Dermal Fillers

Changes to our skin are normal as we age.

Thanks to dermal fillers, it’s possible to age gracefully and retain youthful and plump-looking skin, without the need for invasive surgery.

What are dermal fillers?

Dermal fillers are a non-surgical treatment used to enhance specific areas of the face, by targeting wrinkles and lines, and adding volume. They’re made up of hyaluronic acid which is a naturally occurring substance found in the skin, and when we are young, our skin’s supply of it is ample. It holds 1000 times its weight in water and supports collagen and elastic fibres which are the building blocks for youthful and healthy skin.

As we age, our skin becomes less competent at creating hyaluronic acid, resulting in skin that’s less hydrated and more prone to signs of ageing. Dermal fillers replace the skin’s stores of hyaluronic acid, which makes it a natural way to enhance and beautify it and turn back the clock on ageing.

Which areas of the face can be targeted with dermal fillers?

Here at Shawbirch Dental, we can treat the following areas with dermal fillers:

Lips: plump the lips to add symmetry and definition. Improve the appearance of the smoker’s lines around the mouth.

Cheeks: reverse sagging skin to lift the cheek area, rejuvenating the shape of your face.

Nasolabial lines (nose to mouth lines): reduce the appearance of deepening nose to mouth lines, which typically become deeper as the ageing process graduates.

Marionette lines: (mouth to chin lines): smoothen lines on either side of the mouth down to the chin to reverse the signs of a ‘drooping’ smile.

What to expect from dermal fillers

As with all facial aesthetics treatments we perform, you will be asked about your medical history beforehand, so we can make sure you are suitable for treatment.

For lip treatments, we numb up the lips with dental anaesthetic so that you can not feel anything at all. For other areas a topical anaesthetic is used to numb the area, and using a very fine needle or cannula, the filler is administered.

Take a look at the video animation below to see how dermal fillers are administered.

Why dermal fillers?

• Fill in lines and folds that are present when your face is at rest.
• Promote graceful ageing.
• Reverse signs of fatigue.
• Immediate results.
• Long-lasting results of between 6-18 months depending on the product used and the area treated.
• Restore lost volume to thinning lips.
• Minimally-invasive alternative to surgery.

Aftercare

Here are a few aftercare tips to consider:

• For the next 24 hours, we advise no alcohol, exercise or make-up.
• It is advised not to expose the skin to extremities of heat for 1 week – ie avoid sauna, steam room, sun beds.
• If you have had any local anaesthetic be very careful not to bite the lips.
• If you suffer from cold sores, these can be reactivated by treatment around the lips.
• There may be some swelling, redness, bruising or itching feeling after the treatment.