Dermal Fillers

Following a thorough consultation with your practitioner, the dermal filler that is selected as being the most appropriate for you is eased into either the lip border or body (or both) using a very fine needle and the procedure itself should take approximately 15 minutes. The product contains an anaesthetic but it may be possible to have a numbing cream applied to the area prior to the treatment if you would prefer. Results can be seen straight away.

At Cadogan Clinic we use only the safest hylauronic acid-based dermal fillers which are long lasting but not permanent. The effects will fade gradually but should last between 4 and 13 months depending on which treatment you have had. Following this, we recommend that you come back to us for a top up treatment. The filler will biodegrade in the skin naturally and disappear should you choose not to return for a top up treatment.

Most dermal fillers that we use at Cadogan Clinic include an added anaesthetic, which makes the lip enhancement treatment virtually painless as it numbs the skin. If you feel that you would rather come in early for numbing cream application before your dermal fillers treatment, this is also possible.

Dermal fillers at Cadogan Clinic are very safe as we use only hyluaronic acid based fillers which is a substance which occurs naturally in the body and they are long-lasting but semi-permanent. Our practitioners who carry out lip enhancements are healthcare professionals such as doctors, dermatologists and plastic surgeons. Despite this, it is important to discuss any possible side effects or complications of lip injections with your consultant so they can ensure you have the best form of treatment and care.

Before your lip fillers treatment, it is important that you have had a consultation with your doctor to establish what you want and what they recommend for you to see if this treatment is for you. Though many dermal fillers contain anaesthetic, you may choose to apply numbing cream to the area prior to the treatment.

Dermal Fillers can be applied to different areas to achieve multiple results. They are commonly used to increase the volume and size of lips: this treatment option is often used by women to reverse or delay the unwanted signs of ageing.

Dermal Fillers are also a common treatment for facial lines that may appear as a sign of ageing and stress, in particular forehead wrinkles and wrinkles around the eyes (often referred to as crow’s feet).

Skin conditions that can be treated by Dermal Fillers include:

• Sunken Cheeks

• Acne Scars

• Regular Scars

• Frown Lines

• Facial Lines

• Tear Troughs

Dermal Fillers can be used to rejuvenate, contour and enhance areas such as:

• Nose

• Lips

• Mouth Corners

• Eyebrows

• Chin and Cheeks

Different fillers and procedures will be used depending on the treatment area and the desired results.

For more specifics on procedures and different treatment areas we recommend getting in touch to book a free consultation with one of our specialists.

Hyaluronic acid – also known as Hyaluronan, Hyaluronate or HA – is a substance that is naturally found in the human body, where it acts as a cushion and lubricant in the joints and other tissues. In particular, it’s present in high concentrations in fluids in the eyes and in the joints.

HA has multiple beneficial functions, such as hydrating the skin, stimulating the production of collagen in skin, acting as an antioxidant and free radical scavenger, maintaining skin elasticity and cushioning joints and nerve tissues. It also has an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory function and maintains the fluid in the eye tissues.

As other protective agents in the body though, Hyaluronic acid decreases with the ageing process.

Hyaluronic acid has several medical applications – for example to treat osteoarthritis. Cosmetically, it is used as a common ingredient in skin-care products and as main active ingredient of injectable treatments for filling soft tissue defects such as facial wrinkles.

Hyaluronic acid fillers are the most common type of dermal fillers. Juvederm and Restylane are common brand names of injectables based on Hyaluronic acid.

There are several different types of Dermal Fillers and choosing the right type for you will depend on your desired results.

A first general differentiation is between temporary (or resorbable) fillers – the vast majority of fillers used in the UK – and permanent/semi-permanent dermal fillers (or non-resorbable), used less commonly.

Temporary fillers will last approximately 6 to 9 months and are considered to be very safe, as the produce will gradually be absorbed by the body over a period of time, which lowers the possibility of long term side effects significantly.  There are different types of temporary fillers, which can be categorised based on their main component. The most common include:

• Hyaluronic acid fillers

  Hyaluronic acid fillers are the most popular category of dermal fillers and come in different brand names, such as Juvederm and Restylane, with slight differences and varying results. As their main active ingredient, hyaluronic acid, is a natural substance in the human body, these fillers are highly safe and side effects are very rare.

