Update on Dermal Filling Agents: The University of Miami Department of Dermatology's Cosmetic Center Perspective

Collagen and hyaluronic acid (HA), 2 of the key dermal constituents that are lost as a result of age and environmental stress, can be temporarily replaced with increasingly sophisticated products. In fact, dermal filling agents used in soft tissue augmentation procedures have steadily and significantly increased in popularity since their inception nearly 3 decades ago. For a while, bovine collagen implants were considered the standard-bearing agents but have recently been eclipsed by human-derived and HA fillers. This article presents an overview of the use of collagen, HA, and poly-L-lactic acid fillers in the dermal skin layer. We will also discuss the pros and cons associated with these fillers as well as their current application in soft tissue augmentation procedures as viewed and practiced by practitioners at the University of Miami Cosmetic Center, Florida.