Month: May 2024

In this article we look at the pros and cons of dermal fillers, which are the factors worth considering before choosing to have them?

Dermal fillers reduce the appearance of fine facial lines and wrinkles to help look and feel more youthful and personable in both social and professional settings. By replenishing hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring component of our skin that diminishes over time due to sun exposure, environmental toxins, and the elements, dermal fillers not only make us look better but improve the health and quality of our skin.

 

Disadvantages of Dermal Fillers

 

1. The cost of dermal fillers can be high

 

Up first on the list is the price of dermal fillers. Though they do a great job at helping us look more youthful and attractive, they do come at a price, which can be prohibitively high for some patients.

 

2. Side effects such as bruising, bleeding, and swelling

 

Most dermal fillers use naturally-occurring components. They are fully biocompatible and produce no known long-term adverse effects. However, in the short term, dermal fillers can cause bleeding, bruising, and swelling at injection sites. To minimise these, we can suggest several preventatives and remedies, including ceasing certain medications and indirectly applying ice packs to the treatment area. On the whole, most patients find these effects very bearable, short-lived, and self-resolving.

 

3. Dermal fillers are not permanent

 

Most dermal fillers last between 6 and 18 months, with an excellent average lifespan being around 12 months. That is a long time to enjoy improvements to one’s complexion and appearance, but it isn’t permanent. To most patients, this is understandable as little else in life, particularly in diet, physique, and beauty, is permanent but requires constant attention.

 

4. Other Rare but Possible Cons to be Aware Of

 

The last disadvantages to dermal fillers are certainly worth mentioning but are extremely rare. A tiny percentage of patients may metabolise fillers much faster than others. Others may experience additional infrequent side effects, including rashes, the development of lumps under the skin, or the erroneous injection of filler into a blood vessel. Again, these are extremely rare if a qualified and experienced injector does dermal fillers.

 

Advantages of Dermal Fillers

 

1. Dermal fillers can you help you look younger and more rested

 

By smoothing out the lines and wrinkles and filling out the lips and cheeks, dermal fillers can help you look naturally more youthful and attractive per your definition of beauty.

 

2. Dermal fillers are impermanent

 

Something that fits into both the pros and cons of dermal fillers is that they don’t last forever. If you dislike your results or later wish to look different, dermal fillers’ effects can be reversed with another simple injection. Their impermanence also means you can adjust your results to perfection.

 

3. Pain is Minimal

 

Dermal fillers are injected into the dermis with thin surgical-grade needles. Pain is minimal, and the procedure can be made more comfortable using a topical anaesthetic applied before the dermal fillers are used. Many dermal fillers also have an anaesthetic in them.

 

4. Dermal fillers can help restore healthy collagen

 

As mentioned at the outset, our body’s natural reserves of hyaluronic acid (and its ability to replenish it) diminishes over time. Dermal fillers can stimulate further growth of additional healthy collagen, giving our skin a more youthful and healthy look.

 

5. Little to no recovery downtime is required

 

Dermal fillers are a non-surgical and minimally invasive treatment. Unlike other facial procedures, they require no downtime, and you can return to work and your social activities almost immediately.

 

6. Side effects are mild

 

The only side effects they will experience from dermal fillers are localised bruising, possible bleeding, and slight swelling for a vast majority of patients.

 

7. Dermal fillers can help us look young and beautiful

 

Carefully injected dermal fillers can make a face appear many years more youthful. They can plump up thinning lips, enhance and fill in shallow or worn areas of the face, decrease or remove wrinkles under our eyes, and reduce static wrinkles’ appearance. With a refreshed look and feel, dermal fillers give a boost to confidence and dopamine levels.

 

Anti-wrinkle injections are a quick and simple, non-surgical solution to facial wrinkles and fine lines. The injections weaken facial muscles causing them to relax, resulting in a smoother, fresher appearance. They are most commonly used to give a fresher appearance to the crows feet, forehead and frown, but can also improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles to the lower face, e.g. smokers lines, neck bands and around the mouth.

 

The answer to the question of how long they last depends on a variety of things outlined below.

 

These treatments work their magic by targeting the muscles responsible for creating wrinkles and fine lines. They temporarily block nerve signals to these muscles, causing them to relax and smoothen out the skin’s surface.

However, this relaxation isn’t permanent due to the dynamic nature of our facial muscles and the natural breakdown of the injected substance over time.

Anti-wrinkle does gradually wear off as the body processes the toxin through its natural lymphatic system, and therefore the efficacy of the anti-wrinkle product gradually depletes.

 

That means top-up treatments are necessary.

So naturally you’ll want to know, how often will you need treatments?

 

It’s great to know that anti-wrinkle, comparatively speaking, is a long-lasting treatment. Patients typically savour the outcomes for a span of 3–6 months, a testament to the quality and efficacy of this injectable.

It’s important to bear in mind that individual experiences may vary, and this can also vary according to age, metabolism and the area being treated.

Some zones of the face are more active than others, and therefore the muscle being relaxed is more active and requires more units of anti-wrinkle, with more frequent refreshes.

This window considers individual variations in metabolism, the specific product used, and the treatment area.

Areas with more robust muscle activity, like the forehead, might see effects wear off sooner than areas with less muscle movement, like the cheeks.

Moreover, the temporary nature of these treatments is often seen as an advantage, as it allows clients to adjust and fine-tune their appearance as desired over time. Regular touch-ups within this timeframe can help maintain the desired look while adapting to any changes in skin and muscle behaviour.

 

Monitoring Symmetry after Anti-Wrinkle Injections

 

When is it best to review symmetry if you feel like you have some asymmetry after anti-wrinkle injections? This question is very easy to answer using science.

After a muscle relaxant is injected, typically the results start to show at 2-8 days, they then continue to increase up to 4 weeks after the treatment was performed. The results are then stable until approximately 8-10 weeks, and then movement starts again. At 12 weeks, movement is about 50% back to normal and at 16 weeks, movement is about 80% back to normal.

Before the 4 week (maximal effect) mark, there may be one side or area that kicks in earlier or stronger than the other. Reviewing the results in terms of symmetry, before the drug has reached its maximal effect, is not very useful. The drug needs to reach its maximal effect so that the symmetry can then be assessed and potentially treated. Treating asymmetry before 4 weeks after injections is not advised as the maximal effect hasn’t been reached, so injecting more product may lead to an increase in side effects like brow or lid droop. Patients can be very impatient, but practitioners need to be guided by the science.

 

Maintaining Your Anti-Wrinkle Injection Results

 

For a successful anti-wrinkle injection, the product should stay in the same position as where it was injected. For example if you have anti-wrinkle injections for forehead lines, the product should stay in the forehead area.

There are some general aftercare guidelines that are worth adhering to post treatment, to maximise the results and longevity of your anti-wrinkle injections and decrease the risk of the anti-wrinkle product moving south and causing drooping brows/eyelids or ending in a poor cosmetic result.

Here is what you should avoid:

• Rubbing or massaging treated areas for 5 days. Gentle cleansing is fine,
• Excessive alcohol consumption 24 hours before and after treatment,
• Strenuous activity or intensive exercise for 24 hours after treatment,
• Lying flat within 4 hours post treatment,
• Bending forwards or downwards for an extended time, such as in yoga or Pilates movements,
• Facial treatments including laser, peels, needling and waxing for one week post treatment.

 

  More Information about Anti-Wrinkle Injections