Are dermal fillers regulated by the FDA?

Before a filler appointment, many people in Mamaroneck and Larchmont wonder whether anyone is checking what goes into their face. That worry is fair, and it has a direct answer.

The direct answer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration puts it plainly: The only FDA-approved dermal fillers are supplied by a prescription for injection by a licensed health care professional.

That one sentence tells you two things to check. The product should be an approved one, and the person injecting it should be a licensed professional.

What the agency adds

The agency's consumer page, Dermal Filler Dos and Don'ts for Wrinkles, Lips and More, is written for people about to have a treatment.

The agency has also issued a warning about illegal use of injectable silicone for body contouring. It shows why asking where a product comes from is a sensible question and not a rude one.

What can wait and what cannot

Reading the agency pages can wait until the day before your visit. Asking the clinic which product it uses, and who will inject it, should happen before you book.

If a clinic in Scarsdale, Rye or elsewhere will not answer those questions, that is a reason to look elsewhere. Do not buy filler product yourself.

The next question

People usually ask whether a filler can be removed if they dislike the result. That answer depends on the material, and it is worth knowing before the first treatment.