The majority of dermal fillers consist of a synthetic version of hyaluronic acid (HA), which is a natural polysaccharide that exists in all living organisms and is found throughout the body, giving volume to the skin, lubricating the joints, and giving the eye its shape.

Dermal fillers are biocompatible, which means that they can integrate safely with your skin tissues and allow the passage of oxygen and nutrients. Over time, the HA gel injected within your skin is slowly absorbed and replaced by water.

The function of a dermal filler treatment is to add volume to your skin. It can lift up and fill lines and wrinkles, or plump up your lips or other facial contours.

Other dermal fillers work by stimulating your body’s collagen production in the treated areas to address the underlying causes of your ageing skin and to create natural volume.

You may sometimes hear dermal fillers referred to as ‘cosmetic polyfilla’ and they are certainly ideal for filling static lines and folds, or for lip sculpture. We find dermal fillers particularly effective for treating the following issues:

• Nasolabial lines (from the nose to the corners of the mouth)
• Marionette lines (from the mouth down to the chin)
• Lip enhancement, definition and/or volume
• Fine lines above and around the lips (including smokers’ lines)
• Frown lines (forehead and/or between the eyes)
• Tear trough (dark circles/hollows under the eyes)
• Scar correction
• Facial shaping, volumising & contouring
• Cheek & chin augmentation
• Nose reshaping or correction
• General skin hydration & rejuvenation
• Rejuvenation of the hands, neck & décolletage
• Treatment of crepe underarms and knees

We also offer a whole-face dermal filler treatment known as the 8-point lift (see below).

You’ll sometimes hear the 8-point lift referred to as a ‘non-surgical facelift’. With this treatment, we inject small quantities of dermal fillers into eight specific points of your face to create rejuvenating lift and volume. The 8-point lift gives us the opportunity to consider your face in its entirety and achieve a noticeable facelift without you having to have irreversible surgery.
During the 8-point lift, we inject dermal fillers into the following areas:

• 1 & 2: Cheek bone & structure
• 3: Tear trough/mid face
• 4: Nasolabial folds
• 5: Mouth corners
• 6: Pre-jowl area
• 7: Jawline
• 8: Lower cheek

When you come in to the clinic for a treatment using dermal fillers, we will cleanse your face before applying an anaesthetic cream to ensure that you feel as comfortable as possible during the procedure. Dr. Tschoepe will have recommended what she feels is the best dermal filler for your needs during your initial consultation, and inject this into targeted treatment areas.

If you come in for an 8-point lift (see above), your treatment may take longer as you will need to have more injections than if we’re focusing on a single area of your face.

Dr. Tschoepe will ask you to come in for a second appointment two weeks later to assess and document your results so that the regime can be improved, if necessary.

The results of this treatment are instantaneous.

How long your treatment lasts can depend on a number of factors, such as the treatment area, the type of filler and the amount used, your individual muscle movements, activity, and lifestyle. The results of dermal fillers last for nine to twelve months, on average; volumising fillers for your cheeks, chin and larger contours may last for 12 to 18 months.

The dermal fillers we use at Face Matters have a proven safety record and offer long-lasting but non-permanent results. Hyaluronic acid-based fillers can also be reversed. However, no treatment is without potential side effects.

After a treatment with dermal fillers, you may experience some mild bruising at the injection sites, which can take two to three days to vanish. Inevitably, the more injections you have, the higher your chance of some visible bruising.

Some people also experience temporary redness, swelling, itching or discomfort; the lip area, in particular, can swell for a few days. It’s fairly common for the treatment area to look slightly discoloured, but again, this should resolve quickly.

Much rarer side effects include blistering, infection, cold sores (especially if you have a history of cold sores), allergic reactions, and – in less than one in 15,000 cases – lumpy tissue, skin necrosis and red wheals, all of which are usually mild to moderate and self-limiting, lasting for approximately two weeks.

Choosing an experienced practitioner like Dr. Tschoepe who has a proven history of successful treatments is important to minimise the risk of side effects.

As we’ve discussed above, your skin may look red and swollen or feel tender and itchy immediately after your treatment. You should avoid touching the treated area for at least six hours, after which you can apply light make-up and gently wash your face with soap and water.

We recommend that you wear a high factor sunblock (SPF 30 or above) and avoid sun exposure.

You should steer clear of extreme temperatures until the initial swelling and redness have resolved – this means no saunas, sunbathing, solariums or extreme cold.

If you have a cheek or chin augmentation treatment, it is advisable to sleep on your back for one to two nights with a few extra pillows.

We will give you more detailed aftercare instructions when you have your treatment, so you know exactly what to expect and how to follow our recommendations for the best outcomes.

We use the leading dermal filler brands currently available, all of which are supported by extensive use and clinical data:

• The Amalian Hyaluronic Acid System uses hyaluronic acid products that have a high level of biocompatibility and unique technology to enable to gel to distribute quickly and evenly.
• The Belotero® range of dermal fillers is specially designed to smoothly integrate with your tissue for subtle and even results without disrupting the natural contours of your face. Belotero® fillers are ideal for hydrating your skin.
• Emervel is a sophisticated range of softer dermal fillers designed to work within the different layers of your skin to replace or restore facial volume and improve the quality and integrity of your skin.
• Juvederm® is a range of hyaluronic acid fillers, each with a smooth gel formulation that addresses specific and unique issues. Juvederm® is formulated with Lidocaine, an anaesthetic, to make your treatment more comfortable.
• Radiesse® is a volumising dermal filler that restores volume and adds structure to the skin. The unique gel formula contains calcium microspheres which stimulate your body to produce its own natural collagen. Radiesse® fillers are ideal for larger areas such as the backs of your hands.
• Restylane® fillers have been used for over 10 million treatments worldwide over the last 13 years. They are produced by a unique and patented process involving minimal chemical interference, which means that the hyaluronic acid in the product closely resembles that found in your own skin.
• Sculptra® is a biocompatible and biodegradable injectable material known as poly-L-lactic acid that naturally replenishes volume by stimulating the growth of natural collagen to address the underlying causes of your facial ageing.

There are products in each range that are particularly suitable for use to address specific issues or in specific areas of the face.

The temporary nature of dermal fillers means that the results will eventually break down and without a top-up treatment, your lines and wrinkles will re-emerge over time. This gives us the flexibility to tweak future treatments to reflect your changing needs.

When supported by a comprehensive consultation, plenty of information about the treatment, and given realistic expectations, most people love the outcomes of their treatment with dermal fillers. However, it can give you peace of mind to know that if you are unhappy with the results most hyaluronic acid fillers like Restylane and Juvederm can be easily reversed using a product called hyaluronidase.

Longer-lasting collagen-stimulating fillers, such as Radiesse® and Sculptra® cannot be reversed.