Looking for a crash course in injectable dermal fillers? San Francisco facial plastic surgeon Dr. David Mabrie practically wrote the book on using these remarkable injectable products to sculpt Your Perfect Face—from every angle, in any light.
Facial dermal fillers represent a dramatic shift in the practice of facial plastic surgery. With dermal fillers, a hospital or surgery center has been replaced with a comfortable in-office setting, and a scalpel has been replaced with a microcannula. Without a single incision, dermal fillers take years off your appearance, and in the hands of a filler artist such as Dr. Mabrie, they can also sculpt and contour facial features for a look that is balanced and beautiful, as well as youthful.
What Are Dermal Fillers?
Dermal fillers are injectable gel formulations that physically add volume within the skin, enabling Dr. Mabrie to shape and sculpt the contours of your face. These are synthetic versions of substances that are produced naturally in your body, and they are gradually and harmlessly absorbed over time, so results are not permanent. However, as part of Dr. Mabrie’s Illumination 360° process, periodic touch-ups ensure long-lasting improvement.
Using dermal fillers as his medium, Dr. Mabrie enhances the attractiveness of your face in a way that is both subtle and significant. These products allow him to make full-face enhancements not possible through surgery alone. And since fillers are easily reversible with Hylenex, your satisfaction is ensured.
What’s the Difference Between Fillers and BOTOX?
Quick Facts About Our Fillers
What Can Fillers Do?
In the right hands, dermal fillers have amazing potential for improving the youthfulness, shape, symmetry, and proportionality of the face. There is virtually no area of the face that cannot be enhanced with fillers.

Rejuvenate
To turn back the hands of time, Dr. Mabrie uses fillers to:
- Reduce shadows under the eyes
- Restore volume loss around the mouth
- Smooth lines that make you look older

Enhance
To turn up the voltage on your appearance, Dr. Mabrie uses fillers to highlight the defining points of the face by:
- Enhancing the cheekbones
- Creating a balanced chin
- Refining and contouring the nose
For more information about where and how Dr. Mabrie uses fillers, check out our Treatment Areas.
How Much Do Filler Injections Cost?
Dr. Mabrie provides detailed information about the cost of treatment on his Fees & Financing page.
Are Filler Injections Painful?
The only discomfort you should feel during your treatment is the initial tiny pinch of the injection. All the fillers Dr. Mabrie uses contain a local anesthetic which numbs the area as the filler eases under the skin. And since Dr. Mabrie uses a flexible, blunt-tipped microcannula, you’ll be more comfortable during and after your treatment.
Unlike needles, which can pierce blood vessels and cause bruising and swelling, the soft, blunt-tipped cannula moves around blood vessels with ease, leaving them unharmed. The microcannula is much safer, since fillers flow out of its side port, and it is very unlikely to penetrate an artery.
How Long Do Fillers Last?
There are many FDA-approved dermal fillers to choose from; Dr. Mabrie offers RADIESSE®, JUVÉDERM®, and Restylane® products at his downtown San Francisco practice. He will determine which filler options are best for you based on your treatment concern and his expertise and experience. Each filler has its own unique characteristics and applications, and results last from 12 to 24 months.
Learn more about how long fillers last in different treatment areas by visiting Our Guide to the Longevity of Fillers.

Can Fillers Be Reversed?
Most fillers—specifically hyaluronic acid-based fillers—can be reversed with injections of a substance called Hylenex. Hylenex dissolves fillers such as JUVÉDERM and Restylane products for individuals who are unhappy with their results or simply want less volume. Because Dr. Mabrie “layers” fillers over the course of 2 appointments, it is rare that his patients want or need to have their fillers reversed.
JUVÉDERM Family
JUVÉDERM Ultra
Results typically last around 12 months.
JUVÉDERM XC PLUS
Results typically last around 12 months.
JUVÉDERM VOLLURE
Results typically last around 18 months.
JUVÉDERM VOLUMA XC
Results typically last around 24 months.
Learn more about the JUVÉDERM family of fillers.
Restylane® Family
Restylane®
Results typically last around 12 months.
Restylane® Lyft
Results typically last around 12 months.
Learn more about the Restylane family of fillers.
Other Dermal Fillers
RADIESSE®
Results typically last up to 15 months.
Learn more about RADIESSE.
Next Steps
Visit our What to Expect page to learn about your filler treatment and aftercare. If you’d like to discuss your options in person, request a consultation online or call our office at (415) 445-9513 to schedule your appointment.
If you live outside the Bay Area and are considering traveling to Dr. Mabrie for treatment, our Virtual Assessment is a great way to get started.