The Joy of Dermal Filler: Separating Fact from Fiction

Was 2024 the year the world fell out of love with fillers??

Last year, my social media was full of women dissolving their facial fillers whilst others were swearing against ever having them. In my own patient cohort, I definitely noticed an increase in general fear surrounding filler and heard lots of myths flying around.

In my opinion, fillers earned a reputation that, in many respects, doesn't reflect their true potential. Headlines and social media often focus on overfilled lips, distorted facial proportions, and unnatural looking results. We can all think of someone with overfilled lips or the dreaded 'pillow face!'

What I think is frequently overlooked is that these results are often a consequence of poor technique, too much product, or filler injected in the wrong area and/ or migration. Blame the injector, not the product!

This is could be caused by inadequate training, or a lack of clinical understanding on the part of the injector. Let's not forget, in the UK aesthetics is currently unregulated and ANYONE can purchase dermal fillers and start injecting. Wild, right? It is CRUCIAL for patients to understand that dermal filler treatments should be approached with the same seriousness and care as any other medical intervention. This includes choosing a medical practitioner who favours a thorough consultation, personalised treatment plan, and a realistic discussion about risks and outcomes.

So let's talk about why I love filler!

Dermal fillers, when used appropriately, are a powerful tool in medical aesthetics, and have helped me create some of my most transformative results, particularly in women who are 40 plus, who ironically seem to the be the least keen to have them.

They have the power to restore volume loss associated with ageing, enhance facial harmony, and rejuvenate the skin in a subtle way that no other product does. And placed correctly they can be undetectable. Yes, it's true! In the right hands filler can make vast improvements.

I only use premium dermal fillers and am currently using Definesse by Relife. I have also used brands such as Teoxane, Restylane and Kysense before with great results.

Definesse is a premium product that is only available to medical professionals and is my favourite filler to work with so far, it's easy to mold and causes the least swelling in lips compared to other brands I've tried before. Cheap filler that costs £30 a ml is NEVER stocked at my clinic and never will be. I want you to have the best results that LAST with minimal side effects.

As with any medical procedure, there are risks, and outcomes are highly dependent on skill, knowledge, and aesthetic judgement. In the wrong hands, even the best products can yield poor results, so please, as ever, choose your injector wisely.

For me, the joy of dermal filler lies in restoring confidence through evidence based treatments that respect anatomical proportions and therefore yield natural looking results. My favourite area to treat is the midface. We loose a noticeable amount of volume there as we push past our 30's and replacing some of it with dermal filler can create an instant lifting effect. There's nothing quite like seeing your reflection in the mirror immediately after, or watching someone else have that moment of joy.

So just to make it clear, I will not be giving up dermal fillers anytime soon!