Facial fillers are now incredibly advanced and effective, but what exactly are they and how do they work? The first fillers to become popular were collagen injections which were introduced into the UK twenty years ago. However, the collagen came from cow hide and often caused allergies. Skin tests were required before treatment and side-effects such as redness, tender bumps and even scarring were common.
Most ‘dermal fillers’ are now based on hyaluronic acid, a gel-like, transparent substance that is naturally present in the skin and contributes to plumping up the skin cells. Like collagen, hyaluronic acid depletes as we age, and by the time we reach our 50s, 50% of our hyaluronic acid has gone. Facial fillers use a synthetic, biodegradable version which attracts water in the skin and plumps it up. It also stimulates the production of the skin’s natural hyaluronic acid as well as collagen.
Depending on what part of the face you’re treating – crow’s feet, frown lines, nasolabial folds (from the nose to mouth), wrinkles around the mouth, or the whole lot – a session usually lasts for about 30 minutes. The filler is injected into the skin, underneath the wrinkle, using a very fine needle, which swells the surrounding tissue and smoothes the skin. The effects are immediate and there is very little risk of side-effects. However, after treatment, redness and swelling may occur but should disappear within 24 to 48 hours.
Costs vary from clinic to clinic depending on what needs treating, but generally range from £150 to £750. The average cost of one session for the treatment of nasolabial folds (nose to mouth lines) is £300.
Like skin creams, facial fillers come in different formulations and with different brand names. All reputable clinics use a handful of tried and tested products, all of which have been proved to be safe and reliable and most of which are suitable for all skin types. Treatments can be painful – needles are being injected into your face after all – and not all doctors use pain relief, so if you have a needle phobia or a low pain threshold, make sure you choose a doctor who uses a local anaesthetic or opt for a filler with an inbuilt anaesthetic – see below.
Restylane, Juvéderm These are pretty similar and are available in a variety of strengths, such as Restylane Perlane or Juvéderm Volume, depending on whether they are being used to fill fine lines and wrinkles, deeper lines, or to fill hollow cheeks and increase volume. Results last for six to twelve months. The latest products include the addition of lidocaine, a local anaesthetic, for a virtually pain-free treatment.
Teosyal According to its manufacturers, Teosyal, the latest filler to hit the market, contains the purest form of hyaluronic acid making it last longer, and can be used for everything from fine lines and wrinkles to deep facial lines to resculpting facial contours, and lasts for six to eighteen months depending on the treatment. (Lifestyle Aesthetics 0845 0701782)
Sculptra Also known as the liquid facelift, Sculptra is an injectable treatment that restores volume to your skin by stimulating the body’s own collagen, leaving your face looking fuller and younger. It contains an ingredient called poly-L-lactic acid which has been used by the medical profession for more than 25 years to repair facial scars and contour defects, and as a result, Sculptra is one of the longest lasting ‘temporary’ fillers available. It can be used to correct sagging jowls, hollow cheeks, wrinkly décolletage, wrinkly hands, nose to mouth folds, deep fold and wrinkles.
However, there are possible side-effects such as bleeding, tenderness, redness and bruising at the injection site for up to six days after treatment, and patients are advised to massage the treated area to encourage the product to spread and prevent lumps. The full effects of Sculptra are not immediate and can take a few months to develop, however the results can last for up to two years.
Pillow face or goddess?
One of the risks of facial fillers are that if too much is used, the face can end up looking over-plumped and unnatural. Nurse aesthetition, Christine Springer (http://www.brunelbeautyandmedical.co.uk/), stresses the importance of finding the right clinic and practitioner for your treatment. “Some doctors can be very arrogant and think they know best when it comes to facial fillers”, she explains. “They don’t always ask what the client wants and that’s such an important element. I’m doing fillers all day everyday and apart from anything else, I’m 59 and I’m a woman. I know how it feels to look in the mirror and not like what you see”.
If you do end up with something you don’t like, an enzyme can be injected into the filler to dissolve it. However, just as it is important to find a reputable clinic for the treatment in the first place, it is just as important to find one to reverse it too, as Dr Ravi Jain (http://www.riverbanksclinic.co.uk/) explains. “The enzyme, hyaluronidase, can be injected to break down hyaluronic acid-based filler and can be used to completely remove it or just to reduce it. However, it can sometimes cause an allergic reaction or remove too much hyaluronic acid, including your own, leaving cavities in the skin, so it should only be used if absolutely necessary and only in experienced hands”.
But what about something longer lasting, or even permanent? Go onto google and the world is your oyster when it comes to permanent fillers, but proceed with caution. “Any reputable surgeon will not offer permanent fillers, there are just too many complications”, explains cosmetic surgeon, Dr Mario Luca Russo (http://www.therejuvenationclinic.co.uk/). “Apart from anything else, you change the perception of yourself as you age and fashions change. You don’t want to be stuck with something you don’t want a few years down the line”. Christine Springer agrees. “I have seen real disasters from permanent fillers. A common fault is to inject it too superficially and then it looks lumpy. The only way to get rid of it is to cut it out and there will always be some scarring. I would like to see them banned.”
Next week.....The Latest Skin Plumping Treatments
