Ellansé Smart Filler
Ellansé smart filler adds volume and stimulates your own collagen. How it works, when results show, how long it lasts and how it differs from hyaluronic acid.
Ellansé smart filler is a collagen-stimulating filler made of polycaprolactone (PCL) microspheres in a carboxymethylcellulose gel: it adds volume immediately and prompts your skin to build its own collagen. It is used for volume loss in the cheeks, temples, jawline and smile lines, and the effect lasts roughly 1–4 years depending on the product type and the person. Unlike hyaluronic acid fillers, it cannot be dissolved, so an experienced doctor should plan it.
Ellansé smart filler was developed to restore lost facial volume and soften wrinkles. It has a firming effect on the skin and can also give it a brighter, more lifted look. Rather than simply adding volume, it also supports the production of new collagen in the skin. Deepening smile lines, thinning fat under the skin and the other visible changes that come with age are common concerns, and Ellansé smart filler is one way to address them for smoother, fuller-looking skin.
What is in Ellansé smart filler?
Ellansé smart filler consists of 30% polycaprolactone and 70% carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), a gel that acts as the carrier and fills out volume. Depending on the product type, its effect continues for 1 to 4 years after treatment. It is an absorbable filler and belongs to the new generation of collagen stimulators, with a water-soluble polymer component. The CMC gel is absorbed and disappears around a month after the procedure, after which the skin's own collagen takes over. Collagen production starts with type III collagen, which is gradually replaced by the more durable type I collagen, the most abundant type in our skin. This support from your own new collagen is what sets it apart from fillers that only add volume.
How does Ellansé work, and when will you see results?
Ellansé works in two stages: the gel adds volume as soon as it is injected, while the PCL microspheres prompt the skin to produce its own collagen. As the gel is absorbed over a few weeks, new collagen gradually takes its place. That is why the result does not appear overnight but settles in over several weeks:
- Day one: the volume from the gel is visible straight away; mild swelling and redness are normal.
- First week: the swelling and any small bruises fade, and the area settles.
- Weeks 4–8: the gel is absorbed and collagen production picks up.
- Months 2–3: a firmer, natural-looking fullness becomes visible.
“Smart filler” is a general name for fillers that stimulate collagen production; Ellansé is the polycaprolactone-based product in this group.
What is Ellansé smart filler used for?
Ellansé smart filler can help with the following concerns:
- Loss of fat tissue under the skin
- Nasolabial folds running down from either side of the nose
- Hollows and depressions
- Sagging in the cheek area
- Smile lines that have become more pronounced
- Fine and deep wrinkles on the skin surface, which Ellansé smart filler can visibly soften
Where can Ellansé smart filler be used?
Ellansé smart filler is used in the following areas:
- The cheeks
- The temples and the area below the eyebrows
- Marionette lines at the corners of the mouth
- Around the cheekbones
- The forehead, to add projection and lift
- Lines in the nasolabial area
- Correcting the contour of the nose
- The backs of the hands, to improve hollowing caused by weight loss or aging
What is the difference between Ellansé and hyaluronic acid fillers?
Both are used as fillers, but they work differently. Your doctor decides which one suits you based on a facial analysis and the result you are hoping for.
| Feature | Ellansé smart filler | Hyaluronic acid filler |
|---|---|---|
| Composition | Polycaprolactone microspheres and carboxymethylcellulose gel | Hyaluronic acid gel |
| How it works | Volume plus collagen stimulation | Volume and hydration |
| When the result settles | Gradually, over 2–3 months | Largely straight away |
| How long it lasts | Roughly 1–4 years, depending on the product type | Roughly 6–18 months, depending on the area and product |
| Can it be dissolved? | No | Yes, with the enzyme hyaluronidase |
| Common treatment areas | Cheeks, temples, jawline, nasolabial area, backs of the hands | Lips, under-eye area, fine lines and other areas of the face |
For a general comparison of filler types, see our dermal fillers page; for the lines running from the nose to the corners of the mouth, read our nasolabial filler guide.
What should you keep in mind with Ellansé smart filler?
There are a few things to bear in mind before and after the procedure:
- Avoid blood-thinning medicines before and after the procedure. This means staying away from aspirin and similar painkillers, and not taking supplements containing vitamin E, omega-3 or ginkgo biloba. If you take prescribed blood thinners, do not stop them without speaking to your doctor.
- The needle entry points are vulnerable to infection, so do not wash the area for one day and avoid touching it.
- Avoid saunas and Turkish baths (hammams) for one week after the procedure.
- Avoid lying on the treated area for 1–2 weeks.
- Avoid firm massage.
- Wait at least a few weeks before having a peel.
- If you are planning treatments such as radiofrequency or laser, these should be done before the procedure.
What are the side effects of Ellansé smart filler?
Side effects of Ellansé smart filler are usually mild and tend to settle on their own within a short time. Small bruises after the procedure are considered normal and are no cause for concern; they usually fade within a day or two. Swelling (edema) may also occur and generally takes about four days to go down, although healing time varies from person to person. Other side effects are very rare. With the right indication and an experienced doctor, serious side effects are uncommon; still, as with any filler, there are risks such as firm lumps (nodules), infection and, very rarely, a blocked blood vessel. For this reason, the treatment should only be performed by a doctor. Ellansé is among the most widely used fillers and is applied in many countries around the world.
Who should not have Ellansé?
Ellansé is not used, or a doctor's assessment is needed first, in the following situations:
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Active acne, cold sores, infection or inflammation in the treatment area
- A known allergy to any of its ingredients
- Uncontrolled autoimmune disease, keloids or a tendency to form excessive scars
- Use of blood-thinning medication or a clotting disorder (do not stop any medication without consulting your doctor)
- Highly mobile areas such as the lips: Ellansé is not used there.
If you notice increasing pain, whitening or a purplish discoloration of the skin at the injection site, or any change in your vision, contact your doctor right away.
Related treatments
Frequently asked questions
What is Ellansé?
Ellansé is a collagen-stimulating filler made of polycaprolactone microspheres and carboxymethylcellulose gel. It adds volume as soon as it is injected, and over the following months it gives a firmer look supported by your skin's own collagen.
How many years does Ellansé last?
How long it lasts depends on the product type, the treatment area and your metabolism; in general, it is roughly 1–4 years. To maintain the effect, repeat treatments can be planned under your doctor's supervision.
Can Ellansé be dissolved?
No. Hyaluronic acid fillers can be dissolved with the enzyme hyaluronidase, but there is no such dissolving agent for Ellansé. That is why the choice of treatment area and amount should be made by an experienced doctor.
When will I see the results of Ellansé?
The volume from the gel is visible immediately, and the area settles once the swelling of the first week has gone down. The main result, which depends on collagen production, usually becomes noticeable in months 2–3.
Does Ellansé hurt?
A numbing cream is applied to the area beforehand, and a blunt-tipped cannula is often used. As a result, most people feel only mild pressure and a slight pricking sensation; the procedure takes about 30–45 minutes, depending on the area.
What should I do after Ellansé?
For the first 24 hours, do not wash or touch the area; avoid saunas and Turkish baths for one week, avoid lying on the treated side for 1–2 weeks and avoid firm massage. Treatments such as peels, laser and radiofrequency should wait until the period recommended by your doctor has passed.
This content is for information only and does not replace a medical examination. To find out whether Ellansé is right for you, get in touch with us.
Treatment time
30–45 minutes
Longevity
Roughly 1–4 years, depending on the product type