Professionally trained in aesthetic procedures Dermal Fillers Information Guide
What are Dermal Fillers? As the skin ages, it gradually loses some of its collagen and fat. These are the things that prevent the skin from becoming saggy. Dermal fillers are made of various kinds of natural and man-made or synthetic materials that have been developed over the years for injection into the skin. They are a form of hyaluronic acid, a substance naturally found in the body, and can be injected into the skin to improve aesthetics. They will help to restore our skin into a youthful appearance, as it is injected into areas where it needs to be plumped up again and made to look firmer. Dermal fillers come in different thicknesses, and it is injected into the dermal layer of the skin to help plump out fine to deep lines and wrinkles, such as the naso-labial folds (nose to mouth lines), to contour the cheeks and chin or to augment lips. The leading dermal fillers used by most UK practitioners are hyaluronic acid based products. Costs will vary depending on the type of dermal filler used. The procedure is quick, often taking just 30 minutes or less to complete, and many people experience little pain and have minimum side-effects. How it works Skin is made up of two layers, the epidermis and the dermis. The outer layer is the epidermis and its main function is to serve as protection against the effects of the environment and other components. It controls water loss from tissues and cells, and therefore serves as a barrier to the outside environment. The dermis layer is right below the epidermis and contains things such as nerves, hair follicles and blood vessels. A large element of the dermis is collagen which gives the skin its firm elasticity and strength, offering important support to the skin. As we grow old the ageing process causes the upper layer (the epidermis) to gradually become thin and provides less protection to the dermis layer. In addition, collagen production in the body slows down considerably as the existing collagen becomes ineffective. Dermal fillers work as replenishment for the natural collagen which has been reduced by the ageing process. Who may need Dermal Fillers Dermal fillers are very effective in helping to fill out lines around the lips, the lines from the nose to the corners of the mouth (nasolabial lines), smile lines and on the cheeks. Collagen treatment has been widely used to increase the size and volume of lips in women for a number of years, and this is still the most popular use for most dermal fillers. Page 2 of 6
Treatment Before having dermal filler treatment you will need to visit us to guide you through the process of choosing the best dermal filler for your skin. We will discuss the results you would like to achieve and how you would like to look afterwards. We will take a medical history to make sure that there are no reasons why you shouldn t have the treatment and a consent form will also be signed before undergoing any treatment to ensure that you understand possible effects. Treatments involving wrinkles and lines often require anaesthetic cream, which is applied around twenty minutes prior to having the treatment. The function of the cream is to help numb the area for treatment and reduce pain when the injection is used. Depending on the type of filler and the area undergoing treatment, different types of injection will be used. Some fillers actually contain the local anaesthetic Lidocaine and this will help the area go numb as the treatment goes on. Photographs will also be taken by us for a before and after comparison of the treatment. Depending on the area treated, and which filler is used, treatment times can vary from around 30 minutes to an hour, and recovery time can be from a few hours to a few days. However, most people find that they can return straight back to work after treatment with dermal fillers. Risks and side effects Depending on the area injected and the type of filler or pain control used, patients may find the procedure relatively painless to mildly uncomfortable. Treatments around the nose or lip areas are usually more painful. The obvious, immediate and most common side effect is slight bleeding after the needle has been inserted into the skin. Other risks include mild bruising, tenderness, redness and swelling that may also occur around the site of injection. These signs may take 2-3 days to vanish completely, especially around the lips where there is little flesh and the skin is tender. Rarely, allergic type reactions can occur after treatment with some fillers. These include prolonged redness, swelling, itching and or hardness and bumps in the skin. Such signs may appear at some or all of the points of injection. Sometimes, they can last for several months or longer, but this is extremely unusual. If you have a history of cold sores, or fever blisters in the treated area, filler injections may cause them to break out again. In these cases, we will recommend that you take an antiherpes medicine before treatment to help reduce the likelihood of an outbreak of cold sores. Page 3 of 6
Very occasionally, delayed side effects can occur many months after the first treatment. These side-effects usually appear as red lumps showing up underneath the skin. Sometimes, these may be permanent. There is some evidence that these may be more common and more difficult to treat with some of the permanent fillers. The important point to note is that most of these effects are expected when going through dermal treatment, and that they will disappear within a period of two to three days. If they persist then it becomes necessary to check with a qualified medical person to ensure everything is normal and there is no problem. It is rare to experience allergic side-effects with most types of fillers. If an allergic reaction occurs it can affect almost any part of the body being treated. It is possible for these side-effects to last around a month, or longer than this in rare cases. As long as the filler is produced to a high standard the chances of experiencing an allergic reaction is rare. Who should not have dermal filler treatment? As in any treatment to the skin, injections should be avoided in areas where the skin is swollen or where infections are present e.g. active acne. This will reduce the risk of infection at the injection site after the treatment. If you have even the slightest allergic reaction to a particular filler, it cannot be used and you will need to use a different brand. Dermal fillers have not been tested in pregnant women, so their use would normally be not advised by practitioners if you are expecting a child or if you are breastfeeding. If you have suffered from a disease of the auto-immune system, you are likely to be allergic to bovine collagen and so it cannot be used. You need to give us a detailed medical history to avoid such outcomes. Conditions which are not suited to the use of bovine collagen include: rheumatoid arthritis; psoriatic arthritis; systemic or discoid lupus erythematosus; or polymyositis. Page 4 of 6
Aftercare It is important that you follow our advice carefully after dermal filler treatment. This will help you to gain maximum effect from the procedure and reduce the risk of complications. Advice includes: Iced water soaks or ice packs to help to reduce swelling (although this is generally not required); The use of pain-killers such as paracetamol may be required for a few days after treatment; Bruising and swelling should go down after a couple of days, but if you continue to experience very painful swelling and bruising, or if any blistering occurs, you should contact us; Do not drink hot drinks for up to 6 hours after having dermal fillers in your lips. Do not go on any sunbeds or use saunas/steam rooms for 24 hours after having dermal fillers as the heat will effect it. Do not drink alcohol for 24 hours. Do not do any strenuous exercising for 24 hours following your treatment. Do not apply any make up after treatment for approximately 3-4 hours. If you experience any delayed reactions such as lumpy redness occurring any time after treatment, you must contact us immediately. Page 5 of 6
Queries If you have any further questions or concerns, please call either Melanie or Clare on the phone numbers detailed below. Alternatively you can send us an email and we will get back to you as soon as we can. Melanie Jones BSc RM t: 07407 062092 Clare Stuart BSc RM PGD t: 07724 059070 Email: info@candmaesthetics.com www.candmaesthetics.com Page 6 of 6