Dermal Fillers are used to soften lines or augment facial contours. The injectable products used are substances naturally found in your skin, muscles, tendons and bones. They are substances that support the dermis of the skin. These injections simply replace the body's natural tissue volume and enhances the dermal and subdermal layers of skin and sub skin.
These filler products are available in a number of thicknesses which allows versatility for injection in superficial (shallow) to deep levels of tissue. Superficial injections target more fine lines and wrinkles while deep injections add volume and contour enhancement.
Smile lines:
The lines running from the sides of the nose to the corners of the mouth.
Frown lines:
The area between the eyebrows
Smoker's lines:
The vertical lines across the top lip
Crows feet:
The lines at the outside corners of the eyes
Worry lines:
The lines across the forehead.
Marionette lines:
The lines at the corners of the mouth.
How long do injectable treatments last?
Injectable dermal fillers will break down and be taken up by the body. The time the treatment will last and give noticeable results depends both on the individual and the product used. In general, initial treatment will last about 6 months.
To maintain the correction achieved from your initial treatment you may choose to have follow-up treatments. The length of time between follow-up treatments varies from person to person. You can arrange your follow-up treatment when you notice your lines returning. If you choose not to have follow-up treatments, your skin will return to its previous position over time.
What is the first step to having treatment?
Firstly you will be assessed for suitability for treatment as dermal fillers are not suitable for everyone. There is no need for “test dose injection” with most newer dermal filler products as no allergy problems occur.
How long does the treatment take?
Treatment usually takes approximately 15 minutes, dependent upon the number of areas to be treated.
Is it painful?
Most patients report that treatment was slightly uncomfortable. A local anaesthetic may is added to the filler to keep discomfort to a minimum. Use of a local anaesthetic cream 60 minutes prior to the treatment is also quite helpful. Use of inhalational sedative at the time of the treatment is also available. These alternatives are best discussed with Dr Drielsma’s staff prior to appointment.
Can I return to work immediately?
Straight after treatment the skin over the treated area may look slightly raised and a little reddened. The area can be covered with oil-free make-up. The raised area will become flatter over the following 24 hours and normal colour should return quickly. Generally, treated patients return to work immediately..
Are there any risks?
Infection: As with any injection into the skin, treatment has a small risk of infection. This is exceedingly rare.
Herpes: Some people with a history of cold sores at the implant sites have reported an outbreak after treatment. These outbreaks heal without any more reports of problems.
Pregnancy: The safety of dermal filler injections during pregnancy and breast feeding has not been established.
Bruising: Bruising may be noticed transiently over the treated areas. People taking medicines that affect the clotting of blood, eg. aspirin, carry a higher risk of such bruising.
General Information
Should there be any questions regarding this treatment, be sure they are answered in advance by Dr Drielsma. Well meaning friends are not a good source of information. Find out everything before the treatment - a well informed patient is a happy one.
Finally, there can be no absolute guarantee with any procedure. Remember, the realistic aim of treatment is improvement, not perfection.
Please note: The above information mentions only some of the benefits and complications of dermal filler injection treatment. This information should not be regarded as a substitute for information and advice provided by Dr Drielsma during consultation.
