Dermal Fillers

Dermal or cosmetic fillers are a minimally invasive injectable treatment done to replace the volume lost beneath the skin, enhance facial contours, and smoothen out lines and creases on the face.

There are different types of fillers used that include collagen, hyaluronic acid, hydroxylapatite, human fat, poly-l-lactic acid, and polymethylmethacrylate fillers. 

1. Provides youthfulness by increasing collagen and elastin production.
2. Gives immediate result
3. Less recovery time
4. Long-Lasting results
5. Boosts confidence
6. Can be done in addition to other cosmetic procedures

Fillers are a choice of procedure for people who want to:

1. Enhance and replenish volume to sunken temples or cheeks 
2. Reduce the appearance of vertical lip lines
3. Enhance facial symmetry
4. Increase the volume of the lips and plump them up
5. Smooth out wrinkles around the mouth and nose
6. Reduce the appearance of a chin crease

The following steps are followed during the procedure:

1. Your doctor will first identify and outline the areas of the face that require fillers.
2. After that, the area will be cleaned.
3. To make sure you are comfortable during the procedure, some fillers have an anaesthetic agent that is used to numb pain. If the site of injection of the filler is not numb enough, the doctor will apply numbing medication topically or administer a local anaesthetic.
4. Next, the doctor will inject the filler strategically beneath your skin with the help of a small needle.

What to Ask and Tell Your Doctor?

1. Before you undergo fillers treatment, you can ask your surgeon the following questions:
2. What will be the recovery time after the procedure?
3. What are the side effects and risks of using dermal fillers?
4. What can I expect my skin to look like in the future?
5. Do you have before-and-after images for each surgery that I may look at to see what kind of results I should expect?
6. Prior to the procedure, make sure to tell your plastic surgeon about the following:
7. Your expectations from the procedure
8. Any drug allergies, medical illness, and medical treatments
9. Your current and previous medications (including vitamins and herbal supplementation)
10. Any history of other aesthetic facial procedures such as Botox, laser treatment, or any facial surgery.

What to Expect Before Surgery?

You can expect the following:

1. Before the actual procedure, you are required to have a consultation with your cosmetic surgeon, during which you will discuss your concerns and aspirations.
2. During the consultation, your cosmetic surgeon will determine the best type (collagen, hyaluronic acid, hydroxylapatite, human fat, poly-l-lactic acid, and polymethylmethacrylate fillers) of fillers for you.
3. Your cosmetic surgeon will inspect your skin, talk to you about your cosmetic goals, and suggest a treatment plan. 
4. Your cosmetic surgeon will assess your area of concern and analyse your medical history during your appointment. 
5. It’s also possible that photographs will be taken for your medical records. 
6. You must provide your medical history prior to treatment, as some allergies, skin and neurological problems, or drugs can risk your safety or results.

What to Expect on the Day of Surgery?

You can expect the following:

1. The cosmetic surgeon will ask you to sign a consent form after receiving proper counselling and briefing about the procedure.
2. Your face will be cleaned, and they might inject a topical anaesthetic to numb the area before injecting fillers.

At hospital:

1. Injectable filler treatments are done as outpatient procedures.
2. Most activities can be resumed right away; however, it’s best to avoid physical activity for the first 24-48 hours to avoid swelling and bruising.

At home:

1. You may have brief swelling, redness, or slight bruising at the injection sites after the procedure. These side effects are easily controlled with ice application and will go away in a matter of hours or days.
2. Although the injected area may be uncomfortable for a day or two, it is usually not sore enough to require any treatment.
3. The result of dermal fillers can be noticed instantly. Depending on the filler used and the patient in which the filler is injected, the advantages might last anywhere from a few months to many years.

Follow-up Appointment

The results of cosmetic fillers are not permanent. Therefore, you need to have multiple sittings to guarantee long-lasting effects.

The symptoms mentioned below require immediate medical attention:

1. Changes in vision
2. Unexpected pain at the injection site
3. Bluish or greyish discolouration of the skin at the injection site
4. Weakness in one side of the body
5. Dizziness or mental confusion
6. Speaking difficulty
7. Severe headache.

Complications that can arise from dermal fillers include:

1. Stroke
2. Tissue death (necrosis)
3. Vision problems, including blindness