Longevity of effects of injectable products for soft-tissue augmentation.

With the growing number of injectable products for soft-tissue augmentation, non-surgical total facial restoration is within reach. Nevertheless, the ideal injectable product has yet to be developed; at present different approaches are required for different soft-tissue deficits. Products have previously been categorized as either temporary (requiring frequent touch-up treatments) or permanent (associated with possible long-term complications and results that do not co-exist harmoniously with the aging face). Although this dichotomy remains, longer-lasting or "semi-permanent" products are beginning to emerge. There has long been a void in the availability of products that can effectively rejuvenate the face for between 2 and 5 years. This time period would allow the patient to correct the continuing signs of aging with re-treatment at intervals that are tolerable from both a financial and time-management perspective.