come with a few drawbacks, such as:

• Temporary; on average lasts between three and nine months
• Can result in lumps and bumps (normally treatable with massage or dissolution; most resolve within two weeks of injections)
• All but Restylane Lyft consider use in the hands “off label”
• Slightly riskier than other filler areas
• Does not address skin damage or concerns

Semi-Permanent Fillers

Semi-permanent fillers are a class of fillers that tend to last more than one year and promote the production of volume as they dissolve. This lessens the need for treatments in the future and promotes long lasting results. In this case, Radiesse was the first FDA approved dermal filler for the hands.

Radiesse contains calcium hydroxylapatite microspheres within a gel carrier. Calcium hydroxylapatite is a naturally occurring form of calcium found in your teeth and bones. After the injection, your body will slowly break down the filler over several months. As it does this, it produces collagen for longer lasting results.

Benefits of using a semi-permanent filler such as Radiesse for hand rejuvenation include:

• Longer lasting results (often up to two years before the need for more injections)
• Some permanent results possible
• Induces natural collagen production
• FDA approved (when using Radiesse)
• Collagen production can treat thinning skin and improve skin quality
• Preferred when treating more aged hands

The drawbacks of using semi-permanent fillers for the hands can include:

• Not reversible
• Requires a more experienced injector
• Does not produce the same amount of collagen production in every patient
• Comes with slightly more risk than hyaluronic acid fillers

Fat Transfer

Fat transfer to the hands is a more permanent, surgical procedure that involves liposuction to harvest fat from elsewhere on the body. The fat is then purified and injected back into the hands. Once fully healed and recovered, patients typically keep anywhere from fifty to seventy percent of the transferred fat permanently.

The benefits of a fat transfer to the hands procedure include:

• Effectively permanent (fat is still susceptible to lose like normal fat)
• Natural looking and feeling
• Uses your fat
• Risk of allergic reaction or rejection significantly lower
• Safe and effective
• Does not need maintenance treatments (at least not for several years in many cases)
• Offers opportunity to contour another part of the body

The main cons of this procedure mainly have to do with the required downtime and recovery. The drawbacks of undergoing fat transfer to the hands may include:

• Surgical procedure
• Increased risks due to anesthesia
• Higher upfront cost
• Unsatisfactory result often requires surgical revision
• Downtime and recovery necessary
• Weight changes can damage results

Laser Resurfacing

When it comes to treating the surface of the hands, there are various possibilities. These procedures are sometimes combined with hand filler in Bellevue to provide both restoration of volume and rejuvenation of the skin. One of these procedures is laser resurfacing which involves removing dead skin and the upper layers of skin to reveal new, more youthful skin beneath. This also stimulates collagen production which has many benefits like promoting the filling in of wrinkles and repair of damaged skin.

Other benefits of hand laser resurfacing include:

• Surgical and non-surgical options
• Improvement in the quality of the skin
• Reduction in fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots
• More youthful looking skin
• Safe and commonly performed procedure
• Permanent and/or long lasting results

Disadvantages of this hand restoration technique include:

• Sometimes not suitable for people with darker skin tones
• Often requires some downtime or recovery
• Skin is more sun sensitive for several weeks
• May require local or general anesthesia or sedation

Chemical Peels

Chemical peels are a non-surgical skin treatment that uses various acids to chemically resurfacing the skin. Like laser resurfacing, it removes layers of skin and dead skin for more youthful skin and collagen induction. This is also a great way to prevent hand aging.

Benefits of using chemical peels on your hands include:

• Non-surgical, minimally invasive procedure
• Typically performed in under an hour
• Both prevents and treats aging hands
• Lower risk
• Immediate results are not permanent, but often provides lasting effects and improvements

Disadvantages of using chemical peels on the hand may include:

• Better for preventing aging or treating less severely aged hands
• Some risk of pigmentation issues on darker skin tones
• May cause some skin peeling after treatment
• Sun sensitivity common

RF Microneedling

RF microneedling–also known as radiofrequency microneedling–uses tiny needles and radiofrequency waves to create controlled damage to the skin. This can promote collagen production, improve the look of sun damage, and help tighten and thicken crepey, thin skin. Similar to chemical peels, this non-surgical procedure can be performed in about an hour.

