Quick Facts
About
- Belotero is a hyaluronic acid-based dermal filler.
Injection sites
- Belotero is FDA approved for correction of facial wrinkles and folds.
- It can also be used on lips and in the area under the eyes.
Results
- Results appear immediately and last six to nine months.
Cost
- One syringe of Belotero costs $500-$600.
- A typical treatment session costs $700-$1,200.
What Is Belotero?
Belotero is an injectable filler that can smooth wrinkles, rejuvenate skin, and correct age-related volume loss. Its main ingredient is hyaluronic acid (HA), a biocompatible compound found naturally in the skin.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Belotero Balance for the correction of moderate-to-severe facial wrinkles and folds in 2011.
How Does Belotero Work?
Hyaluronic acid is a hydrophilic compound, meaning that it has a tendency to attract water. When Belotero is injected, it mechanically adds volume and draws water from the surrounding tissues, augmenting the filling effect and hydrating the skin.
Types of Belotero
Members of the Belotero family of products share the same basic structure as HA-based fillers with some modifications that make each product better suited for particular uses.
- Belotero Balance/Basic
For moderate and deep wrinkles and folds. This is the only Belotero product currently approved for use in the US by the FDA.
- Belotero Intense
Higher elasticity and filling capacity for severe wrinkles.
- Belotero Soft
Softer consistency for delicate folds and lines in sensitive skin areas.
- Belotero Volume
Higher lifting and volumizing effects for restoring volume in the cheeks, temples, and chin.
- Belotero Hydro
Contains added glycerol for better skin hydration.
Belotero Intense, Soft, Volume, and Hydro are not yet approved for use in the US but are available in other countries.
Treatment Areas
The HA in Belotero is modified to give it high elasticity while keeping a soft consistency, which makes it particularly suited for correction of delicate wrinkles and folds.
Belotero can be used in the following areas:
- Nasolabial folds (smile lines): lines running from the corners of the nose to the lips.
- Vertical lip lines and mouth corner lines: vertical and horizontal wrinkles surrounding the lips.
- Marionette lines: lines running down from the corners of the mouth.
- Chin wrinkles: by adding volume, Belotero can hide these deep wrinkles.
- Lips: Belotero can volumize lips and add definition to the vermillion border (lip margins).
- Tear troughs (area under the eyes) and crow’s feet (wrinkles around the eyes). Belotero Soft may be more appropriate for this use.
- Cheeks: Belotero Voluma may be better for cheek augmentation.
- Acne scars: depressed scars can benefit from the filling and smoothing effects of Belotero.
Are You a Good Candidate for Belotero?
Most healthy adults of any age with moderate-to-deep facial wrinkles are good candidates for Belotero.
Belotero is contraindicated in people with histories of severe allergic reactions and anaphylaxis.
Belotero may contain trace amounts of bacterial proteins as HA is bacterially fermented. People with allergies to such proteins should not receive Belotero.
The Procedure
Belotero treatment is a simple outpatient procedure performed at the doctor’s office. The appointment should take between 15 minutes and an hour.
Your doctor will begin by disinfecting the skin and may apply a topical anesthetic. Lidocaine, an injected local anesthetic, can also be used to numb the treatment area.
Belotero is injected through a syringe with a fine-gauge needle, which may cause some discomfort. The area is then gently massaged to evenly spread the product under the skin.
A touch-up treatment after two weeks can augment the results and make them last longer. Additional retreatment sessions every six months may be needed if you wish to maintain the results.
Most people get good results with one or two syringes of Belotero. Depending on the area and the treatment goals, your doctor will decide how many syringes you need.
Recovery
Tenderness, redness, or swelling at the injection site can be expected. This often goes away within a few days, and ice packs can provide relief and speed up recovery.
There is no downtime and you can return to regular daily activities immediately. Avoiding strenuous activity, direct sunlight exposure, alcohol, Aspirin, and NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) is advisable in the first 24 hours.
How Long Does Belotero Last?
You should see the results immediately after the treatment.
