How long a filler lasts tells you whether it would be a small trial or a bigger commitment, so it is a smart thing to find out early.
Getting a range for your product
Your provider can name a range for the specific product they use. Ask for that range, and ask what it is based on.
Why the answer shapes your budget
How long a result lasts ties into cost and commitment, because a filler that fades sooner means more visits and more bills. Questions to take along:
- How long should this product last in the area we are treating?
- What does a repeat visit cost compared with the first one?
- What happens if I decide not to repeat it?
- When will I be able to judge the result fairly?
Jot the answers down so you can set two providers side by side later.
Before saying yes to repeat visits
Talk to one provider first, ask your questions and give yourself a few days to think. Ask how often you would come back, because each repeat is a new treatment to agree to. If you would like to read up before asking, a gentle way in is the FDA's page on FDA-approved dermal fillers, alongside a hospital health library's page that explains what a vascular occlusion is. It is also fair to ask where your provider gets their product. A news report on a Botox botulism outbreak is about a different injectable, but it is a reason to ask where any injectable comes from.
When someone promises an exact date
A licensed provider can tell you how long a particular filler is expected to last for you. If anyone promises an exact timeline, ask them to explain how they know.