Benefits of RF microneedling for the hands include:

• Tighter skin
• Improved collagen production
• Little to no downtime
• Low risk and relatively few side effects
• Treats skin at a deeper level
• Functions as a preventative treatment and solution to concerns
• No risk to skin of color
• Safe and used all around the body

Some drawbacks may include:

• Needs multiple sessions for best results
• Can cause irritation
• Sun sensitivity
• Does not create the same amount of oxygen in every patient

Hand Filler Injections From Start To Finish

Initial Consultation

Meeting with your injector for a consultation, they will discuss the concerns you have the what you want to achieve with hand filler injections. Your injector will then review your medical history and aspects of your lifestyle before determining if you are an ideal hand filler candidate. If you are, it may be possible to commence with treatment on the same day or within a couple of weeks. If not a good candidate, they will likely suggest other treatments.

Hand Rejuvenation Injections

For your hand filler injections in Kirkland, your injector will start by disinfecting the injection sites with alcohol. They will then apply a topical numbing cream to keep you comfortable during the procedure. It takes approximately fifteen to twenty minutes to become sufficiently numb for treatment.

After you are numb and the filler is prepared, your injector will begin injecting filler into the hands. The specific injection sites depend heavily on the anatomy of your hands and how they have aged. Common spots include between the fingers and angled towards the fingers from the wrist. Filler is only injected into the back of the hand and not the fingers or palms.

The injections take around ten to twenty minutes. Your injector will also lightly massage the filler into place during the procedure. Overall, patients remain fairly comfortable during treatment, with some experiencing very little pain at all.

Aftercare And Results

You may experience some minor swelling and discomfort after the procedure. This should subside within two weeks. Your injector may instruct you to gently massage the filler. Results depend on the type of filler you chose. Both hyaluronic acid fillers and semi-permanent fillers will show some immediate results.

With hyaluronic acid filler, the filler will settle over the next couple of weeks and swelling goes away. However, this usually does not result in a dramatic change in the look of your hands. Frequently, the changes patients see are the flattening of bumps and swelling subsides.

Semi-permanent fillers may look somewhat overfilled at first. In the coming weeks, the results may shrink before slowly building up results again through natural collagen production. However, your hands will continue to look rejuvenated and less hollowed the entire time.

Hand Filler FAQs

Who Is A Good Candidate For Hand Fillers?

Anyone who has experienced fat loss in their hands and is in good general health is likely a good candidate for hand fillers in Bellevue. Most medical conditions do not interfere with candidacy unless they are not well controlled, are a bleeding disorder, infecting the treatment area, or otherwise serious enough to warrant non-treatment.

Age is not a major factor. The patient must only be a legal adult and possess anatomy that could benefit from hand filler injections. During your consultation, your injector will determine if you are a viable candidate.

Why Do My Hands Look Old?

When you age, your skin naturally slows collagen production. This can lead to thinner skin, more visible or unrepaired damage, and lessened skin quality. Additionally, areas with little fat such as the hands, under eyes, and temples frequently lose volume with advancing age. Other factors include sun damage and exposure, medical conditions, and if you smoke.

How Much Filler Is Needed For Hands?

On average, between one and three syringes of filler are necessary for the hands. The most commonly used amount is one syringe per hand.

What Are The Side Effects Of Dermal Fillers?

Side effects can occur. Most are minor, temporary, and treatable. They usually clear on their own within two weeks. Side effects you could experience include:

• Redness
• Swelling
• Bruising
• Discomfort
• Trouble moving your hands
• Numbness
• Tenderness

How Much Does It Cost To Get Filler In Your Hands?

The cost of filler ranges based on the filler you choose, the provider, and how much filler you use. On average, patients can expect to pay anywhere from $525 to more than $2000. Visit our price list and Price Simulator® for more pricing information.

Get Younger Hands With The Best Hand Filler In Bellevue And Kirkland

Northwest Face & Body is a premier plastic surgery practice and medical spa located at beautiful Carillon Point in Kirkland. Having served the Eastside’s cosmetic needs for over two decades, Northwest Face & Body provides the best hand filler Bellevue and Kirkland offers. They are also one of the top providers of cosmetic non-surgical procedures in the Pacific Northwest.

Our injectors come from a variety of educational backgrounds and have decades of combined experience. Having trained directly under expert plastic surgeons, they developed gentle and effective techniques. Understanding that filler injections bridge art and science together, they use their medical knowledge and artistic flair to cater each hand filler procedure to the individual patient.

To schedule a consultation, call us at 425-576-1700. You can also connect with us online via our Price Simulator®, chat, and contact forms.