Fillers

Both are used to rectify or prevent the signs of ageing, but fillers and Botox are quite different. While fillers are typically used to add volume and plump the skin, Botox (which is a brand name for botulinum toxin) temporarily blocks nerve signals in the muscles where it’s injected to restrict movement and treat ‘expression lines’.

Fillers are a gel-like substance that is injected into different parts of the skin. The depth of injection and consistency of the filler dictates the results that will be achieved: deep injections with firm fillers create volume and shape to the face, mid-depth injections with medium-firm fillers reduce the appearance of creases, superficial injections into the dermis with soft fillers help to smooth out wrinkles, plump and hydrate the skin.

It is also worth noting that fillers can be injected in different ways: using a needle or a cannula. A cannula is a blunt tube that deposits filler underneath the skin and can be used to treat any part of the face e.g., tear troughs, cheeks, jawline or lips.

We recommend avoiding anti-inflammatory painkillers before and after the procedure as these can thin the blood and increase the risk of redness, swelling, bleeding and bruising.

Ibuprofen and aspirin are the most well-known anti-inflammatory drugs. However, during your consultation it’s important that you let us know what medication you’re taking so we can advise on possible contraindications (situations in which you should avoid taking your medication).If your practitioner has applied a local anaesthetic cream, it’s normal to feel like the pain is getting worse as the effects of this cream wear off. If you’re in pain, apply a cold compress to the area to help reduce swelling.

We recommend waiting at least a few days after dermal fillers before doing any strenuous exercise—this will avoid the risk of infection. You shouldn’t do any strenuous exercise during that time, but we also recommend you avoid yoga too. This is because inverted positions such as headstands could increase the risk of you suffering bruising and swelling.

Although drinking alcohol won’t affect the long-term results of having dermal fillers, it can increase bruising and swelling. It’s best to avoid alcohol for at least two days after having the treatment.

Avoid sunbathing, sunbeds and intense heat for one week after treatment. If you do go out in the sun, wear sunscreen at all times. You should also avoid exposing your skin to extreme cold for one week after treatment.

Don’t touch or rub the treated area for at least six hours after treatment. After that, you can gently clean the area and apply light make-up.

Yes, you can smoke straight after having fillers (including lip fillers). However, smoking is hugely detrimental to your health and although it won’t directly affect the results of the treatment, it will continue to dry out and age your skin. Smoking narrows the blood vessels in the outer layers of your skin. This limits blood flow, meaning your skin doesn’t receive as much oxygen or as many nutrients. In the long term, smoking can cause wrinkling, sagging, discolouration and age spots.

It’s best to follow the general aftercare advice for cheek fillers. There’s no specific aftercare advice for cheeks, other than avoiding wearing make-up for the first six hours after treatment.

There’s no specific aftercare advice for having dermal fillers in the tear troughs (the hollow area just under the eyes), so you should follow the general aftercare advice for facial fillers. You may want to apply concealer under your eyes to disguise any bruises as the area heals. However, you should avoid applying any eye make-up for the first six hours after having treatment.

It can take up to two weeks for facial fillers to settle into place.

We use hyaluronic acid fillers and collagen-stimulating fillers. Hyaluronic acid is a substance found naturally inside the human body so a reaction to this substance is extremely rare. Collagen stimulating fillers are made from calcium, a mineral also found naturally in the body, so, again, reactions are very rare.

Immediately after the treatment, there may be a slight redness, swelling, tenderness, a faint bubble‑like appearance and an itching sensation in the treated area. These side effects are a normal result of the injection and will generally disappear gradually over a period of 7–14 days. The Russian lip technique can lead to additional swelling due to more injections being made.

Most clients won’t experience any pain after having dermal fillers. But some people may find they have a little bit of soreness and/or mild bruising at the site of injection. If you do experience any pain, bruising or swelling, you can treat this with an ice pack.

Before administering the injections, we will apply topical anaesthetic cream to the area to help keep any pain during the procedure to a minimum. The filler itself contains some local anaesthetic called lidocaine—this is a numbing agent that makes the procedure very comfortable.

Possible side effects include:

• red, swollen, bruised or discoloured skin
• itchy and/or lumpy skin
• prolonged firmness
• bleeding/pain
• infection
• an abscess, a nodule or a granuloma (a small area of inflammation)
• local necrosis (tissue death)
• an allergic reaction

In rare cases, a scab can form where the treatment was administered, which can result in a scar.

Some people experience mild bruising and swelling after the procedure. If this occurs, you can expect it to wear off in a week or two. After the procedure, the treated area will be slightly red, but this will last only a few hours.

The effects of dermal fillers can potentially last for up to 6-9 months but this will vary from person to person. It depends on your skin, the area you have treated and the amount and type of filler used. The results will gradually fade over time until your skin returns to its previous state. You can choose to have ‘touch up’ procedures to maintain the look the dermal fillers help create.

You can expect to see the results of the procedure immediately. If there is any swelling, this should take a couple of weeks to settle down.