dermal fillers

Dermal fillers are a gel made of hyaluronic acid – a substance that naturally occurs in our skin, as well as local anaesthetic and some stabilising compounds. Hyaluronic acid attracts water which makes fillers very good at adding or replacing volume as well as having a plumping effect.

As we age we lose volume in areas of our face due to bone resorption and fat loss. This is classically around the mid face and mouth. Combining this with increased laxity in the skin, areas of the face can flatten, sag and develop lines or hollows. We strategically place fillers to restore structure and lift, add volume and fill out lines or hollows. We inject them using a fine needle or cannula. 

Almost any area can be treated with dermal fillers although some areas are higher risk for vascular complications than others. Your doctor will assess your whole face and advise where treatments should be directed to correct volume loss and give the most natural results. Common areas include:

• Restore volume to the cheeks, mid face, around the mouth or jawline
• Contour the cheeks, chin and jawline
• Improve the appearance of lines or skin depressions
• Enhance the lips
• Improve the quality of skin and lips such as hydration and elasticity

Minimal. We use a potent local anaesthetic cream on the skin prior to filler treatments to ensure the injections themselves cause little to no pain. The filler products we use all contain local anaesthetic too which improves the comfort of this procedure. It is normal to feel some mild discomfort and swelling in the first 6-24 hours.

This depends on the product used and area treated. We only use award winning Teoxane and Juvederm fillers which are known for their quality and longevity. In areas with less movement and deeper injection such as the cheeks and chin the effect can last up to 2 years. In areas with lots of movement and injection closer to the surface such as the lips effects are likely to last up to 1 year.

This is important to discuss with your practitioner at your consultation as it varies hugely on the area to be treated and desired outcome. We can advise how best to achieve your goals bearing your budget in mind. In general we only inject up to 1ml for lips and 4-5mls elsewhere on the face in one sitting. We frequently refer to aesthetics treatment plans as a journey because best results are often achieved through a combination of treatments types delivered in stages.

Results of dermal fillers are immediate although are usually best seen approximately 1-2 weeks after treatment when any swelling has settled and the product has integrated into the tissues. Patients can resume their normal activities straight away but are advised to follow some simple aftercare instructions for best results and to reduce risk of infection.

Follow up is always offered at around 2 weeks. If any additional product is needed at review or later it will be charged for.

There are alternatives and Dr Mathewson will advise on what other treatments will best address your concerns. 

For example skin quality, fine lines, pigmentation or sagging can be dramatically improved with Profhilo, peels or consistent medical grade skincare. Botulinum toxin can also be used in less traditional areas to address certain complaints such as downturned mouth, dimpled chin or neck bands.