What are Dermal Fillers, are they safe, and are they for me?

What are Dermal Fillers, are they safe, and are they for me?

Dermal fillers have grown in popularity over recent years due to their refreshing and enhancing capabilities, and there are many different brands on the market in the UK. So, what exactly are they, are they suitable for everyone, and exactly how safe do we think they are?

WHAT ARE DERMAL FILLERS?

Dermal fillers are an injectable, gel-like version of hyaluronic acid, which is a substance that is made naturally within the body. (You may well have heard about, or noticed hyaluronic acid in your skin care products more recently, as it has become a very popular addition to skin care routines. This is due to its incredible ability to attract and retain water which leaves the skin looking plump, radiant and hydrated).

Dermal fillers are a way of injecting this hyaluronic acid into the skin. By manufacturing it in a variety of thicknesses, dermal fillers can be used to do different things in different areas. They therefore exist in a variety of thicknesses from very runny ( almost like honey) to a thick, firm gels and almost every other thickness in-between. Some brands also design a line of fillers especially for the lips and more mobile areas, so that they give the most natural and long lasting results possible.

Using the correct dermal filler for the correct treatment enables us to perform a range of treatments. These include smoothing out of fine wrinkles ( for example, the lines above your top lip), restoring lost volume ( perhaps under the eye), or enhancing natural features ( adding symmetry to lips, or straightening a nose that has bothered you for a while).

ARE DERMAL FILLERS SAFE?

All fillers should have FDA approval or a CE mark and be provided by an authorised stockist ( pharmacy) to be ensure their safety. However, you should be aware that the UK market is wildly unregulated and fake brands with fake markings are rife. I am regularly contacted on social media or via email by salespersons offering fake or dermal fillers, and the marketing on these is superb.

This also leads me to my second point, which is that the lack of regulation within the UK also means that you should be extra vigilant when choosing your practitioner. In the UK, it is possible for anyone to take a short course in aesthetic and start offering treatments. And by anyone, I mean that this can range from a prison warden ( this has been done) to a police officer, and anyone in between ( you get my drift).

The benefits of being medically qualified is not only the thorough level of facial anatomy that a medically qualified person will hold enabling them to deliver natural yet impactful results, but also the ability to manage any complications safely, and hold prescription drugs in their clinic.

ARE DERMAL FILLERS THEY FOR ME?

Restoring lost volume and enhancing natural features allows for a natural- looking results that can be otherwise tricky to maintain as we age. Revolumising the face can work wonders to restore a bit of youthful softness. A good practitioner will treat the face as a whole in order to create harmony in it. So even if you go to your consultation with one specific aim, it is worth keeping an open mind to your practitioners suggestions as there may be various way to achieve the result you want.

BOOK A CONSULTATION

Whilst aesthetics is not a necessity for anybody, I do believe that aesthetic treatments help in regaining your confidence through unrivalled results. Having seen the impact they have had on my clients over the years, I am now, more than ever, a full blown advocate for their restorative power both internally and externally. So, whether there is just one area that niggles you, more than one area, or an uncertainty but curiosity, fell free to call on 0115 7722718, email andreabrearley@me.com, or contact me on social media dr_andreabrearley, and I look forward to sharing my knowledge with you.