Injectable fillers are one of the management cornerstones of aesthetic medicine. They provide a means to address the hallmark of facial ageing, which is volume loss due to fat pad atrophy and malalignment. In addition to volume augmentation, they can be used to decrease wrinkles and folds and improve skin quality. Due to strict Food and Drug Administration requirements only a few fillers are available for use in the USA; however, the remaining worldwide markets are flooded with a number of filler products, many of which have poor or limited safety and efficacy data. It is therefore preferable for the clinician to choose a filler product from a group where at least one good‐quality randomized controlled clinical trial has been published. In addition to product‐related adverse reactions, there are avoidable unwanted results based on misunderstanding of the indication, the underlying anatomy and other technique‐dependent issues. A cautious approach, particularly with new fillers and/or new indications, is recommended.

Keywords filler, biodegradable, non‐biodegradable, hyaluronic acid, poly‐L‐lactic acid, volume restoration