Updated: July 31, 2026
It’s safe to say that neuromodulators and dermal fillers have become one of the most popular choices in cosmetic treatments today due to the natural and immediate results you see when performed by an expert cosmetic dermatologist. Reinforcing this trend is the next generation of hyaluronic acid dermal fillers, the RHA line of fillers, which provide an even more natural look whether the face is at rest or in motion. What exactly makes RHA fillers unique?
A Center of Excellence in the Art and Science of Rejuvenation, Cosmetic Laser Dermatology has now included RHA Dermal Fillers alongside the other hyaluronic acid fillers to its roster of non-invasive anti-aging treatments.
Our board-certified dermatologists in San Diego, CA, are expert injectors and highly respected for their use of innovative procedures, combination treatments, and involvement in advanced medical research, including the studies for the RHA collection of dermal fillers. Combining these cosmetic breakthroughs in science and medicine, we offer our patients the ultimate anti-aging treatment options.
What Are Hyaluronic Acid Fillers?
In addition to sun damage, signs of aging you notice on your face are also likely caused by volume loss. As tissue thins out with age, the lines etched around your cheeks, nose, and mouth create both wrinkles as well as sagging skin.
Injectable fillers are gel-like substances that dermatologists place beneath the skin to restore lost volume, enhance facial contours, smooth lines and wrinkles, and soften creases, resulting in a more youthful-looking appearance.
Specifically, injectable fillers can do the following:
- Restore volume and enhance shallow contours
- Soften facial lines and creases
- Improve the appearance of recessed scars
- Reconstruct facial contour deformities
- Achieve facial symmetry
- Reduce or eliminate the lower lids’ shadows
- Plump thin lips
Hyaluronic Acid for Natural Improvement
One of the most common ingredients used in dermal fillers is hyaluronic acid (HA). HA is a naturally occurring substance found in our body that holds up to 1,000 times its weight in water, playing a vital role in keeping the skin hydrated and plump. When used in dermal fillers, HA can fill in lines, wrinkles, and folds, make the skin look more hydrated and volumized, and enhance the facial contours. HA fillers are soft and gel-like. Popular FDA-approved HA fillers include:
- Juvéderm® products – Juvéderm XC®, VOLUMA®, VOLBELLA®, VOLLURE®
- Restylane® products – Restylane®, Restylane Silk®, Restylane Lyft®, Restylane Refyne®, Restylane Defyne®, Restylane Kysse®, Restylane Contour®
- Belotero Balance
Depending on their specific formulas, dermal fillers can last from 6-12 months or longer before the body eventually absorbs them.
What Are RHA Fillers?
TEOXANE Laboratories’ RHA (Resilient Hyaluronic Acid) dermal filler collection (RHA® 2, RHA® 3, and RHA® 4) is the new line of fillers designed to provide an exceptionally natural appearance, whether your face is at rest or in motion. Developed in Geneva, Switzerland, RHA dermal fillers are the first and only FDA-approved HA fillers dedicated to treating dynamic facial wrinkles and folds. Dynamic lines are those that form when you make certain facial expressions, such as forehead lines, creases between the eyebrows, and crow’s feet in the outer corners of the eye. These concerns were previously only addressed effectively with neuromodulators like Botox, Xeomin, Jeuveau and Dysport.
What makes RHA fillers unique? The RHA formula more closely mimics natural hyaluronic acid than traditional fillers. Specifically, RHA fillers consist of longer chains with less crosslinking, making them more malleable and more resilient and allowing them to mold and bend with your expressions. This formulation makes them less “stiff” than fillers with shorter HA chains, creating the most natural-looking results that make them the perfect choice for dynamic wrinkles.
Botox vs. RHA Fillers
Since RHA fillers work differently than Botox, they are not a substitute for the neuromodulator. While Botox corrects dynamic wrinkles by limiting muscle movements that create those wrinkles, RHA fillers smooth wrinkles by restoring lost volume in your tissues. Essentially, you can still maintain your facial expressions but with fewer lines and creases when RHA fillers are injected into the area.
RHA fillers do offer longer-lasting results (up to 15 months compared to 3-6 months with Botox). They also work well for patients that are concerned about retaining a full range of facial expressions. RHA fillers can also be combined with Botox injections for more comprehensive results for treating dynamic wrinkles. RHA fillers and Botox can work together in reducing wrinkles, smoothing skin, and plumping tissues. Botox can even enhance RHA fillers’ effects – since Botox temporarily reduces muscle activity, it can help RHA fillers last longer.
The acclaimed dermatologists at our San Diego medical spa can skillfully design a liquid facelift using carefully chosen injectables based on a patient’s unique needs. With so many fillers and neuromodulators on the market, each designed to treat specific skincare concerns, our board-certified dermatologists can successfully combine them to turn back the clock on a patient’s appearance in just one sitting.
How Long Do RHA Fillers Last?
RHA filler results may last up to 15 months or longer in some treatment areas, although the duration varies among patients and products. Factors such as facial movement, metabolism, injection area, filler amount, and the specific RHA formula can affect how long the improvement remains visible.
Traditional HA fillers may last from several months to more than a year, depending on the formulation and treatment area. During a consultation, our board-certified dermatologists can explain what duration may reasonably be expected from the products being considered.
Juvederm and Restylane vs. RHA
In the world of dermal fillers, brand names like Juvéderm and Restylane have become synonymous with HA fillers known to effectively plump, smooth, and contour areas that need volume and lift. They are safe, effective, and have been part of many patients’ skin rejuvenating regimens over the past decade. With that said, if you love the results you’ve been obtaining from your current brand of filler and are satisfied with how your results look and feel, you’d don’t have to switch products. However, there are several reasons to consider trying RHA fillers:
- RHA fillers are optimized to treat dynamic areas while remaining undetectable.
- Unlike HA fillers used to treat static wrinkles, RHA fillers can address both static and dynamic wrinkles. Specifically, RHA fillers can correct aesthetic concerns like dynamic wrinkles, nasolabial folds, expression lines around the mouth, and marionette lines.
- Because of its long-chain HA formula, RHA fillers move with your face and take longer to break down. They may last up to 15 months, where most HA fillers dissolve after about 12 months.
- Due to its formula that closely resembles your body’s natural HA, RHA fillers may lead to less-post treatment reactions such as swelling in some patients.
Find the Right Dermal Filler in San Diego
RHA fillers and traditional HA fillers each offer distinct advantages, and the right option depends on the treatment area, facial movement, volume loss, and desired level of correction. In some cases, combining different filler formulations can create a more balanced, natural result than using one product throughout the face.
At Cosmetic Laser Dermatology, injectable treatments are performed by our board-certified dermatologists, who select each product based on your anatomy and goals. Schedule a consultation in San Diego to learn whether RHA fillers, another hyaluronic acid filler, or a combination approach may be right for you.
Mitchel P. Goldman, MD, is the founder and medical director of Cosmetic Laser Dermatology and a board-certified dermatologist recognized internationally for his expertise in cosmetic dermatology, laser treatments, vein care, and injectables. A former president of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, Dr. Goldman has authored 14 medical textbooks and more than 400 peer-reviewed publications. His research, innovation, and commitment to natural-looking results have helped advance many of the laser, light, energy, and injectable treatments used in aesthetic medicine today.
