Dermal Fillers

Dermal fillers are injectable materials made from a very wide range of materials (usually synthetically-produced hyaluronic acid [HA], and there are different types and brands to compare, like Teosyal, Canberra or Restylane which are best used to smooth out the natural appearance of facial lines, including the nasolabial folds (cheek creases), marionette lines (coming down from the mouth), the eyes, the augmentation of the lips, nose, frown lines, forehead furrows, crow’s feet, lip (smoker) lines, and dimples in the skin, by ‘filling’. Dermal fillers may be used alongside other techniques like a jowl facelift or wrinkle treatments or  botox injections.

The procedure

The safe, long lasting procedure may be carried out in clinics for about 30-60 minutes, depending on the number of areas to be treated, and the volume of product to be used. The specific choice of special filler that you and Mr Banwell, or his aesthetic nurses choose may depend much on the results you require and the area being filled (eg. delicate lines or deep furrows). A topical anaesthetic cream (eg. EMLA or AMETOP) may be applied to reduce discomfort half an hour prior to the treatment. Mr Banwell or one of his experienced aesthetic nurses will then inject the filler into the site to be treated to plump out the skin, repeating as necessary on other areas. It will be gently massaged once it has been injected into the site. The filler then remains in the skin where it binds water to produce a lift and give firmness to the treated areas. The procedure is minimally invasive causing only mild discomfort and will not leave scars. If necessary, a local anaesthetic injection (dental block) can also be used and it should be noted that more modern fillers also contain local anaesthetic thereby reducing discomfort further.

The outcome

Following the procedure, there may be some redness in the treated areas, though this is usually minimal. Your face may be a little swollen and tender for a short period, and then the swelling will go down.

Normally, patients can leave the clinic and go home a few minutes after the procedure. You can return to work the same day and resume most activities within four hours. The treatment starts to work immediately but the greatest effect is seen after about 1-2 weeks. Make-up may be applied immediately afterwards. Patients can choose to have more volume should they wish after a couple of weeks for an extra charge. Lines and wrinkles treated should appear smoother and softer, giving a more ‘youthful’ appearance to the face. The effects are not permanent but should last for around 3-9 months and then are gone.

The risks

Special complications particular to dermal fillers include a risk of allergic reaction to the filler, contour irregularities, lumpiness, asymmetry and bruising. If something is wrong and you experience cold sores, then there may be a recurrence of them after treatment, although the chance of this can be minimised by the use of antiviral medicines.