PDGF (Platelet-Derived Growth Factor)
Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is a powerful regenerative option that can be injected or applied topically. This growth factor stimulates natural healing and is commonly used to support hair restoration and reduce under-eye hollowness. As one of our most effective regenerative treatments, PDGF helps boost collagen production and enhances skin vitality over time.
PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma)
PRP is a widely used treatment in regenerative medicine. Derived from your own blood, platelet-rich plasma is packed with healing factors and can be administered as a liquid, topical serum, or injectable. PRP is ideal for patients looking to rejuvenate the skin, restore thinning hair, and achieve a natural glow with minimal downtime. It’s one of the most versatile regenerative medicine treatments we offer.
Derma PRP
Derma PRP is a gel-based version of PRP used as a natural, bio-compatible filler. It adds volume and structure to areas of the face that have lost fullness due to aging, such as the cheeks or under-eyes. Unlike synthetic fillers, Derma PRP works with your body to stimulate collagen and improve skin quality while offering immediate volume. It’s a gentle but effective option within our regenerative treatments lineup.
Biostimulatory Fillers
Biostimulatory fillers, also known as biostimulator treatments, are advanced injectables designed not only to restore lost volume but also to stimulate your body’s natural regenerative processes. Unlike traditional fillers that simply add volume, biostimulatory products activate collagen and elastin production, improve skin quality, and strengthen the underlying support structure over time. This regenerative effect leads to results that continue to improve for months after treatment and can last significantly longer than standard dermal fillers. At Eterna Cosmetic Surgery, our regenerative treatment options include Radiesse, Sculptra, and Bellafill, each offering unique benefits for volume restoration and tissue renewal.
Radiesse
Radiesse contains calcium hydroxylapatite microspheres that provide immediate volume while stimulating collagen and elastin production. This dual benefit not only enhances contour but also strengthens skin structure for lasting improvement in firmness and tone.
Sculptra
Sculptra is made of poly-L-lactic acid, a powerful collagen stimulator that gradually restores volume by rebuilding the body’s own supportive tissue. Results appear progressively, offering natural-looking enhancement and improved skin quality over time.
Bellafill® in San Antonio
Collagen is our body’s most abundant protein, giving structure to our skin, muscles, and connective tissue. Our bodies produce less collagen as we age, resulting in fine lines and wrinkles.
These are two of the most common complaints Dr. Hernandez and her team heard. Additionally, acne scars are another skin imperfection that can frustrate patients who are unable to find a suitable treatment to eradicate this painful reminder of youth on their own.
Dr. Hernandez is pleased to offer Bellafill® as a premium dermal filler for her patients at our Eterna Cosmetic Surgery office in San Antonio.
What is Bellafill®?
Bellafill® is a collagen-based dermal filler with polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) microspheres. The collagen gel in Bellafill® provides immediate volume and lift to correct wrinkles and acne scars. Once injected, these microspheres stay in place, creating a base that provides structural support for smoother-looking skin.
This safe and effective dermal filler’s central component is bovine collagen, a natural protein that gives our skin volume. The ingredients in Bellafill® are considered non-resorbable, meaning they won’t be absorbed into the body or metabolized.
Bellafill® is the longest-lasting dermal filler on the market today. It is approved for correcting nasolabial folds or smile lines. It is also frequently used to correct moderate to severe acne scars.
How does Bellafill® work?
The collagen in Bellafill® provides immediate volume and lift for results you can enjoy as soon as you leave the Eterna Cosmetic Surgery office in San Antonio. Over time, the collagen is reabsorbed while the PMMA microspheres are left behind. They create a supportive base that allows more collagen to develop, resulting in smoother-looking skin in the long term.
How many Bellafill® treatments will I need to reach my desired results?
Patients often reach their desired results with only one Bellafill® treatment from Dr. Hernandez at Eterna Cosmetic Surgery.
How long do Bellafill® results last?
