TREATMENT TIME
15-60mins
LONGEVITY
3-24 Months
ANAESTHESIA
Topical anaesthetic cream
DOWNTIME
None / Bruising /swelling
DERMAL FILLERS
Dermal Fillers also known as 'injectable facial fillers' are a gel-like substance made from hyaluronic acid that are injected into the skin to fill in facial wrinkles, provide targeted facial volume or to contour and augment facial features to restore a younger and smoother appearance.
Immediate results with little to no downtime. Popular treatment areas include 'Lip Fillers' and 'Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty'.
Treatment Areas:
✰ Classic Lip Enhancement
✰ Russian Lip Enhancement
✰ Cheekbone Contouring
✰ Mid-Face Rejuvenation
✰ Smokers Lips Lines (Perioral)
✰ Non-surgical Rhinoplasty (Nose)
✰ Nasolabial Folds (Nose to Mouth)
✰ Marionette Lines (Mouth to Chin)
✰ Jawline Definition
✰ Chin Enhancement
✰ Brow Definition
✰ Deep Lines / Depressed Scarring
✰ Under Eyes / Tear Trough
Fillers may not buy happiness
But I would rather cry with plump lips
DERMAL FILLER FAQ
WHAT ARE DERMAL FILLERS? Dermal fillers also known as ‘face fillers’, are injectable gels made of high-density molecules which add volume or structure to the site where they are injected. When used properly and safely, they can work wonders in reshaping and revolumising areas of the face. Well-tested dermal fillers injected by a good practitioner are as safe as Botox or any other injectable treatment. There are three main categories of fillers found in the UK - Temporary hyaluronic acid fillers, Temporary polymer fillers and Permanent silicone fillers. Temporary fillers are made from a hyaluronic acid gel and is the most popular dermal filler. If you have heard of hyaluronic acid (HA) as a moisturising ingredient and are wondering whether fillers are made from the same stuff, the answer is yes, up to a point. The hyaluronic acid form used in moisturising serums would quickly be absorbed into the body and vanish. So in most hyaluronic acid filler gels, the molecules of hyaluronic acid are first stabilised and ‘crosslinked’ into a 'lattice structure' to make them hang around for longer! The crosslinked gel holds onto moisture as good as hyaluronic acid does in a serum, and that moisture helps give the filler its structure and plumps up the skin from beneath. There have also been studies that show how using fillers benefits the skin above the treated area. This is because the presence of the hyaluronic acid filler improves the levels of collagen and elastin in the surface skin. This is the same effect as you get with injectable skin boosters, which are now known more as ‘skin tissue stimulators’ rather than just diluted fillers, because of the way they can help the skin regenerate itself, grow more collagen and elastin, and hydrate itself better. Hyaluronic acid fillers come with a built-in anaesthetic in the form of lidocaine, to make the injection process more comfortable. Temporary polymer fillers and Permanent silicone fillers are not offered at Skinfinity+ and we would be hesitant to use these fillers that do not contain hyaluronic acid or metabolise / break down naturally.
