Fillers

Introduction

Wrinkles are one of the prime signs of aging for which patients consult the cosmetic plastic surgeon. Skin wrinkles fall into 2 types: Dynamic and Static.

Dynamic: Dynamic wrinkles occur first in younger people. They are not present with the face relaxed, but appear as a result of contractions of the delicate underlying facial muscles every time we smile, laugh or frown. Over time, dynamic wrinkles develop into permanent, static wrinkles.

Static: Static wrinkles are present all the time and are caused by sun damage, smoking and the effects of aging; namely skin thinning, gravity and laxity.

Smoothing out these lines and wrinkles can make an enormous difference to your appearance. This can be now be achieved by the injection of a naturally occurring substance into the skin beneath the wrinkles. This has the effect of filling out wrinkles, reducing or even eliminating them.

Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic acid exists naturally in all living organisms and plays a vital role in the skin where it creates volume by attracting and holding water molecules. Without hyaluronic acid, the skin would appear dry, withered and wrinkled. As we get older, the amount of hyaluronic acid in the skin diminishes and the skin therefore becomes thinner, less well hydrated and develops wrinkles.

Fat Grafting

Fillers can also be used to replace tissue which is lost as a result of the natural ageing process. This is particularly evident in the midface area from our mid-30’s to early forties onwards. Hyaluronic acid is a temorary filler, but if the thickest gel (Restylane SubQ) is used, the effects can last up to 3 years. If this effect is beneficial , then it is possible to use a more permanent filler in the form of the patients own fat, harvested from the tummy or thighs (or anywhere else is potentially possible too). Fat grafting is considered to be a permanent filler which is natural to the body so is safe and cannot be rejected.

Treating Wrinkles

When treating wrinkles or folds Restylane is injected into the skin in tiny amounts with a very thin needle. The injected gel gives natural volume under the wrinkle, which is lifted up and smoothed out. A treatment takes about 30 minutes and the results can be seen immediately. The method is fast and safe and leaves no scars or other traces on the face. As hyaluronic acid already exists in your skin, a skin allergy test is not needed and this means that you can have the treatment done immediately.

Depending on the effects desired, an initial treatment is usually maintained with occasional follow-up treatments. Together with your doctor you plan regular future visits to maintain a good result. Follow-up treatments normally require a smaller amount of the product. Most patients choose to have a follow-up treatment six to twelve months after an initial treatment of wrinkles. Clinical trials show that Restylane is effective for up to one year after the treatment of wrinkles.

Treating Lips

Water is the source of all beauty. Water gives life and creates contours of your lips. Hyaluronic acid can be injected into your lips to attract and hold water and give your mouth a more pronounced look or the lips a more sensuous form.

Lip augmentation is usually carried out in two steps, Pouting and Contouring. Often a combination of the two is used to achieve an optimal result.

Pouting: To create a more pronounced mouth and fuller lips, Restylane is injected into the inside of the upper and/or lower lip.

Contouring: The vermilion border (lip line) is highlighted and accentuated by injecting the gel along the lip line. The lines that go up to towards the nose (philtral ridges) can also be defined by injecting Restylane into the lines.

When treating the lips pain relief in the form of a local anaesthetic is often used. A treatment session can be carried out immediately and takes about 30 minutes. Restylane is biodegradable which means it will gradually be absorbed. How long the effect lasts varies with individuals, but clinical trials show that Restylane is effective for up to six months after lip augmentation.

After Treatment

After treatment you should expect some swelling, tenderness, redness and possibly an itching sensation in the treated area. This is a normal result of the injection. The inconvenience is temporary and generally disappears in a day or two

Do I need to avoid anything after a treatment?

• Avoid touching the treated area within the following 6 hours. After that, a light make-up can be applied and the area can be gently washed with soap and water.
• Until the initial swelling and redness have resolved, do not expose the treated area to intense heat (e.g. solarium and sunbathing) or extreme cold.

Possible Side-Effects

If you have previously suffered from facial cold sores, there is a risk that the needle punctures could contribute to another eruption of cold sores.

If you are using aspirin or any similar medication, be aware that these may increase the bruising and bleeding at the injection site.

Other types of reactions are very rare, but about one in every 2,000 treated patients have experienced localized reactions and swelling at the implant site, sometimes affecting the surrounding tissues. Redness, tenderness and rarely acne-like formations have also been reported. These reactions have either started a few days after injection or after a delay of two to four weeks and have generally been described as mild to moderate and have settled spontaneously within two weeks.

Cost of Restylane Treatment

Restylane 0.4ml