A Little Bit About Fillers
What are they?
Fillers are generally made of hyaluronic acid, which is a naturally occurring substance. The hyaluronic acid molecule pulls water to it, so it is very good at plumping. The appearance of hyaluronic acid fillers is that of a clear gel. It comes in various consistencies and a good injector will know which filler type to use depending on the intended outcome for the patient.
I think there can be a real concern amongst clients that their faces will look obviously “done” or “overdone”. As I’ve stated before, my ethos is towards the understated. Restoring a natural-looking volume to the face or creating a subtle lift, or enhancing existing contours.
What are fillers used for?
Fillers can be used to replace lost volume due to loss of fat and bone caused by ageing. This creates a support structure that lifts the overlying tissues and skin. They can also be used to contour a face: to create a pleasing silhouette by enhancing cheeks, or the chin or the jawline. Hollows under the eyes can also be softened with filler.
Fillers can be used to volumize lips or to create more defined lips. Some fillers are injected more superficially and help to improve the composition of the collagen in the skin and to improve hydration.
I tend to use Juvederm products and really like their Vycross range.
Products such as Voluma, Volift, Volux, Volite are all from this range and have various benefits in terms of being long-lasting and not producing too much swelling after injecting. Some of these products contain local anaesthetic to produce a mild numbing effect to make injections more comfortable.
Is filler a good choice for me?
The decision to use a filler is a joint process between practitioner and client and should be based on what the client’s area of concern is and what the doctor can reasonably achieve. A natural outcome is what I aim for and is my general approach to aesthetics.
Hyaluronic acid fillers are safe as they mimic a substance that is naturally occuring in the human body. The products I use are reversible – so they can be dissolved if so desired for any reason. They do need to be injected by a practitioner with a good understanding of facial anatomy and who has an eye and passion for achieving a harmonious, holistic and bespoke “beauty” that the individual patient is trying to achieve.
What about pain and downtime?
Filler injections can be done with needles or with blunt cannulas. The method used depends on where the filler is placed and what effect is trying to be achieved. Different patients respond differently to pain – generally, filler injections are well tolerated. The fillers with local anaesthetic in them will cause a more lasting numbing effect. The effects of filler can be seen immediately after treatment although there may be some redness, some mild bruising or swelling which will settle in a few days. There is no downtime and one should be able to return to normal activities
Please don’t hesitate to email me or arrange for an initial consultation to discuss any queries you have around the aesthetic treatments that we offer at Coyne Medical.
All the best,
Dr Christina