Face fillers (otherwise known as dermal fillers) are becoming increasingly mainstream, with many celebrities, reality stars and influencers candidly sharing their tweakment journeys online.
In fact, the hashtag ‘face fillers’ has already amassed five million views on TikTok.
So what is face filler and what can it achieve? According to the NHS website, "Face and lip fillers (dermal fillers) are substances injected into your face. They fill lines and wrinkles and add volume to areas such as your lips or cheeks.”
Strategically placed filler can help lift the face, accentuate cheekbones and smooth out wrinkles.
You can have face filler in different places including tear trough (under-eye to improve the appearance of dark circles), cheeks, smile lines chin, lips and jaw.
Despite being a semi-permanent procedure, choosing face fillers is a big decision and not one to be taken lightly. The industry remains unregulated and the rise of ‘botched filler’ means it’s important to do your homework when choosing the right clinic and medical specialist for you.
We asked Nurse Aaron from ATYU - London’s Ultimate Skin Concierge, all your questions around face filler...
How long do face fillers last?
"Generally speaking, dermal fillers used in these areas will produce results that will last 12-18 months", explains Nurse Aaron, "however, some clients may require a top-up along the way."
It's important to note that some areas of the face may require more top-ups, such as smile lines due to considerable more movement.
Top tips before getting face filler?
"I advise all my clients to pre-emptively take arnica tablets for one week prior to any aesthetic treatment as this helps to minimise the chance of bruising," says Nurse Aaron. "Avoid alcohol 24hrs prior. Stop taking any anti-coagulation medication for two days before unless advised unsafe by your doctor and remove all retinols and acids from your skincare regime two days prior to treatment."
AmazonDo fillers ruin your face long-term?
"If administered incorrectly unfortunately yes. We are trying to avoid vascular compromise, this is the blockage of blood supply to a portion of the face and if not noticed and treated immediately, can cause tissue death and life-long scarring. It’s important that you go to a medical professional for your aesthetic treatments as they are able to identify and treat these cases quickly."
"However, if dermal fillers are injected correctly over time, they can actually work as a preventative measure to the signs of ageing!"
Why is it important to visit a medical professional?
"I think it is important to see a medical professional as the knowledge, expertise, skills and experience to not only notice the signs of vascular compromise but be able to act on their assessment, treating the early stages preventing possible lifelong scarring," warns Nurse Aaron.
"It is also important to note that although vascular compromise is one of the most significant, most talked about side-effect, there are other events that can happen such as anaphylaxis, blindness and stroke. These are less prevalent than vascular compromise however can happen. Having a group of medical professionals allows practitioners to work together to treat these events ASAP before they become potentially life-threatening. Non-medics are unlikely to have the same support that medical professionals have.
"Every medical professional acts under a governing body, if something were to go wrong, it is possible we can be struck off and not be allowed to practice anymore whereas non-medics have no governing body meaning they are able to continue working even after possibly causing these lifelong/threatening side effects."
So there you have it, always visit a medical professional for aesthetic procedures, not a salon.
ATYU is ‘London’s Ultimate Skin Care Concierge’, servicing prime W & NW London (Hampstead, Belsize Park, Primrose Hill, Maida Vale and St Johns Wood and other prime London locations. They also have a clinic in NW London. Check out ATYU's Instagram page, here.
Read more on Closer Online:
Lip fillers: How long do they last? How much do they cost? And everything else you need to know
Can face filler cause bruising?
"Yes, it can, however by taking the arnica tablets, applying a topical lidocaine cream prior and ice packs during the treatment, these will all help in minimising the bruising."