Restylane Dermal Skin Fillers
What are fillers used for?
- Reducing permanent lines and wrinkles: With increasing age, the skin becomes thinner and thus more prone to folding and wrinkling.
- Enhancing natural beauty: Fillers can also be used to enhance and augment existing lips, cheeks, chin, etc.
- Replacing fat loss: Dimples caused by loss of fat cells can be replenished using dermal fillers to restore volume and thus a fuller face.
Are there different types?
Yes, but we normally use Restylane, a stable hyaluronic acid in the form of a crystal clear gel as it has a long record of success with millions of satisfied customers around the world and is thus the market leader. It is available in 3 different thicknesses for dealing with different skin types and different areas of the face. Please feel free to visit the company’s own website at www.restylane.com or www.q-med.com to learn more about this tried and tested product.
Is Restylane safe?
It is made under stringent control by a reputable company and is based on the same hyaluronic acid found in all species and tissue types. In essence, it can be seen as simply replacing what your own body has gradually lost over the years. Furthermore, because it is a totally non-animal product, there is no risk of transmitting disease or causing allergic reactions in patients sensitive to common foods such as beef, chicken or eggs.
How long does it last?
After injection, the gel binds water and generally remains for many months but several factors such as your age, skin type and lifestyle will determine the precise duration of effect. However, the effect does gradually wear off because the gel particles in Restylane are slowly absorbed by the body and, as the gel breaks down, water takes its place. Thus, the less concentrated the gel becomes, the more water it is able to bind. When totally absorbed, the gel disappears unnoticed from the body.
Hence, most patients choose to have follow-up treatments every 6-12 months after their initial treatment for wrinkles or facial contouring. After lip enhancement treatments, a follow-up is normally needed every 6 months but you will decide when to return for further sessions.
How is it done?
The crystal clear gel is infiltrated under the skin in tiny amounts through a very fine needle until it gives natural volume and smoothes the wrinkles. The results are instantaneous and no pre-testing is needed with a session usually taking less than 30 minutes.
Is it painful?
Generally, for wrinkle treatments topical pain relief is sufficient but for lip enhancements, a local dental anaesthetic block will be offered.
What are the side-effects?
Following treatment, some common injection-related reactions may occur such as redness, swelling, pain, itching, bruising or tenderness but these typically resolve within 2-7 days. About 1 in 2,000 patients experience localised reactions, possibly because of their hypersensitive nature. These can include local swelling of the surrounding tissues, redness and acne-like spots, sometimes starting a few days after the injection but they are normally self-limiting and will resolve within a couple of weeks.
What are the alternatives?
Accepting the effects of ageing, Botox injections (work for dynamic rather than fixed wrinkles) or surgical face-lifts.
How much do Dermal Fillers cost?
This is directly related to the amount and type of filler required to treat your particular situation properly, e.g. Restylane
| How many syringes? | Price |
| 1 Syringe | £299 |
| 2 Syringes | £499 |
