What are dermal fillers?

Facial fillers are an effective non-surgical solution to aging. They represent a range of products that can be injected into the skin by a medical professional to treat skin wrinkles, enhance soft tissues, restore lost volume, and rejuvenate the whole face. Facial fillers can be used as an alternative to rejuvenating the face or enhance the result of a previous operation.

The most commonly used facial fillers are made from Hyaluronic Acid (HA). This is a naturally occurring sugar molecule that exists naturally in our skin. The job of HA in the body is to hydrate, lubricate and protect. Injectable Hyaluronic Acid is also thickened or “cross-linked” to give it strength and lifting power. Skin can naturally lose volume or fullness as we age. Facial fillers can delay the need for surgery, enhance a surgical outcome, or provide a non-invasive alternative for facial rejuvenation.

Highly cross-linked fillers can be used as a first step to improve the facial structure, restoring the natural volume from bone loss over time. Restoring this volume also supports the overlying fat and skin, lifting it up to its natural position. This can improve the thick creases around the nose and mouth. Less cross-linked fillers can be used in the skin itself, in order to restore volume from atrophy and add back the natural hydration present in youthful, healthy looking skin.

What are my dermal filler options?

Fillers can be used in the following areas:

• Nasolabial folds
• Marionette lines below the mouth corners
• Tear trough deformity in the cheek-lower eyelid junction
• Temporal area
• Around the eyes

We use a number of different facial fillers tailored specifically to desired results. All the fillers used are made from Hyaluronic Acid, a naturally occurring sugar molecule. Juvéderm® fillers such as Voluma and Volux have excellent lifting and shaping properties and are ideally used for lifting the cheeks, filling the temples and adding structure and definition to the chin and jaw. Other Juvederm fillers such as Volift and Volbella are “thinner” and excellent for fine contouring, filling of creases and adding volume to sensitive areas such as the lips. Finally, a whole new category of hydrating fillers such as Volite can be used to erase fine lines of the cheek and the area around the mouth by adding long lasting moisture and improving the quality of the skin itself.

In addition to these Juvéderm® products, we use Teosyal® hyaluronic acid fillers where specifically indicated. Redensity II, for example, is a favourite for filling and rejuvenating the delicate crease between the lower eyelid and cheek. This treatment can help with the dark circles and creases that make patients look tired and worn.

What are the risks of dermal fillers?

Patient satisfaction from facial filler treatments are exceedingly high and the risk profile is very low. Risks such as over or under correction, bruising, swelling and skin damage are rare but will be reviewed in detail during the consultation process.

How long will the results of dermal fillers last?

Results from facial fillers last from 9-18 months depending on the type of filler used.