Why Choose To Have Fillers?
Fillers are an excellent form of treatment to improve wrinkles and grooves in the skin, as well as helping to thicken areas such as the lips, chin and cheeks which can appear thinner with age. Fillers can be both permanent and temporary.
Temporary Fillers
There are different types of temporary filler. The best known is Hyaloronic acid which is a man made but natural component of skin. It has no animal products in it unlike Collagen. The most well known Hyaloronic products are Restylane and Juvederm, which Stephen McCulley regularly uses.
It is very safe and slowly disappears in the skin. Temporary fillers last from 3-12 months. There are different types/thicknesses of fillers and they are used for different purposes. The thinner the filler the better it is for treating fine lines but the less time it can last. By contrast the thicker fillers are very good for deeper injections and adding more bulk. Within the Juvederm range the following are available.
- Juvederm 2 and Volbella – Fine filler for fine lines
- Juvederm 3 and Volift – Good general filler for creases and some deeper lines
- Juvederm 4 – Thicker filler for longer lasting filling of deeper grooves
- Juvederm Voluma – For deep volume filling of the cheeks
Permanent Fillers
Permanent fillers can either be made of an artificial product, or alternatively made up of the patient’s own fatty tissue which is injected from one area of the body and injected into the problem area. Usually 40-50% of the fat that is injected survives – this is then permanent. However, it is very important to note that the amount of fat that survives varies from 10-100%. This needs be fully understood before embarking on the procedure.
Procedure In Brief
Temporary Fillers
Temporary fillers are placed under the skin and will be carried out in Stephen McCulley’s clinic. The procedure usually takes between 15-30 minutes. Occasionally local anaesthetic will be used. Juvederm contains some local anaesthetic.
Permanent Fillers
Fat injections are usually carried out in hospital. Depending upon the area to be treated, the procedure is usually performed as a day-case under local or general anaesthetic. The fat is removed from the thigh or abdomen by Liposuction. Small amounts of fat can also be removed from the stomach and buttocks. After extraction, the fat is specially prepared and then re-injected into the area using small needles.
Face
In the face it can be used to enhance the lips, smooth deep creases, scars and improve areas that have become thinner. The great advantage of this technique is the ability to permanently enhance these areas with the patients own fat. It’s important to note that we cannot predict the survival of the fat, usually around 50% (sometimes more) of the injected fat survives. The procedure can be repeated to achieve the desired result.
Scars
Both temporary and permanent fillers will result in virtually no scarring.
Medicines
A full medical history will be obtained before any surgery. As a precaution, do not take any over the counter medicines or herbal remedies prior to surgery or for 3 days following. Also avoid aspirin, ibuprofen and Voltarol based tablets. It would be useful to bring a list of any prescribed medications to your pre-op assessment.
Smoking
If you are a smoker, try and stop around the time of the procedure as it can reduce the chances of complications.
Recovering from Filler Treatments
Length Of Surgery
The procedure will take approximately 15 – 30 minutes for temporary fillers. Permanent fat injections take 30 – 44 minutes. For small areas this can be carried out under local anaeasthetic
Length Of Stay In Hospital
Usually a day case.
Recovery
The area that has been treated will be a little red and swollen for a few hours after the procedure. If the lips have been treated they may be a little swollen for longer. There will occasionally be some bruising but this will fade normally.
Time Off Work And Socialising
For Temporary Fillers you should not need to take any time off work, although you will experience some swelling for 24 hours. For Permanent Fillers, the fat injection will take slightly longer to recover from as this is a formal operation.
Time To Exercise
Avoid strenuous exercise on the day of treatment.
Driving
Patients should avoid driving until they are completely free of pain and restriction, and be able to confidently perform an emergency stop. This is to ensure they will be covered by their insurance policy.
Final Outcome
You will be able to see the results immediately and will initially look slightly greater than expected due to the swelling. This will settle and the result will be seen at 24-72 hours.
- Temporary Fillers: Last for 3-12 months. This is quite variable between patients and also on the site of injection. Highly mobile areas such as the lips tend not to last as long. The results from Perlane will last longer than Restylane.
- Permanent Fillers: Fat injections are more unpredictable in terms of how long they will last for. When the fat that is injected survives it is permanent; usually 40-50% of fat that is injected survives.
Potential Complications With Filler Treatments
This is a routine procedure that is a great success for the vast majority of patients. However, as with any procedure, it is very important you understand what can go wrong as well as right. The potential complications are listed below, most of which would only occur if the product was to be injected into the wrong place.
- Skin irregularity: If the filler is too superficial than it can cause lumps and shadowing in the skin which can take a long time to disappear. However, this is very rare when used by a qualified practitioner with a good technique.
- Small degrees of asymmetry: The same injection will be performed on both sides of the face. There is a small chance of a greater effect on one side compared to the other.
- Bruising: Any bruising will be minor.
- Allergic reactions: Exceptionally rare.
- Disappearance of filler: This can occur as a result of the fat injection for some patients.
If you experience any side-effects that you are concerned about please don’t hesitate to contact us.
What do Filler Treatments cost?
Temporary filler treatments; The costs of Juvederm ranges depend on type and volume used, from £295.
Fat Injection treatments for face from £3,500.
What Is Included In The Cost?
The prices listed are all inclusive and cover:
- The pre-operative assessment and investigations
- The operation
- Hospital stay and any treatment required
- All follow up (nursing and with Stephen McCulley) relating to your surgery
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’d like to see more then please view our frequently asked questions on Non Surgical Procedures!