DERMAL FILLERS

That irresistible plumpness, vibrancy and abundance of a child's face melts away over the many years of our lives. As our faces lengthen, we look more mature ... and as we age even more, we lose so much volume of facial muscle, fat and tissue that the overlying skin sags and wrinkles.

Dermal fillers restore some of that beautiful look of bursting vibrancy to even the most mature face. With skilful application, you'll look just like yourself ... only more positive, more alert, and all freshened up!

At The Clinic, we use dermal fillers to artfully design the exact look that you want. They can often be used in conjunction with other treatments, such as anti-wrinkle injections, Thermage or Fraxel laser treatments, in a cohesive treatment plan to wipe as much as 25 years off your appearance. Find out how below, and at your initial consultation! 

Dermal fillers are gels with a hyaluronic acid base, which can be injected into certain areas of your face to either correct wrinkles, fill in deep scars or non-surgically change the shape of certain parts of your face. Hyaluronic acid is a substance found naturally in the body, and over time the dermal filler breaks down via normal body processes. 

Compared to other wrinkle correction methods, dermal fillers allow greater precision in wrinkle correction, and can more effectively treat medium to deep wrinkles. They do not cause any loss of ability to contract your facial muscles,

Compared to other scarring treatments, dermal fillers allow more effective treatment of boxcar scars, deep divots and icepick scars.

Compared to other methods of changing the shape of your face (such as your nose, lips or cheeks), dermal fillers offer the advantage of being non-permanent and creating a generally more youthful look. Rhinoplasty carries its own major risks, and facelifts often create an overtight look. Dermal fillers allow you to experiment with different facial changes in a non-permanent way. 

The benefits of using dermal fillers include:

• Fillers can reliably treat wrinkles at depths that other methods cannot
• They are biocompatible and rarely cause reactions
• The fillers can be dissolved by injection if there are any problems
• They are non-invasive compared to surgical solutions

Ordinary side effects following dermal filler injections include swelling, redness, bruising and mild asymmetry as the inflammation settles down.

There is also a risk of asymmetry developing after the filler injections, but this is completely correctable and generally minimal. 

Very rarely, more serious side effects occur. These can include:

• Tissue death in the glabellar region
• Granuloma
• Hypersensitivity

A single treatment every 9-12 months is needed. 

The usual procedure for patients looking to lift and liven their face with dermal fillers is:

• You'll speak with the doctor or nurse about your background and medical history at your initial consultation
• A treatment plan will be devised, which sets out how we can use dermal fillers (possibly in conjunction with other techniques and tools) to create the face that you want

• The dermal filler product we use contains a local anaesthetic that makes the injection comfortable.
• The area to be injected is marked out
• The dermal fillers are injected, and we apply cold packs immediately afterwards.
• Mineral make-up completes the look and allows you to resume your daily activity.

The procedure takes about 30-60 minutes in total, depending on the size of the area to be treated.

Local anaesthesia can be used if necessary, although it isn't needed for all patients.
Without local anaesthesia, we would rate the pain of dermal filler injections at around 2.5/10.
With local anaesthesia, we would rate the pain of dermal filler injections at around 0.5/10. 

Much of the difference you see after your initial dermal filler injection will be due to swelling; you should see the 'real' results after about 3 days. You'll be able to return to work and wear makeup immediately afterwards, although we recommend you don't commit yourself to any activities after your first-ever appointment. 

Please see the 'Preparation and Post-Procedural Care' tab for more information on preparation for dermal fillers and post-procedural care.