Wrinkles on the face, neck, and chest can be caused by a number of different factors. Chief amongst those factors are age, gravity, sun exposure, and diet. Your chest is particularly susceptible to wrinkling because of the thinness of the skin in that area.

But just because the skin of your décolleté is prone to wrinkling doesn’t mean that wrinkles are inevitable. A number of treatments are available to help smooth the skin and restore it to its youthful appearance. These treatments range in invasiveness from topical moisturizers and hydrators to injectable fillers and botox.

This article will serve as a comprehensive guide to the latter: injectable fillers for wrinkles. You’ll learn what they are, how they work, their pros and cons, and what can be used as an alternative.

What are fillers?

It’s a common misconception that “fillers” is a broad term for anything that is injected into the skin (including Botox™). It would be more appropriate to call this broad category “injectables” because fillers and Botox™ do two drastically different things.

Botox™ works to relax the muscle underneath the injection site so that the skin can return to a more natural state. This relaxation smooths the wrinkles that have formed due to prolonged contraction of the underlying muscle.

Fillers, on the other hand, do as their name suggests: they fill in the empty spaces within the skin left by the breakdown of collagen and elastin.

What types of fillers for wrinkles are there?

Wrinkle fillers come in four distinct types: Hyaluronic, Synthetic, Collagen and Autologous. Let’s look at each one in turn.

1. Hyaluronic

Hyaluronic acid is a natural part of the human body. It acts as a cushion and a lubricant in joints and tissue. Most hyaluronic acid used as dermatologic filler is produced in the laboratory.

Common brand-name hyaluronic fillers include Juvaderm (and its many varieties), Perlane, Restylane and HylaForm.

2. Synthetic

As the name suggests, synthetic fillers are not related to any substance found naturally in the body. All synthetic fillers are produced in a lab.

Common brand-name synthetic fillers include Radiesse, Sculptra and Silicone.

3. Collagen

Collagen fillers—whether produced synthetically or extracted from cows—function similarly to your body’s own natural collagen.

Common brand-name collagen fillers include Cosomoderm, Fibrel and Zyplast.

4. Autologous

The word “autologous” means “obtained from the same individual”. Autologous fillers, then, are fillers composed of material—most often fat—taken from your own body. Opting for an autologous filler means that you will have to have two encounters with a needle: one to extract the fact, and another to inject it as filler.

Another type of autologous filler that has become popular in recent years is platelet-rich plasma. Like the fat-used-as-filler option, platelet-rich blood is extracted from your body, processed, and injected into the skin to smooth out wrinkles.

How do fillers for wrinkles work?

Age, gravity, and sun damage cause collagen and elastin in the dermis to break down. Wrinkle fillers are used, as their name suggests, to “fill in” the empty space left behind. They act as a plumper that pushes against the epidermis from underneath to smooth out the cuticle (the top-most layer of skin) and get rid of those unsightly wrinkles.

You can think of fillers as the helium that inflates a balloon. When the helium is forced inside the empty space within the balloon, the pressure of the helium acts to stretch and tighten the surface. The same concept works for injectable fillers.

The fillers take up the space where collagen and elastin should be, and press against the epidermis from the inside. This pressure smooths the wrinkles that form because of age, sun damage, or gravity.

If you’re thinking about employing fillers to remedy wrinkly skin, there is a procedure that should always be followed.

1. Consult a physician or dermatologist

Because of the invasive nature of this treatment, you should always consult a physician or dermatologist before making such a decision.

2. Choose the filler that is right for you

Your physician or dermatologist can help you choose the filler that is right for you. Each type of filler has its own pros and cons (outlined below). In addition, some fillers may not right for your specific skin. Be sure you get all this information before making your choice.

3. Fillers should always be administered by a professional

The procedure should always be done by a professional (a physician or a dermatologist with specialized training). Furthermore, the procedure should always be done in a medical setting and with sterile instruments. Doing otherwise can result in permanent damage to your skin.

4. Follow your doctor’s advice after the treatment

Doctors know best so always adhere to the care and maintenance of your skin after the injection process. This includes applying sunscreen daily. Following your doctor’s recovery advice will help preserve the filler and protect against pigment changes.

The pros and cons of wrinkles fillers

PRO: One treatment

Complete wrinkle removal can often be done in just one 30-minute treatment.

PRO: Long-lasting

Most fillers last between 6 months to 1 year. Some fillers can even maintain results up to 2 or 3 years.

CON: Botox™ can be ineffective in the décolleté area

Because Botox™ works to relax the muscle under the skin, and because the chest (the skin above the sternum) is relatively devoid of muscle, Botox™ can be ineffective, even dangerous, if used in this area.

CON: Side-effects

Whenever you introduce a foreign substance into your body—even if it’s an autologous substance—you run the risk of having an allergic reaction. For fillers, such allergic reactions include tiny bumps (that can become permanent) or a bluish skin discoloration (that can last for several months).

The best alternative

The best alternative to fillers for wrinkles works specifically on the skin of your décolleté, doesn’t require needles, doesn’t require a doctor’s visit, has no side-effects, and can produce results in as little as 8 hours (while you sleep). That alternative is SiO Beauty’s 24-Hour System.

The SiO Smoothing Patches are the secret to anti-wrinkle success. When worn overnight, the SkinPad creates a breathable micro-climate between the skin and the pad. This micro-climate draws moisture to the skin and traps it there to hydrate the skin of your décolleté while you sleep. This 8-hour hydration restores the natural, youthful beauty of the décolleté, while also acting to prevent future wrinkles from forming.

Couple that with the SiO Décolleté Cleansing Discs and you’ve got an effective recipe for all-day wrinkle healing and prevention.