Facial
Contour
Fillers

The Scientific Stuff

OK so let's get the scientific stuff out of the way first.

Contour fillers are derived from standard Dermal Fillers. They are made up of Non-Animal Stabilised Hyaluronic Acid that is biodegradable and completely metabolised by the body. Hyaluronic acid is one of the most important substances needed to prevent aging of the skin as it gives the skin its plumpness and elasticity. Unfortunately as we age the natural production of hyaluronic acid drops dramatically and the body's stores of hyaluronic acid are reduced. Another feature of aging is the natural loss of fat from areas of the face such as the cheeks together with 'reabsorption' of bone leading to loss of bony prominences. This can lead to faces becoming longer and more masculine looking.

The Good Stuff

For years, dermal fillers have been successfully used to replace hyaluronic acid in certain areas of the face to fill wrinkles and grooves, but with a gradual move away from surgical face lifting, came the challenge of restoring youthfulness to a face with the use of injectable treatments. Dermal fillers consisted of 'particles' of hyaluronic acid in a gel and different sizes of 'particles' had been developed to address different severities of wrinkling ie small particle sizes were used for small shallow wrinkles and large 'particle' sizes were used for deeper wrinkles. Contour fillers were subsequently developed containing very large particles and are now very popular and very effectively used for replacing the contours to the face or enhancing existing contours. The commonest areas are cheeks for a filling effect to rebuild the loss of fullness and contouring in this area, and chins to correct sunken or poorly developed chins that are quite visible when looking at the profile of a person's face.

What You Need To Know

Contour fillers are packaged in 2ml syringes and this is often the amount needed at a first treatment but this can vary depending on the degree of contouring needed and the expectations of the client. The filler will give an immediate result associated with some swelling. The swelling will settle down over 48 hours leaving behind the enhanced contours resulting from the filler itself. There is a risk of bruising but this is low and any bruising should settle after a few days. Contour fillers usually last for around 9-12 months depending on the amount used and your individual metabolism. As it is a fully metabolised product it will be slowly breaking down from 4-8 weeks after treatment. However, the process of injecting any dermal or contour filler helps to stimulate collagen in the area and this leaves some residual effect in the area.

To ensure the best results and reduce any possible complications from these injections it is important that you follow the aftercare instructions given to you by your cosmetic practitioner.

What I Need To Tell You

The area to be treated will be anaesthetised before the filler can be injected. This involves the injection of local anaesthetic in the area. There is minimal discomfort and the injection of the filler is then completely pain-free. The numbness will persist after the procedure has been done so that the area can be comfortably massaged by your cosmetic practitioner.