Because Belotero is thinner than other hyaluronic acid-based fillers, it gets metabolized quicker, placing it on the shorter acting side of the spectrum when it comes to longevity.
- For smile lines and wrinkles around the mouth, results can last six to nine months. Although, some studies have shown longer duration. In one study that treated 118 people with Belotero Balance, 80% of participants maintained their results for minimum 12 months without requiring retreatment. Belotero Intense may last even longer.
- For the area under the eyes, results can last up to a year. In one clinical study, of 49 people treated with Belotero Balance, 27 participants maintained improvement in the the area under the eyes 10 months after treatment.
- For lips, the effects can last up to six months. Belotero Soft may last longer.
- For cheek augmentation, the results may last one year or more. Belotero Volume can last even longer.
Most clinical studies that evaluated Belotero’s longevity focused on Belotero Balance for the correction of wrinkles around the mouth. Estimates for other uses and other Belotero products are largely based on the personal experiences of physicians who use the products.
Before and Afters
Belotero Safety and Side Effects
Belotero has a good safety profile and most side effects are mild and require no treatment.
Common side effects include:
- Redness
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Pain
- Itching
- Nodule formation
These reactions often last less than three days, and most resolve on their own within one week.
Less common side effects may include:
- Skin dryness
- Numbness
- Scarring
- Allergic reactions
- Skin discoloration (Tyndall effect)
- Bleeding under the skin (hematoma)
- Accidental injection into a blood vessel, which can result in tissue death (necrosis), stroke, or vision damage
Frequently Asked Questions About Belotero
Can Belotero be dissolved?
Yes, if you’re unsatisfied with the result, you can get hyaluronidase injections to dissolve it.
Will I need a skin test before Belotero?
A skin test is not required.
Will I need repeat treatments?
Not necessarily, but you may need retreatment to achieve optimal results and to prolong the effects.
Is Belotero similar to Botulinum toxin treatment?
No; Botulinum toxin injections paralyze muscles to reduce wrinkles, while Belotero fills the area under the skin.
Does Belotero hurt?
You may feel some pain, but no more than any other injection. A topical or injection anesthetic can be used to numb the area and reduce discomfort.
How Much Does Belotero Cost?
Belotero Balance comes in pre-packaged single-use syringes containing 1 cc of Belotero each. One syringe costs $500-$600 on average.
In most cases, one to two syringes is a good starting point for the first treatment session. Very delicate lines can be corrected with as little as half a syringe, while large volume replacement in the cheek may need up to two syringes per side.
The actual amount you will need is personalized based on the treatment area, degree of correction needed, and the condition of your skin. All things considered, an average Belotero treatment session costs between $700 and $1,200.
Belotero vs. Voluma
Juvederm Voluma is a hyaluronic acid-based filler that is often compared to Belotero. Voluma has stronger lifting and volumizing effects, making it better at volume replacement in the cheek and midface. Belotero is better for fine line correction.
Belotero vs. Sculptra
Sculptra is a filler with a completely different mechanism of action; it works by stimulating the body to make new natural collagen as opposed to mechanical filling with HA fillers.
Belotero vs. Restylane
Restylane is another HA filler often used for lip enhancement, correction of wrinkles, and cheek volume replacement. One clinical study compared both fillers for the correction of nasolabial folds and found better results with Belotero.
| Belotero | Voluma | Sculptra | Restylane | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main ingredient | HA | HA | Poly-L-lactic acid | HA |
| Best for… | Delicate lines | Cheek volume replacement | Nasolabial folds, facial wrinkles | Lips and cheeks |
| Results appear… | Immediately | Immediately | After two months | Immediately |
| Results last… | 6-9 months | Up to 2 years | 2 years or more | Up to 18 months |
| Cost per syringe | $500-$600 | $800-$1,000 | $600-$1,000 | $500-$800 |
Takeaway
Belotero Balance is a safe and effective dermal filler that is great for filling delicate lines and wrinkles. The shorter duration of effect is the main drawback with Belotero.
Find a Belotero Provider near You
A consultation with an experienced healthcare provider will answer any questions you may have and help you decide whether Belotero is right for you.