WHAT DO DERMAL FILLERS DO? Dermal fillers are used in a number of ways, from filling deep wrinkles, revolumising the face to adding structure or symmetry to the face. They are made from hyaluronic acid which holds many times its own weight in water, and this hyaluronic acid is ‘crosslinked’ to keep it stable within the skin, thus providing soft volume under the skin which plumps up deflated cheeks or thin lips, or sharpens the jawline. Fillers comes in different thicknesses depending on what they are to be used for – you need a firmer filler to provide structure in the face and augment the jawline for example, while you would want a more fluid one for use around the eyes. Immediate Results and No Downtime One of the biggest benefits of using dermal fillers? They provide immediate results. Once you undergo a filler injection, you will notice your appearance transform soon thereafter. On top of this, you don't have to worry about recovery time like you would following plastic surgery. In fact, you can complete some filler treatment in as little as 10 minutes depending on the number of areas needing treatment. Then, you're free to continue your daily errands or even go back to work. Long-Lasting Effects Yet another benefit of fillers is the lasting results you'll enjoy after getting them. In the majority of cases, you'll stay looking more youthful and beautiful for about one year. However, you might want to go in for a quick touch-up appointment in 4 - 6 months following your initial treatment before the filler metabolises completely and you go return to your natural, pre filler look. Beneficial for the Skin Fillers feature a natural skin component that help the skin - Hyaluronic acid present in fillers are naturally occurring substances in the skin. Thus, when they are injected, they'll feel natural beneath your skin. It's just another reason to love the skin you're in after you get a filler treatment! Subtle Results If you choose to receive dermal fillers, you'll also love how subtle and natural looking the results can be. We specialise in natural looking buildable results so you won't look like a totally different individual after the treatment than you were before! You simply want to be the best version of yourself. With dermal fillers, the majority of people won't even know what you had done. All they'll notice is that you look amazing! Self-Confidence Builder This is a no-brainer when it comes to the life-changing advantages of dermal fillers. People who receive fillers generally improve their self-confidence following their treatment. They simply love how their fillers look and feel. At the hands of an experienced aesthetic practitioner, you can achieve amazing natural looking results and love how you look like never before. Plumpness As you grow older, your skin will lose collagen and fat. In other words, you'll lose your youthful plumpness. Replacing the young, healthy look you've become accustomed to will be a hollowed-out look and more blatantly obvious wrinkles - clear signs of advancing age. Fortunately, fillers help to counteract these problems by making your skin plumper. In the end, you'll end up with fuller-looking cheeks as well as fewer facial wrinkles - You can't beat that. Botox Complements Them Another perk of using fillers? Anti-wrinkle cosmetic injections complements fillers perfectly! When looking at areas to add filler, you might notice that a few of the wrinkles on your face are particularly deep - especially those on your forehead or frowning lines between your brows. Maybe you notice vertical lip lines near your mouth? In these situations, you may want to receive an Anti-Wrinkle treatment. This product will temporarily reduce the muscle activity responsible for your deep wrinkles and frown lines. It's perfect for tackling those lines and wrinkles that dermal fillers won't eliminate because they are a result of strong muscle movement. With the powerful combination of fillers and Anti-Wrinkle cosmetic injections, you may be able to delay or even avoid surgery, such as a facelift, down the road. Good for Your Lips Of course, fillers aren't just good for filling in wrinkles and cheeks. Fillers can work wonders for your lips. Tired of thin lips? Fillers can make your lips look plumper and sexier. At the same time, it'll soften the appearance of annoying wrinkles around the mouth. With dermal fillers, you can finally stop feeling self-conscious when it comes to your lips. In fact, your lips just might become your favourite feature. Boost Your Collagen Last but not least, bio stimulatory fillers stimulate the body's natural collagen. A major reason that your skin ages as you get older is that collagen production declines. This is accelerated if someone has a lot of sun damage. Collagen is one of your skin's essential building blocks. When collagen ends up breaking down, the signs of aging is more apparent. This includes having coarse skin texture and wrinkles. Dermal fillers, however, can help your body stimulate more of its own collagen, just as a younger individual's skin does. This translates to the younger, healthier-looking skin you're after - in a natural way.
