Dermal Fillers

At Blemish Clinic, we use premium dermal filler products that are made from synthetic, non-animal derived hyaluronic acid. Our natural HA is made, used, broken down, and replenished daily, but that would be no good for an injectable product, thus over many decades, scientists have perfected ways to make the HA molecules into gels of different thicknesses, that are stable for much longer before the body can naturally break them down with natural hyaluronidase.

We have years of experience working with different types and brands of fillers, understanding how the different thicknesses (viscosity) or cohesivity (if it stays together as delivered in a line or blob, or spreads out) affects the treatments and results we can achieve. We are also very experienced with using either needles or blunt cannulas to deliver the products safely.

For example, if the wrong viscosity of filler is injected into the contour of the lip, this can damage both the shape and the vermillion border, giving an unattractive and unnatural appearance – so called ‘duck lips’. Dermal fillers that work nicely in the lips to create a beautiful shape should not be extremely viscous.

We always aim for natural-looking results from our dermal filler injections. You will get expert advice on the right type of dermal filler used or combination of fillers for you, in order to achieve the best desired outcome.

We only use quality filler brands that can demonstrate their safety and efficacy with scientific studies and longevity of use. We source all our products from reputable suppliers, ensuring that the storage and handling has been correctly undertaken from manufacture to arrival at our clinic.

Brands used at the Blemish Clinic include Juvéderm and Belotero.

Dermal fillers are used to treat many conditions, from filling lines and folds, to replacing facial volume, or rebuilding facial contours, or simply enhancing a facial feature, such as adding to a lip pout by further enhancing lip volume. They can be used across all areas of the face and to improve the appearance of the back of the hands.

At Blemish Clinic, dermal fillers can be used for:

• Lip definition and enhancement
• Replacing volume loss in the cheeks to correct sunken cheeks
• Replacing volume loss in the temples
• Replacing volume loss in the chin to correct a weak chin
• Replacing volume loss in the hands to correct a skeletal look
• Correction of nasolabial folds (nose-to-mouth lines)
• Correction of marionette lines (mouth-to-chin lines)
• Correction of peri-oral lines (smokers’ lines)
• Facial contouring of the jawline
• Non-surgical rhinoplasty to correct imperfections of the nose, including dorsal humps
• Reducing shadowing and dark circles in the tear trough and under the eye
• Improving the appearance of facial scarring, trauma, or deformities

Dermal fillers are suitable for all skin types and for both men and women, therefore there are very few reasons why an otherwise healthy individual would not be suitable for treatment.

A full medical history will be taken during your consultation, prior to treatment to establish if there are any underlying medical conditions, medicines, or allergies that may make you unsuitable for treatment with hyaluronic acid based dermal fillers, such as a known sensitivity, allergy, or risk of anaphylaxis. If you have broken skin or an active infection in the area to be treated – fungal, viral, bacterial – then we will need to wait until that has resolved. If you are prone to outbreaks of the herpes simplex virus (cold sores), then our medical practitioner may recommend a course of preventative medication prior to treatment, especially if you are having treatment around the lips and mouth.

You will also be specifically evaluated to determine if dermal fillers are the right treatment for the cosmetic concern you are seeking to reduce. It may be that we recommend an alternative aesthetic treatment if there is an anatomical reason why you would not get the best results. For example, all treatments in the tear trough will be assessed very carefully by your medical practitioner. We can inject a very light filler product under the muscle in this area, however, if you suffer with under eye bags or puffy eyes, you may not be a suitable candidate for this treatment.

If you are pregnant or breast feeding, you will not be suitable for this treatment.

Everyone’s sensitivity to injection with needles and cannulas is different, but it is important to us that our patients are comfortable, and we aim to reduce pain as much as possible.

To achieve this at Blemish Clinic, we will use a topical anaesthetic or numbing cream applied to the area to be treated for several minutes beforehand to reduce any discomfort from the injections.

Many dermal fillers are made of viscous or thick gels, this means that when they are injected, they stretch the skin as they go in, this action can feel uncomfortable, however, we have chosen to use brands and filler products that contain a local anaesthetic (3% lidocaine) already inside the syringe with the product. This means that the anaesthetic goes in at the same time as the gel, making it much more comfortable.

Hyaluronic acid-based fillers are regarded as much safer to use due to their non-permanent nature, meaning that they can be fully reversed should a complication occur, using a synthetic hyaluronidase prescription product.

After treatment with dermal fillers, you should expect redness, swelling (the treated areas may appear overfilled, but this is just a natural body reaction), bruising, mild pain or tenderness at the injection sites, or temporary numbness, all of which will resolve in a few days.

Swelling may persist longer, especially in the lips, and can take up to 2 weeks before everything settles down.

The use of dermal fillers injected especially around the mouth can cause a flare up of the herpes simplex virus and prompt an outbreak of cold sores. If you are prone to this, then prophylactic treatment can be used as prevention before treatment.

In rare cases, there can be a hypersensitivity reaction or allergic reaction to the hyaluronic acid that can result in a rash (hives) and extensive swelling. Antihistamines can be prescribed to resolve this.

Other rare side effects include the formation of a soft or hard lump (nodule or granuloma); these can be delayed and occur weeks after treatment, but can be treated, or an infection that will require antibiotics. You will be given aftercare advice to avoid common side effects.

Dermal fillers will instantly restore volume to an area, lifting the skin, reducing folds or wrinkles, and will help to contour and define lost points of beauty on the face, such as restoring more defined cheekbones or the jawline. You will need to allow a couple of weeks for all the swelling to resolve and the products to fully integrate to see your full result.

Many filler products have been proven to enhance the natural collagen in the area treated, meaning that over time, maintenance of the area either requires less product or retreatment less frequently. We usually recommend maintenance treatments every 6 months, depending on the area being treated.