  Different types of Hyaluronic acid fillers present diverse levels of thickness offering flexible solutions to treat different areas and skin conditions: thinner fillers are typically more suitable for the treatment of wrinkles and fine lines and for lip enhancement; thicker fillers are more suitable to treat deep wrinkles and loss of volume.

• Calcium Hydroxylapatite fillers

  Calcium Hydroxylapatite is a substance found naturally in human bones and is the main element of brand products such as Radiesse. Dermal fillers based on Calcium Hydroxylapatite have longer lasting effects and are commonly used for facial sculpting, typically to treat deep lines and creases such as nasolabial folds and to enhance the volume of the cheeks and other facial contours. Calcium Hydroxylapatite is normally not applied to the lips.

• Collagen Simulators based on Polylactic acid

  Collagen Stimulators – such as Sculptra – are used to add volume and improve skin texture and can be used in particular to treat facial fat loss.

This type of treatment produces more subtle, less immediate results, which will gradually improve over several months. This is thanks to the fact that, once injected, Collagen Stimulators encourage the body to form its own collagen over time.

The main element of collagen stimulators such as Sculptra is poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA), a synthetic material which helps to replace lost collagen.

Dermal Fillers are cosmetic injectable treatments used to soften facial wrinkles, lines and fill out hollows to recreate the smooth contours of younger skin.

There are different types of Dermal Fillers, composed by a variety of substances, natural or synthetic. Some Dermal Fillers are made of collagen – the main structural protein of connective tissues in animals – others are synthetically produced in laboratory and derived from hyaluronic acid, a water holding molecule acting as a cushioning and hydrating agent in all mammals.

Cosmetically, Dermal Fillers are used mainly to assist the correction of skin conditions that may appear as a result of aging, including wrinkles, creases and folds.

A Dermal Filler procedure consists in injections in the Dermis layer of the skin for the purpose of increasing soft tissues.

Widely regarded as a safe and effective treatment for a variety of skin conditions, Dermal Fillers are most popular among those who seek a swift, non-surgical solution for aged skin that has lost volume.

Dermal Fillers can also be used to treat scars and depressions in the skin, including acne scars or those acquired from surgery.

It is highly recommended that you consult with a qualified practitioner before receiving a Dermal Filler treatment. 

The length of time that the effects and benefits of Dermal Fillers last depends on multiple factors, such as the type of filler used,  the area of application, the age of the patient, their lifestyle and the quality of their skin.

The most common types of Dermal Fillers have long-lasting, but temporary effects.

For example, the effects of Hyaluronic Acid Dermal Fillers are expected to last about 6 to 12 months on average. Calcium hydroxylapatite Fillers, such as Radiesse – normally used to treat thicker lines and folds – are expected to have longer lasting effects, typically around one year.

After the initial treatment, follow-up sessions are usually recommended every six to twelve months, depending on the treatment and the patient.

In general terms, dermal fillers plump-up the injected area, levelling it with other parts of the skin, which will look firmer, younger and refreshed.

Different dermal fillers achieve these results in different ways, depending on their main active ingredients.

The overall principle of dermal fillers is based on the natural composition of the human skin. With age, the upper layer of the human skin, the epidermis, gradually becomes thinner, offering less protection to the lower layer, the dermis. Also, the ageing process considerably reduces the production of collagen, the main component of the dermis, which gives the skin its strength, elasticity and firmness. This results in the appearance of wrinkles, folds and other age-related skin depressions.

Dermal fillers integrate natural collagen, in different ways and varying specificities in relation to different areas of the body.

Dermal Filler treatments are generally not painful, although the amount of discomfort may vary depending on the area. Treatments around the lip and nose area are known for being slightly more painful than in other areas.

The severity of the pain felt will often depend on the form of pain control applied to the area of treatment. Anaesthetic cream is often used for treatments involving wrinkles and lines; the cream is applied approximately 20 minutes before the procedure. The purpose of the cream is to help numb the treatment area and help to reduce the pain of the injection.

There is normally no downtime with dermal fillers: most people are able to return to work or to their regular activities immediately after they have received the treatment.

Potential side effects after the treatment may cause slight pain or discomfort; however these side effects should not last for more that 2-3 days. If any side effects persist, it is recommended to consult with a doctor.

For a more detailed overview on dermal fillers, we encourage booking a free consultation with one of our specialists.