WHAT ARE DERMAL FILLERS USED FOR? Treatment Areas: ✰ Classic Lip Enhancement ✰ Russian Lip Enhancement ✰ Cheekbone Contouring ✰ Mid-Face Rejuvenation ✰ Smokers Lips Lines (Perioral) ✰ Non-surgical Rhinoplasty (Nose) ✰ Nasolabial Folds (Nose to Mouth) ✰ Marionette Lines (Mouth to Chin) ✰ Jawline Definition ✰ Chin Enhancement ✰ Brow Definition ✰ Deep Lines / Depressed Scarring ✰ Under Eyes / Tear Trough The way that dermal fillers are used in aesthetics has come on a lot since they were introduced. When fillers were really starting to take off, around the turn of the millennium, the focus was on finding obvious lines in the face – say, the nose-to-mouth (nasolabial) lines and putting filler directly into those lines to bulk them out and soften them. Move on 10 years and our understanding of ageing has improved, resulting in practitioners using dermal fillers to combat loss of volume in the cheeks and around the mouth – some of the primary symptoms of ageing skin. More recently, practitioners have preferred to look at the face not just as an assembly of parts — lips to boost, cheeks to fill — but as a whole, and to take a more thoughtful approach as to what might make that whole face look fresher and softer. In the past couple of years, the focus has changed again. Along with subtle revolumising, we have been focussing on what fillers can do to add structure to the face by adding definition to the jawline (really helpful when that jawline is starting to soften thanks to mid-life bone resorption), or to give a man a squarer, more manly-looking jaw. There’s a lot that can be done for the chin, too, by adjusting its proportions subtly. Because they’re such common concerns, it’s worth mentioning that dermal fillers are also great for adding volume to hollow eyes (Tear troughs) In short, there are a great many applications for dermal fillers and even more are being found as aesthetic medicine develops. When you go for a consultation with your practitioner, they can suggest a number of options to create overall softness and freshness in your face. Also, if there are a number of options on the table, you don’t have to do them at once, but a treatment plan which can be carried out slowly and stealthily will give the best results.
DO DERMAL FILLERS HURT? Dermal fillers are placed via small injections so you may feel dubious how to handle the treatment. In reality they hurt very little and for more sensitive areas we can apply a topical numbing cream to make you more comfortable. There is only a low level of pain having dermal fillers and you’ll only feel this very shortly during the treatment rather than a pronlonged pain as with surgical options. Usually we will apply a numbing cream for any sensitive areas. The injection itself also contains lidocaine which is an anaesthetic you would typically get at the dentist – that generally makes it a painless experience. There are two ways of getting dermal fillers into the face: either through the tip of a small needle or through a cannula. A cannula is like a 'straw' as it is basically a blunt needle just for delivering the product. A blunt needle may sound like a terrible idea, but in fact a cannula can slide its way along between the layers of the skin, pushing out of the way fibrous bands, or blood vessels creating less dermal trauma compared to which a needle would just poke through, so it is much gentler on the skin tissues. The practitioner begins by making an opening hole for the cannula in the skin with a needle, then inserts the cannula through the hole. It can feel a bit peculiar, having a cannula stealthily burrowing under the top layer of your skin, but it feels more uncomfortable than painful.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO SEE THE RESULTS OF DERMAL FILLER? You’ll see the difference immediately when you have dermal fillers, but bear in mind that at this point they will not have settled and are still relatively liquid and mobile. This is exactly why we ask you to avoid any facial treatments after or you could end up with lumps and bumps where you didn’t really want them! It’s not uncommon for people to experience swelling, redness and/or minor bruising in the treatment area after getting dermal fillers. Unfortunately, there’s no way to guard against or predict this – some people are just prone to this reaction. If you do have swelling then your true results might not reliably show until a few days have passed. We recommend if you are prone to bruising to start taking some arnica supplements in the lead up to your appointment to encourage a speedy recovery and to avoid any blood thinning agents before your appointment which makes you more susceptible to bruising.
HOW LONG DO DERMAL FILLERS LAST? How long your filler lasts will depend on where you get the injection and how dense the product used is. For example, a small amount of a thin, pliable filler in the lips, which are mobile and constantly in use, will be broken down much more swiftly than a thicker filler used in the cheeks. Timeframes can range from 3 months all the way up to 2 years! Unfortunately, you can’t cheat and go for high density filler everywhere in the hope they last longer – high density fillers are only suitable for certain areas of the face. You wouldn't want a thick 'bone mimicking' filler under your eyes in the tear troughs or in your lips for example. The other way it would not be beneficial using a thinner viscosity filler designed for the lips in your jawline for example because it would barely be noticeable. Dermal fillers are made of natural component already existing in your body. Therefore dermal fillers will get absorbed slowly by your body. It can last 3 to 24 months depending on the area and amounts injected. Areas with minimal facial movement will have longer-lasting dermal filler. It would be difficult to predict for each person how long dermal filler would last, as every person has a different metabolism. Therefore it might be necessary to top up your dermal filler over the year to maintain the perfect look. Your practitioner will discuss desired results with you and make an informed decision as to which thickness of filler to use in your treatment. They will be able to give you rough guide of usual longevity however it can also be affected by your lifestyle and metabolism also.
