The ever-growing collection of fillers on the market, combined with extensive advertising by the companies that make them, can be confusing. Savvy consumers familiarize themselves with the available options, especially when the topic is medical care. However, new products present a bit of a quandary. Innovation sounds promising, but tried-and-true sounds safe. There is no simple answer, as it varies from one product to the next.

Extensive clinical trials are needed in order to gain FDA approval, but some products have been tested more than others have. Many are approved and used extensively in other countries prior to becoming available here, which provides volumes of clinical data. Additionally, the simple fact that a brand is new does not mean it necessarily has clinical advantages over the pre-existing alternatives.

You may have noticed that some new products are available at Dr Shelton’s practice as soon as they hit the market, some are added much later, and some are never added. A variety of options is a great advantage for customizing each person's treatment, but we take great care in choosing the products that we use. New dermal fillers are added only when we are confident that they are safe, effective, and truly beneficial to our patients. Our selection of fillers currently includes:

• Juvéderm® XC
• Juvéderm Voluma™ XC
• Vollure
• Volbella
• Restylane®
• Radiesse®
• Sculptra®
• Belotero®