Ten Things To Know Before Trying Fillers

Dermal fillers are an increasingly popular treatment for achieving a lift and sculpting the face. Fillers are a safe and effective way to lift and sculpt the face and other areas. They add volume to achieve a fresh and contoured look.

This blog will tell you everything you may want to know about fillers before you consider trying them for yourself.

#1 What are dermal fillers?

Dermal fillers are an injectable treatment used to treat lines, wrinkles and areas of the face and body which have lost volume. By restoring this lost volume, the treatment area is plumped to create a lift and rejuvenate areas that need more volume. This also improves the structure of the face and texture of the skin by restoring hydration.

#2 Areas you can use fillers

Dermal fillers can be used in many areas of the face to replace volume loss or add definition. They help the skin to retain moisture, add plumpness and smooth lines in the treatment area.

Areas that can be treated include:

• Temples
• Cheeks
• Under the eyes
• Jaw
• Chin
• Nose
• Lips
• Hands
• Ear lobes

#3 What are dermal fillers made of?

Most dermal fillers used in the UK are gels usually made from crosslinked hyaluronic acid however this can vary depending on the product you are being treated with.

Hyaluronic acid is a sugar which occurs naturally in the body. These type of fillers work by attracting water from the surrounding tissues, helping the skin to retain moisture which adds plumpness, smooths lines and restores volume. These fillers are fully reversible and can be easily removed if required.

#4 What type of fillers are being used?

Before allowing anyone to inject you it’s important to exactly know what they are going to inject you with. There are a wide range of different fillers on the market and their composition can vary.

At Health & Aesthetics, we use Revanesse and Teoxane fillers. These are FDA approved so they are proven to be both safe and effective.

Revanesse and Teoxane have an extensive range of fillers that vary in thickness and can therefore be used to treat different areas. 

#5 Are dermal fillers safe and who should avoid dermal fillers?

Dermal fillers are safe when in the right hands. In the UK who can give injections is totally unregulated, which means that many of those offering fillers have no medical knowledge, experience, or qualifications.

One of the biggest problems with this is that many practitioners don’t have the detailed knowledge of anatomy or clinical training in assessment that a medically trained doctor or nurse will have. Badly injected or poor quality fillers can give an uneven, lumpy effect, but the potential complications from injectables are not just limited to disappointing results. Incorrectly injected or poor quality products can block essential vessels in the face, resulting in swelling, scarring or even tissue death.

By choosing a medical practitioner with a thorough understanding of anatomy and strong experience of medical injectables, you are ensuring that most complications and undesirable results are avoided. In the rare event that a complication occurs it can be treated and corrected swiftly to prevent long term damage.

There are some patients who should avoid dermal fillers. Patients with active cold sores or an infections should not be treated with dermal fillers until the infection has cleared. Those who are taking anti-coagulants should also not be treated. Dermal Fillers should never be done whilst a woman is pregnant or breast feeding and instead the treatment should wait until the patient has finished breastfeeding. Those who have a history of keloid scarring should avoid aesthetics injectables.

#6 How long will the results last?

How long the fillers will last depends on a number of factors including the area treated, the type of filler used and the individual patient. However the fillers we use at Health and Aesthetics should usually last about 18 months.

#7 Is there any discomfort and what is the down time?

The procedure is not painful but it is not completely pain free. The products that we use at Health and Aesthetics generally contain aesthetic. Occasionally the lips are more sensitive as they have more sensation but this can be managed with topical aesthetic or we can use a local aesthetic to completely numb the area.  

You can go to work after your treatment. You may get some swelling but it will be more noticeable to you than to others. You can experience some redness and slight rosiness in the face.

There is potential for bruising but there are ways to manage this. Bruising doesn’t always happen but you should bare in mind that this is a medical procedure. Bruising can usually be covered up with make up.

#8 How to choose your injector

Look for a medical professional such as a doctor or a nurse. These are medical treatments and by seeing a medical professional you ensure they understand the anatomy of the area they are treating. They are also best placed to deal with any potential complications promptly should they arise.

You should also check how much experience they have of aesthetic injections and how often they do them. Injectors who treat patients more often have more experience and have seen a broader range of patients.

Ask to see before and after photos from patients they have treated themselves. This will help you to get an idea of their style and see if they are getting natural results. 

Finally it is important to choose someone whose personality you like and who has a good bedside manner. 

#9 What you can do to improve your results

Results of treatments can be further improved by using good skincare as advised at home on a daily basis.

Using skincare products will help to prepare your skin for treatments so that you achieve the best possible results and reduce the risk of any potential complications. Your results will also last for a longer period of time.

Taking a supplement designed to complement injectable treatments can enhance results and reduce associated downtime including bruising and swelling. These products can help with the production of collagen and elastin.

They will reduce and help prevent bruising, swelling and inflammation allowing you to return to normal sooner.

#10 Your injector is the best person to advise you

You don’t need to know how much filler you want or where you want to have it. Before having any treatment you should have a full consultation with the person who is going to inject you. This will include taking your medical history and a discussion around your concerns. The injector will examine you and discuss the underlying causes of your concerns before recommending a suitable treatment plan including how much will be injected and where.

Start your dermal fillers treatment journey

Ready to take the next step to enhance your appearance? Whether you’re looking to learn more about dermal fillers or find out your treatment options we’re here to help. Organise a dermal fillers consultation with our team today to discuss your goals, budget, and answer your questions.