Are Dermal Fillers for me?
Whether you want to enhance your natural features or you want to combat the the signs of aging, Dermal Fillers may be for you. As we age the skin loses its elasticity, volume loss occurs in specific compartments of the face and bone begins to resorb, particularly in the lower third of the face. This resulting loss of structural support of the skin leads to facial hollowing, deepening folds, facial lines, wrinkles and jowls.
Dermal Fillers are mostly gels that are injected into the skin at varying depths in order to soften lines and wrinkles , replenish lost volume or enhance natural features, such as lips and cheeks. Dermal Fillers can be effective over a wide age range. On one end of the spectrum, younger people may be seeking more luscious lips while on the other end, more mature-aged people may be looking to refresh their image without going under the knife.
Plastic Surgery is certainly a big step and it can pull the facial skin tighter but it can't replenish the facial volume loss which occurs when we age. For a more youthful look, many people who have face-lift surgery continue to maintain Dermal Filler treatments to restore their natural facial contours.
What can Dermal Fillers treat?
- Facial hollows – cheeks, temples, tear troughs (under eyes)
- Lip enhancement and definition
- Paris Lip Technique
- Cheekbone definition
- Lip lines and wrinkles
- Nasolabial folds (smile lines between nose and corners of mouth)
- Marionette lines (corners of mouth)
- Facial lines and wrinkles
- Jawline definition
- Skin hydration (face, neck, décolletage)
- Back of hands
Which Type of Dermal Filler do I need?
There are such a wide range of Dermal Fillers here in Australia. Dermal Fillers can be classified into 3 groups by their composition :
- Temporary biodegradable (last up to 1 year)
- Semi-permanent biodegradable (1-2 years longevity)
- Permanent non-biodgradable (> 2 years)
The wide range of Dermal Fillers available at Cosmetique Solutions are mostly of the temporary biodegradable type. They are natural sugar-based gels composed of a substance called hyaluron which naturally occurs in the human body. Of its many functions, hydration and structural support of the skin, are most important in relation to anti-aging treatments.
"Biogradable" means that the body has natural enzymes to break down the product. This is the reason why this type of dermal filler is temporary and requires re-treatment once to twice per year. Being natural to the body, temporary dermal fillers also have the best safety profile, being very unlikely for the human body to have a reaction against them.
Semi-permanent dermal fillers, also available at Cosmetique Solutions, have the advantage of generally lasting longer ( up to 2 years). They are also biodegradable and natural to the body but they contain additional ingredients which take longer to break down. Mostly being thicker products, they are usually used for deeper folds and wrinkles, replenishment of facial volume loss and cheek enhancement. Some of these semi-permanent dermal fillers will also cause a response in the tissues resulting in promotion of new collagen formation in the skin. Definitely an added bonus!
When it comes to the permanent variety of dermal fillers , Dr Kylie prefers to avoid them. Despite the lure of a long-lasting dermal filler, they certainly have their disadvantages. The permanent facial fillers are non-biodegradable so the the body has no means of breaking them down. Although it is true that the product may remain permanently in the skin, the results are far from permanent. People continue to age despite the treatment with permanent fillers and so the initial result is certainly not maintained over the test of time.
Being more foreign to the body, the permanent filler is more likely than the temporary filler to mount a local immune response against the injected product. Although this response is relatively uncommon, it can lead to lumpiness and a chronic inflammatory response in the tissues. Dr Kylie won't take that risk and so permanent fillers are " off the menu" at Cosmetique Solutions.
So which dermal filler is right for you? It really depends on your actual concerns. Surface or fine wrinkles are usually treated with finer types of fillers whereas the deeper lines and facial volume loss are treated with thicker products. Some people actually require a combination of dermal fillers to achieve the best result. That's why it is important to have a consultation with the doctor to assess your individual requirements.
At Cosmetique Solutions, Dr Kylie offers a wide variety of only TGA-approved dermal fillers to cater to your needs.
What can I expect during a Dermal Filler treatment?
Before your dermal filler treatment a topical anaesthetic cream is applied to the treatment area for approximately 30 minutes. Rarely, a local anaesthetic block is performed prior to certain procedures such as lip enhancement. The choice will be discussed with you prior to treatment. Many of the dermal filler products come pre-packaged with local anaesthetic mixed in the syringe. Our aim is to make your experience as comfortable as possible.
Once you are numb, the treatment area is swabbed with an antiseptic solution and the dermal filler product is injected with a fine gauged needle into the treatment zone. Most dermal filler treatments take less than half an hour to be performed by the doctor and the results are instantaneous. You may have a little redness or swelling for a short time and ice is provide to help reduce this, but most people can go straight back to what they were doing before the treatment.
Which is the best Dermal Filler?
There is no real answer to the best dermal filler as most dermal fillers have their advantages and disadvantages. Dr Kylie certainly has her preferred products though. It really comes down to choosing the right filler for your individual needs. The aim is to get the best possible result, which lasts the longest and is the safest.
Always do your research before undergoing a dermal filler treatment. If you see a cheap price advertised be very wary. Some of the cheaper dermal fillers just don't last in the tissue and your results will be gone before you know it! Always check that the dermal filler has TGA-approval. Products from overseas that don't have approval through the Therapeutic Goods Association of Australia may carry unknown risks. And remember that dermal fillers are actually classified as drugs and you need to have a doctor's consultation before you undergo treatment.
