Facial fillers or Dermal fillers are substances used for the correction of wrinkles, scars and skin depressions, improving facial volume, as well as lip enhancement. Facial dermal fillers are injected into the skin to create volume. Dermal fillers offer a quick and easy pumping effect for wrinkles and deep folds such as the nasolabial lines (the line that runs from the nose to the corner of the mouth) and the marionette lines (corners of the mouth). They are also very effective for increasing lip fullness or softening upper lip lines and stopping lipstick bleeding.
Before After
Before After
Before After
The most common facial filler is made of Hyaluronic acid which is a naturally occurring substance. The hyaluronic acid is derived from bacteria. One dermal filler is thicker than another and therefore may create more volume and last slightly longer.
How does it work? / The Procedure
The facial filler is injected just beneath the skin surface giving an immediate pumping or filling effect. The facial filler is injected with a very fine needle. It smooths out wrinkles, scars, lines and pumps out lips depending on where you are being injected.
Most areas are tolerated quite well with the use of ice or a numbing cream. The lip area can be more sensitive and a dental block (local anaesthetic), similar to what is used at the dentist, can be used to numb the lip area. The procedure takes approximately 30 minutes.
After the procedure
After the procedure there can be some swelling, redness and bruising. There may also be mild tenderness over the area treated. These effects usually settle within the next few days. The lips may take a few extra days to settle.
How long does it last?
Usually lasts 3-9 months.
Risks
They are relatively safe. Rarely a hypersensitivity or allergy can occur.
Other Fillers
1. Collagen has been used for many years in treating wrinkles and in lip enhancement. Collagen is very
effective for fine lines. Collagen generally lasts 3-6 months.
2. New Products: There are always new products released on the market which I personally evaluate. I will only recommend products that I feel are effective and have a high safety profile.
3. Permanent Fillers: Although the idea of a "permanent" filler may sound attractive, these materials may shift, clump, or cause inflammation or infection, sometimes many years later, and cannot be removed except by surgery. The permanent fillers currently available have a significant risk of scarring and infection and at the present time I do not feel confident using them.
