What are dermal fillers?

Collagen and elastin are natural substances that provide the youthful firmness and texture of our skin. These reduce in concentration as we age, starting from our mid - twenties. Factors that further accelerate the ageing process include our diets, exposure to sunlight, smoking, as well as our genetic make up. Some factors are clearly controllable and others are not.

Facial wrinkles treatments and lip augmentation (shaping) can now be performed easily with products known as ‘dermal fillers’. Fillers are used to plump up the wrinkles that are visible when the face is relaxed. They are therefore very different to wrinkle treatments. Botulinum toxin is used to treat wrinkles formed by facial expression such as the crow's feet lines around the eyes when squinting The wrinkles treated by botulinum toxin are therefore sometimes referred to as 'dynamic wrinkles'.

______________________________________________________________________________

What are dermal fillers made from?

There are many products available on the dermal filler market, but the most modern of these are made from non-animal based hyaluronic acid gels. Hyaluronic acid is a substance that is naturally made within our skin. Hyaluronic acid draws water molecules to it, in doing so gently plumping the skin. Fillers containing hyaluronic acid are injected with very fine needles to smoothen lines and wrinkles, as well as to shape, pout or give fullness to the lips. The image below shows the areas of the face where fillers can potentially be used:

________________________________________________________________________________

How long do dermal fillers last?

Hyaluronic acid fillers are FULLY reversible and last on average 6-12 months depending on the area treated. Furthermore, the results are instant and improve further with time. Being made of a substance already present in our body, the risk of allergy is minimal.

Older fillers made of collagen and silicon have gone out of fashion due to their permanent, irreversible effects, as well as the much higher risk of allergic reactions. The 'trout pout' that was made infamous by a well - known celebrity was caused by using permanent filler in addition to an allergic reaction to the filler. Such fillers are never used now due to the obvious potential side effects.

_______________________________________________________________________________

What dermal filler product is used?

There are probably over a hundred of different types of fillers and the choice can be confusing to those new to aesthetic treatments. Very broadly, they differ in the materials that they consist of, in their textures and the length of time they take to reverse.

From experience of using many of the brands available.

Belotero made by Merz

Juvéderm^® Ultra is one of the newest dermal filler products on the market. It is made from hyaluronic acid that is broken down by the body naturally over time. It uniquely also contains a local anaesthetic within its gel product, making wrinkle and lip augmentation treatments more comfortable than ever.