Procedure Spotlight
- Dermal fillers are designed to ‘fill in’ and enhance static wrinkles, while also reducing the depth of facial folds that are present at rest. Dermal filler injections create a more refreshed and rejuvenated facial appearance that highlights your best features.
- Deeper injections are used to add volume to features such as the cheeks and lips.Many of Ethique Plastic Surgery’s patients in Sydney and the Southern Highlands choose to combine dermal fillers with anti-wrinkle injections (also called neuromodulators) to reduce the appearance of lines that are caused by muscle activity and are present at rest.
Anti-wrinkle injections and dermal fillers are often seen as the same thing but this is not the case. While dermal fillers work to add more volume to specific areas of the face, Anti-wrinkle injections help relax the muscles that are responsible for deep lines and wrinkles that are caused by continuous movement or contraction of those muscles over a prolonged period of time – frown lines are a perfect example of the type of wrinkle you would treat with anti-wrinkle injections.
Ethique Plastic Surgery only uses temporary dermal fillers made from Non-Animal Stabilised Hyaluronic Acid (NASHA), which is a clear gel. Hyaluronic acid is a purified sugar complex that occurs naturally in our skin, ensuring the ingredients can be absorbed safely and effectively. These cosmetic injectables are safer as they contain no animal proteins, allergens, or chemicals.
Technique
The procedure is always performed by Dr Safvat, not a nurse, in the rooms at our Sydney clinic (Miranda) or our Southern Highlands clinic (Bowral). The average procedure will only take 30 minutes and patients are free to go home or return to work afterwards. The actual injections only take a few minutes but most of this time is used for assessment, explanations, preparation, and planning.
A topical anaesthetic can be applied before injection for maximum comfort. The dermal fillers used by Ethique Plastic Surgery contain anaesthetic, which provides immediate numbness once injected.
The dermal filler is injected beneath the skin using a very fine needle. Depending on the depth and width of the wrinkle, more than one injection is usually needed.
Dermal fillers require specific training because injectors need detailed and thorough knowledge of facial anatomy, muscles, and nerves. Plastic surgeons are recommended for administering dermal fillers and anti-wrinkle injections because they already have this knowledge and have undergone specialised training.
Recovery
The results are immediate; however, there will be some gradual improvements over the days following your procedure.
Most normal activities can be resumed immediately after treatment; however, patients should avoid any activities that could raise their blood pressure after their procedure as this could make any bruising or swelling much worse. Direct sun exposure should also be avoided for several days after a filler injection and sunscreen should always be worn.
The results are immediate; however, there will be some gradual improvements over the days following your procedure.
Preparation
Patients should be in good physical health and shouldn’t smoke as this could impact results.
It is best to have a clean face with preferably no makeup when you come to your appointment. Dermal Fillers are not recommended for pregnant or breast-feeding women or for those intending to become pregnant or breast feed.
As dermal fillers are foreign molecules injected meticulous care is taken to prevent infection. So if you have any minor skin infection, then the injection will be postponed until it is all cleared. Dr Safvat will give you advise about face washes and antibiotics (if needed) to help you with that.
There are some medications that can interfere with the way Dermal Fillers work; therefore, it is important to discuss any medications that you are taking with Dr Safvat during consultation, including over the counter and herbal medications.
It’s also important to have realistic expectations about what can be achieved.
Complications
Overall, the product we use for Filler Injections is safe and has a proven track record. Added to this, having Dr Safvat himself do the injectables minimises risk.
However, as with any sort of medical treatment there are some potential, although rare, side effects:
- There may be some common injection-related reactions including redness, swelling, mild pain, itching, bruising and tenderness at the injection site. These reactions are generally mild to moderate and usually resolve a few days to weeks after treatment.
- The face has a super-rich network of blood vessels. Rarely it is possible for the filler to get into one of the segmental blood vessels of the skin and block it. This will cause moderate to severe pain and a blistering rash (similar to shingles rash) near or at the injection site. It is important to contact Dr Safvat immediately as it is possible to dissolve the filler with another injection and reverse most if not all of this. If this is not done in a timely manner it may cause some necrosis and ulceration in the skin.
- Even a rarer side effect is when the filler is taken to the retinal artery through the rich network of the blood vessels and cause blindness. There are some areas that are more at risk of this and Dr Safvat will discuss this with you and avoids those areas.
- Inflammatory reactions are rare but consist of redness, swelling and hardening of the injection site that may persist for several months (rare).
- Very rarely you may experience infection/abscess, granuloma, discolouration, hypersensitivity reactions, atrophy/scarring etc.
NOTE: Dermal Fillers are not recommended for pregnant or breast-feeding women or for those intending to become pregnant or breast feed.
Dr Safvat will discuss the potential complications and side effects with you during the consultation prior to administering the injections.
Cost
Pricing is based on the volume (number of mls) used. Each patient varies in how many mls are needed for a particular area, therefore a customised plan will be formulated during consultation with Dr Safvat and pricing will be given prior to any injections taking place.
Frequently asked questions
Why do we get wrinkles?
Wrinkles are multifactorial and many things contribute to a wrinkled face. Aging causes weakening of the collagen fibres in the skin and thinning of the dermis (the supporting part of the skin). Sun damage and smoking also adversely promote wrinkling. Loss of facial volume and skeletal changes as well as gravity all contribute to wrinkles. And last but not least the muscles of facial expression cause wrinkles. Repetitive movement of these muscles causes lines and wrinkles to form and over time, these gradually get deeper and more noticeable.
Is a Dermal Filler the right choice for me?
Injectable fillers cannot stop the ageing process however they can reverse (temporarily) some of the common effects of ageing, particularly volume and collagen loss. Injectable Filler can make deep wrinkles appear less obvious, but they may not disappear. It is important that you understand this and have realistic expectations about the results.
Patients should also be in good physical health and shouldn’t smoke as this could impact results.
How long will the filler last?
The effect of Dermal filler can last for 6-12 months however, this period does vary from patient to patient and depends on the area treated and the volume injected. The rate at which a patient metabolises the filler will also determine how long the results last.
It is recommended that the procedure be repeated in the future to maintain the effect of the filler.
What areas can Dermal Filler Treat?
The areas that are most commonly treated include:
- Lips. Adds volume and creates more definition
- Cheeks. Enhances natural contours and adds volume
- Mouth. Lifts the corners of the mouth
- Tear Troughs. Adds volume and refreshes the undereye area
- Naso-Labial Folds. Reduce the appearance of smile or laugh lines
- Marionette Lines. Fill in the lines that run between the corners of the mouth and the chin/jaw
- Hands. Reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles on the hands
Dr André Safvat – Specialist Plastic Surgeon
Renowned for his dedication to his patients, his attention to detail and impeccable outcomes, Dr Safvat’s unparalleled expertise is reflected in the quality, professionalism and dedication of every member of our team.
