Dermal Fillers 101

They’re the popular choice for getting plump, youthful skin and smooth skin and with a quick online search you have probably discovered the basics about the treatment: that these simple injections can be used to correct or enhance facial contours, plump up lips, soften the appearance of wrinkles and improve the tone, texture and hydration of the skin: but there is a lot more you should know before having fillers.

What are Dermal Fillers?

Dermal fillers are small injections of gel, usually comprising hyaluronic acid, that fills in wrinkles and adds volume to soft tissue. You can have dermal fillers in different parts of your face: around the eye, cheeks, mouth and jawline, as well as those administered directly into the lip tissue.

Difference Between Botox and Dermal Fillers

It’s important to know that fillers and Botox are two completely different entities. Botox stops the small muscles in your face from making the movements that cause wrinkles, whilst dermal fillers plump from below the wrinkle to smooth them out and recapture the youthful contours.

When Should You Get a Filler Treatment?

So when should you get a filler treatment? As we age, our bodies stop producing collagen and elastin, both of which keep our faces full and plump-looking, which contributes to the youthful look. Your collagen and elastin levels decline at a rate of about 2% each year from the age of about 25, and by your late twenties, your body will have stopped producing it altogether! Enter fillers – the treatment that can replace the lost volume. The result is that the filler will restore lost volume to your face and plump areas, so that deep set lines are smoothed.

Benefits of Dermal Fillers for Face

The most common type of facial filler is hyaluronic acid –a naturally occurring sugar chain molecule that attracts and binds water in the skin – works in harmony with the body’s remaining collagen and elastin, supporting these all-important proteins to give skin a more full and youthful appearance.

Fillers help to maintain shape, even out hollows in the skin and provide hydration. Another benefit of having a filler treatment is that when injected in strategic places in the face, the filler triggers the body’s natural response to produce collagen, which provides you with a much longer lasting result.

To minimise the discomfort during treatment, we can apply an anaesthetic cream before treatment. Initially, after treatment it’s completely normal to experience a little bit of discomfort, redness and bruising. These reactions are generally mild to moderate and usually disappear shortly after injection and are usually resolved a few days after the injection into the skin.

How Long do Dermal Fillers Last?

Dermal fillers can last anywhere between 6 to 12 months, depending on the type of hyaluronic acid used, as well as, how well it’s suited to the purpose and to the individual.