Bellafill® is a long-lasting dermal filler that lasts up to five (5) years or longer. Because of the uniqueness of Bellafill® compared to other fillers, many patients report improved results after five to six months.
It’s important to note that Dr. Hernandez refers to Bellafill® as a “semi-permanent” filler. The PMMA microspheres do not dissolve; they become permanently incorporated into patient tissue.
Who is an ideal candidate for treatment with Bellafill®?
Nearly everyone is a suitable candidate for Bellafill® treatment. Bellafill® works well for people of all genders and with a range of skin types.
If you have a history of severe allergies, have a known allergy to bovine collagen, are allergic to lidocaine, have a bleeding disorder, or are prone to thick or excessive scar formation, be sure to inform Dr. Hernandez before your treatment.
How is Bellafill® different from other fillers?
Bellafill® provides immediate improvement and improves results after five to six months due to its ability to prompt the production of additional collagen from your body. This competes with other fillers (including hyaluronic acid-based fillers), which dissolve and show diminishing results after six months.
What can I expect after treatment with Bellafill®?
Patients can resume regular activities immediately following their treatment session. Some patients report mild side effects after treatment, including one to two days of swelling, bruising, redness, itching, tenderness, or mild pain at the injection site for 24 to 48 hours.
Since Bellafill® is a bio-stimulant that stimulates your tissues to make new collagen, it causes more initial swelling than other fillers. This swelling is temporary and typically subsides in 24 to 48 hours.
Renuva in San Antonio
Introducing Renuva, a new type of injectable dermal filler.
If you’re familiar with fillers, you know that these products are gel-like substances injected under the skin to restore lost volume or augment and smooth existing contours. Most dermal fillers are made from hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring substance in the body that supports cell structure, hydration, and other ingredients.
Renuva is a very different kind of product that restores volume and works proactively to renew healthy skin. It is made from an allograft adipose matrix, an FDA-regulated product derived from human fat. Once injected into subsurface layers of the skin, Renuva physically re-plumps contours while its growth factors, collagens, and proteins stimulate the production of new fat cells and blood vessels.
Benefits of Renuva
Renuva adds volume and smooths over contours in small areas. It can be used anywhere on the body, not just the face. Dr. Hernandez uses it to correct or augment:
- Sunken scars
- Signs of aging on the face, such as deep frown lines, nasolabial folds, sunken cheeks, and temples
- Dimpled skin or uneven contours on the breasts or buttocks
- Loss of volume in the hands
- Lip fullness
Dr. Hernandez also recommends Renuva for patients who come to her seeking repair after having had overly aggressive liposuction elsewhere that has left surface irregularities.
Renuva also offers a preferable alternative to fat transfer: adding volume for some patients. Not all patients have excess fat on their bodies that can be harvested for transfer to another site, and many patients don’t want to undergo the surgical liposuction required to harvest fat. Renuva is a minimally invasive alternative that produces highly effective results.
While the body absorbs traditional fillers in just a few months or a year or two, Renuva continues to deliver results for several years.
What happens during a Renuva procedure?
As with other fillers, Renuva treatments are short and take place in-office. Dr. Hernandez will first inject a local numbing agent, then the Renuva. The product comes as a powder in a syringe, so Dr. Hernandez will rehydrate it before injection by adding a sterile standard saline solution. This transforms it into a soft, creamy substance quickly injected with a filler-sized needle. In most cases, treatments take just 5-10 minutes.
What happens after a Renuva procedure?
Renuva adds volume and enhances skin tone thanks to its regenerative properties, which promote healthier skin.
Results last much longer than other types of fillers. However, we do not consider the treatment permanent because fat cells atrophy or shrink in size as we age. So, the results you see now will change gradually as you age.
Learn more about Renuva
Scheduling a personal consultation with Dr. Hernandez is the best way to learn more about Renuva’s benefits. During your conversation, you can explore all your options and decide whether this type of dermal filler is the right choice to help achieve your cosmetic enhancement goals.
