Dermal Filler

Dermal Filler is essentially Hyaluronic Acid (HA) which is a naturally occurring sugar molecule produced within our bodies. HA has many benefits such as keeping our skin plump and hydrated due to it’s ability to hold and retain up to 1000 times it’s weight in water.

Most of the time, yes. However Dermal Fillers, like all medical procedures carry some risk. During your consultation, we will check your medical history, discuss the benefits, any potential adverse reactions and take you through the consent process. Once we both have all of the information, we can then explore if this treatment is right for you or not. We will support you either way. You need to be comfortable with your decision and if clients are ever hesitant or unsure, we will send them away to think it over first.

All of the fillers we use are made of Hyaluronic Acid. There are different types and strengths of HA for different areas of the face. Cheek filler for an example, should not be used in the lips or under the eyes. Depending on the area being treated, some fillers will last longer than others and it’s very important to choose the right filler for a particular area to achieve beautiful and natural looking results. We have a range of fillers that we love, trust and are suitable to treat all possible concerns.

In general, anyone with a suitable area to treat who is not pregnant, breastfeeding or allergic to any of the constituents of the product. A full medical history is taken at every consultation and prior to any treatment being performed.
Dermal Filler may not be suitable for you if you are prone to keloid scarring or have a history of Autoimmune disease. If you have recently been unwell in any way, had any type of surgery or dental procedure (including a hygienist visit) you will need to wait 4 weeks before your treatment to ensure any inflammatory process in the body has settled. This will reduce the risk of unwanted complications occurring. Please ask if you’re unsure.

Most areas of the face and sometimes the body can be treated with filler. Areas include the temples, tear troughs (under eye circles), cheeks, nasolabial lines, marionette lines, accordion lines, lips to enhance or restore, jawline, chin augmentation, backs of hands, scar tissue and even earlobes!

Fillers typically last anywhere between 8-18 months. This depends on the strength of the product used, the quality of your skin, the amount of product administered along with other factors such as lifestyle and the patient’s metabolic rate.

For some areas, Dermal Filler can be used in conjunction with anti-wrinkle Botox® injections, to not only achieve a better result but to also make the filler last longer.

No, not at all. If you decide you don’t want to continue having filler treatments, results will wear off gradually and the treated area will go back to how it was prior. However, the treatment would have stimulated your own collagen so may even be slightly better. Clients often enjoy their filler results so much that they almost always want to continue but if for any reason you don’t want to or can’t, there is nothing to worry about.

No, definitely not. We get asked this question often and the best way to explain it, is that when we have a treatment, we quickly get accustomed to our new refreshed look then when it wears off, it simply goes to back to what it was. This can sometimes make us think we look worse but it’s actually just that the treatment is no longer working.

We pride ourselves on achieving natural results. Your face is our reputation! Most Lift Aesthetics clients are referred to us via word of mouth which we’re very grateful for. Our aim with facial aesthetics is to help you look and feel better. Our objective is to achieve this without it being obvious that a treatment has been performed. The best result is one that has people telling you how well you look, not wondering if you’ve had something done.

It really depends on the area being treated and of course pain levels differ from person to person. Some clients will feel more discomfort than others however there are certain tools and techniques we can use to help minimise this as much as possible. These include local or topical anaesthetic (numbing cream), vibration and cooling the area.

Most clients tolerate the treatment well and some areas such as cheeks often don’t require any anaesthetic however lips are a more sensitive area so we like you to numb first where possible. You can purchase EMLA numbing cream (5g tube) from the pharmacy or ask your nurse for some before your appointment. 

Many dermal fillers also contain local anaesthetic, which makes the treatment even more comfortable.

Some numbness may be felt for a couple of hours afterwards. Redness, swelling and/or bruising may be noticeable. While everything possible is done to avoid this, we always recommend that dermal filler be planned with respect to any upcoming engagements. We generally expect bruising and swelling to happen, if it doesn’t, great! but definitely be prepared incase.

Please do not book your filler treatment less than 2-3 weeks before a big event. Even if you have had treatment before and haven’t bruised, that is not a guarantee that you won’t bruise this time.

2 weeks prior to your appointment, avoid all blood thinners and anti-inflammatory medication as long as this is ok with your GP – please check if you’re unsure.

Medications and supplements such as Aspirin, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Green Tea, St. John’s Wort, Omega 3/Fish Oils, Ibuprofen and Voltaren have blood thinning effects and can increase the risk of bruising and swelling after injections.

Do not consume alcohol at least 24 hours prior to treatment (alcohol may thin the blood and increase the risk of bruising)

Do not have treatment if you have been unwell, had any dental visits, vaccines, minor surgery or any other procedures within the last 4 weeks leading up to your appointment. You should avoid where possible the above for 4 weeks after your treatment also. This is because if there is an inflammatory process happening in the body, it may increase the risk of complications. This is very rare but it’s worth following to be extra safe.

Taking bromelain (from a health food shop or by eating fresh pineapple) before and after your treatment may help to reduce swelling and inflammation.

For the rest of the day following your treatment it is recommended that:

• Treated areas should not be touched.
  Make-up should not be applied for 12-24 hours. You can purchase a medical foundation from the clinic if you wish to have a foundation that you can use straight away and is suitable for covering bruises.
• Avoid anything that can make bruising more likely (such as alcohol, anti-inflammatory meds, exercise, and extreme heat).
• For 2 weeks afterwards avoid very hot or cold temperatures such as hot yoga, spas, saunas or direct sunlight. Ice can be used to help reduce swelling and bruising but do not keep it in the same spot for very long. Arnica can be applied or taken orally. Hirudoid cream applied to bruised areas may also help.
• Do not have filler within 2 weeks of an overseas holiday. Complications are very rare but if it were to happen then you need to be around so we can help you.

If you have any further questions regarding Dermal Filler, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.