Hyaluronic Acid Filler Maintenance Schedule
Retouch treatments with hyaluronic acid dermal fillers should be performed every 6 months to maintain optimal rejuvenation effects. 1
Standard Treatment Protocol
The initial treatment course consists of:
- 2 treatment sessions spaced 4 weeks apart as the foundational protocol 1
- Each session typically uses 2 mL total volume (1 mL per facial side) 1
- This establishes the baseline correction before entering maintenance phase 1
Maintenance Frequency
After completing the initial two-session protocol, maintenance treatments are recommended every 6 months to sustain the rejuvenation effects 1. This applies specifically to:
- Non-cross-linked hyaluronic acid products like Profhilo 1
- Bio-aesthetic point (BAP) injection techniques 1
For traditional cross-linked HA fillers, the maintenance schedule varies by product and anatomical location:
- Midface/malar region: Best volume retention at 79.2% over 12 weeks, requiring less frequent touch-ups 2
- Upper perioral region: Moderate retention at 62.7% over 12 weeks 2
- Lip region: Poorest retention at only 37.2% over 12 weeks, necessitating more frequent maintenance 2
Product-Specific Longevity
Different HA fillers demonstrate varying durability:
- Restylane-L Lyft®: Highest tissue displacement factor (1.25) and effective volume (89.8%), providing longer-lasting results in the midface 2
- Restylane-L®: Similar effective volume (89.7%) with tissue displacement factor of 1.14 2
- Restylane Silk®: Lower effective volume (70%) and tissue displacement factor (0.56), requiring more frequent touch-ups especially in lip applications 2
- Voluma: Maintains aesthetic improvements for up to 18 months post-treatment in midface volumization 3
Clinical Considerations
Mimetic areas (lips, perioral regions) require more frequent maintenance due to constant muscle movement causing faster product degradation 2. The whole-face volume maintenance averages 65.5% at 12 weeks, but this drops significantly in high-movement zones 2.
For patients seeking longer intervals between treatments, focus initial injections on the midface and malar regions where volume retention is superior, reserving more dynamic areas for less frequent touch-ups 2.
The 6-month maintenance schedule aligns with both regenerative approaches using non-cross-linked HA and traditional volumizing fillers, providing a practical framework for scheduling follow-up appointments 1, 4.