CAN ANYONE HAVE DERMAL FILLER? Dermal fillers are safe products, however, there are few people who need to avoid it: Allergy to Hyaluronic Acid Allergy to Lidocaine or Adrenaline (could be avoided by using dermal fillers and cream not containing Lidocaine / Adrenaline so please let your practitioner know in advance). Patients with bleeding and blood disorders such as leukaemia / lymphoma. You need clearance from your haematologist before proceeding, as the risk of infection is higher. Patient on chemotherapy or immunosuppressant. You need clearance from your haematologist / oncologist before proceeding, as the risk of infection is higher. Sensitivity to gram-positive bacteria proteins. Active infection or inflammation in the skin area to be injected. Patient with on-going other facial treatments as chemical peels, laser treatment or microdermabrasion. Patients at risk of Keloids (hypertrophic scarring). Patient with active cold sores. Pregnant and breastfeeding women (best to be avoided despite no real evidence) Patients planning to have facial surgery in the next 12 months. Patients on blood thinning agents (for example Aspirin, Clopidogrel, NSAIDS, Warfarin and Apixaban) can have dermal fillers. However the risk of bruising is higher, you may be asked to get clearance from your doctor prior to treatment.
ARE THERE ANY SIDE EFFECTS TO DERMAL FILLERS? The side effects you may experience as a result of your filler treatment are usually minimal. Just a little swelling or redness near your injection site is normal. Even then, this swelling and redness should disappear within several hours or couple days. In the meantime, you can simply cover it up with makeup. You may more commonly experience bruising, but you can typically avoid this by following your practitioner's instructions prior to your filler treatment appointment. It’s a long list of potential side effects which have been put in order of how likely they are to happen and how serious they are along with what you should do if you experience any of these issues. Bruising - Any injection carries a risk of bruising, which will be temporary but on the extreme ends may take a fortnight to fade. Bruising is very common. Some people just do bruise more than others. Taking exercise, which speeds up the blood circulation, or drinking alcohol, which temporarily thins the blood, soon after the procedure may make any bruising worse. What to do: Bruises are easy enough to cover with makeup. Swelling and skin redness - It is very likely that there will be swelling around the injection site, and that the skin will be red, simply from the fact that a needle was placed into your skin. The swelling will go down, which may take a few hours, or a few days. There may also be swelling of the area that has been injected, though it can be hard to tell how much of this is due to the volume of the filler that has been put in and how much is due to your face protesting at being injected. Again, this may take a few days to settle. What to do: Swelling can be reduced by holding an ice-pack wrapped in a clean cloth to the area every few hours. Rashes, swelling, or itching caused by an allergy to the particular substance used - this is rare, given that most fillers are made of substances like hyaluronic acid with minimal potential for causing reactions, but not unheard of. What to do: Swelling that seems more like an allergic reaction may respond to an antihistamine. Acne-like skin eruptions. These can result from bacteria getting into the holes left by needles on your face. What to do: Wash your face with care, swab it with a salicylic acid toner, and don’t pick at the spots. Don't put anything on your treatment site for 24 hours to allow injection holes to recover fully - this 100% includes makeup or touching with dirty hands! Infection at the injection site - again, this can be caused by bacteria getting into the injection site and needs swift treatment. What to do: Consult your practitioner and send them photographs; you may need antibiotics from your doctor. Filler moving away from the intended treatment area over time - Filler ‘migrating’ away from the site where it is injected is not common, but it can happen. What to do: The only solution is to have the misplaced filler dissolved with Hyalase, and start again. This is often seen in overfilled lips where clients will get a 'shelf' above their top lip or when too much filler is added too quickly. It can take numerous appointments to achieve desired results especially if starting from scratch. Filler forming lumps under the skin - Fillers, particularly hyaluronic acid fillers, don’t often provoke reactions in the skin and integrate quickly and smoothly with the skin’s tissues. There are two ways they form lumps under the skin. The first is simply if the filler has been misplaced, or badly positioned, and not smoothed into shape, which practitioners will usually do with a firm, gentle pressure and massage after injecting the fillers. What to do: Usually dermal filler is still malleable for 2 weeks post treatment, you can gently correct your