The Right Filler for the Right Area
Injections are a routine office procedure — but they are best performed by a plastic surgeon who is intimately familiar with the anatomy of the face. Dr. Rafizadeh not only has the experience and training necessary, but also carefully informs patients about the meaningful differences between various fillers. A filler that works beautifully in one area can produce an unnatural or even dangerous result in another.
The public often assumes all fillers are the same. They are not. Dr. Rafizadeh uses several fillers in his Morristown practice and selects each one based on its specific properties and the area being treated — never a one-size-fits-all approach.
“I generally use Restylane for the lips, eyelids, tear trough and to fill larger wrinkles. I use Belotero for the fine lines like the vertical lines in the upper lip. Radiesse and Perlane are used in the nasolabial folds and to volumize the cheeks. Radiesse was my go-to filler for restoring volume to the cheeks, chin and performing chin and cheek augmentation.”
— Dr. Farhad Rafizadeh, MD FACS
Restylane — Lips, Eyelids & Tear Trough
Restylane is a hyaluronic acid filler with high cohesiveness (g-prime) and low water absorption. This makes it ideal for areas where precision lifting is needed without puffiness — specifically the lips, eyelids, and tear trough (under-eye hollow). Its low hydrophilicity means it won't absorb excess water and swell in the delicate under-eye tissue. Dr. Rafizadeh favors Restylane for these sensitive areas and for filling larger facial wrinkles.
Juvederm Voluma — Cheeks & Midface
Juvederm Voluma is a highly cohesive hyaluronic acid filler specifically engineered for cheek and midface volumization. It lifts and restores the midface volume that is lost with aging. Being an HA filler, it has the added safety advantage of being dissolvable with hyaluronidase if needed. Dr. Rafizadeh uses Voluma for mid-face augmentation and carefully evaluates whether it or Radiesse is the better choice for each patient's cheek anatomy.
Radiesse — Cheeks, Chin & Nasolabial Folds
Radiesse is calcium hydroxylapatite — a fundamentally different filler from the HA family. It provides the greatest lifting effect of any available filler and also stimulates the body's own collagen production over time (a biostimulatory effect), extending results beyond the filler's own lifespan. Dr. Rafizadeh uses Radiesse for the nasolabial folds, cheek volumization, chin augmentation, and jawline contouring. It typically lasts 12–18 months — longer than most HA fillers. It is not used in the lips or under the eyes due to its thicker consistency.
Belotero — Fine Lines & Lip Lines
Belotero is a finely cross-linked hyaluronic acid filler that integrates smoothly into superficial skin layers. Dr. Rafizadeh specifically uses it for the delicate fine vertical lines above the upper lip — an area where thicker fillers can look lumpy or unnatural. Belotero's soft consistency allows it to smooth these lines without adding unwanted bulk.
Fillers vs. Neuromodulators
Fillers and neuromodulators (BOTOX/Dysport) are fundamentally different. Neuromodulators eliminate muscle function to reduce dynamic wrinkles caused by expression. Fillers add volume to the face, fill depressions or static wrinkles, and create or enhance facial features like the cheekbones and chin. Many patients benefit from both in a combined treatment plan.