filler during this time. If this window has closed and these lumps are obvious and you can’t live with them, you’ll need to have them dissolved with Hyalase. Filling forming lumpy granulomas - The second type of lumps are more of a problem. However well tested fillers are, they are still a foreign substance that has been introduced to your body, and your body may, in its wisdom, at any point suddenly decide that it objects to having them there, and start to form a ‘granuloma’ around the filler. It’s not an allergic reaction, more of an inflammatory reaction, but the net result is that you end up with a lumpy growth with the filler encapsulated inside it. What to do: The best way to treat these is with steroid injections, which interfere with the way the fibroblasts within the skin cells are enabling the growth. The other option is to cut the growth out, surgically, but it can be hard to get the entire growth that way, and it will leave a scar. Filler injected into a blood vessel - This is rare but extremely serious. It is rare because one of the first things we do during a treatment is aspirate, once the the needle is through the skin, we ‘aspirate’, i.e. to pull the plunger back a fraction, just to check that they are not in a blood vessel (so if they aspirate and blood comes into the syringe, they know they need to stop, get out of that area, and reposition). Because if filler is injected into a blood vessel, it can block that vessel and kill the surrounding skin tissues (necrosis), or that blockage can travel back to the tiny blood vessels that supply the eye, which can lead to blindness. That is extremely rare, but it is not unknown. The first signs that something is wrong are usually pain and skin blanching or discolouration at the injection site and, if it happens, your practitioner will treat it as an emergency. There may also be swelling and this discolouration may look like a bruise, but it’s not a bruise, it’s a really serious complication. Your practitioner will explain what to look for in this occurance. What to do: Contact your practitioner immediately if you think this is happening. You need treatment straight away to try to shift the blockage. We have had so many clients come in that have never been told about any of these risks or side effects when going for dermal filler treatments elsewhere. We understand that some practitioners do not want to scare their clients however we believe everyone should be able to make an informed decision about the procedure they are having. We will show you scary pictures of what could potentially go wrong but this is just incase it ever does happen you will 100% know what to look for. We are complications trained and have first aid training. We hold a stock of hyaluronidase / hyalase enzymes which breaks down dermal filler very quickly should a complication arise. Further to this you will have a direct contact number of your practitioner to contact out of office hours for emergency situations.
WHAT SHOULD I DO AFTER MY DERMAL FILLER TREATMENT? It is normal for the skin to be red around the area of injection but also paler around the area where the anaesthetic cream/injection was applied. This should only last a few hours. Lumps can occasionally occur when the dermal filler absorbs water from the body and swells. For the few days after treatment these lumps can easily be massaged away (between finger and thumb). Don’t massage lumps that you cannot see as this will only displace your filler. Rarely numbness and/or tingling over the site of injection may occur for a few days. Bruising is the most common complication of treatment. You can reduce bruising by applying ice; it is ok to cover up bruising with concealer/makeup the next day. Avoid applying makeup over the injection sites for 24 hours. This is to reduce the small risk of skin infection. Often superficial lines in the face are ‘highlighted’ in pink or red following treatment. This effect will settle within a few days. Dermal filler applied to the lips often causes swelling. The amount of swelling is not proportional to the amount of filler inserted. Your lips will settle within a few days to how they should look for the remainder of your treatment cycle. Sometimes it may look as if more dermal filler has been placed into one side or the other; this is due to swelling. In a few days this should even out. However, if an individual small lump can be seen, this should be massaged firmly following treatment. Until the initial swelling and redness have resolved, do not expose the treated area to intense heat (i.e. solarium, sauna or sunbathing). If you have previously suffered from facial cold sores, there is a risk that the needle punctures could contribute to another eruption of cold sores. This question is on the consent form. If you are using aspirin, clopidogrel, warfarin or similar medication, be aware that these may increase the bruising or bleeding at the injection site. Finally, since dermal fillers dissolve over time, the correction does not last forever. Many people choose to have regular repeat treatments.
