We administer dermal filler treatments at our clinic in Nelson or at Churchill Private Hospital in Blenheim.
By injecting gel-like substances into the skin or lips, dermal fillers physically lift and sculpt areas of the face, neck and décolletage. This helps correct wrinkles, folds, scars and asymmetries. The safest Dermal Fillers are non-permanent gels made synthetically from Hyaluronic Acid (HA), a carbohydrate. HAs are naturally present in the skin but decline with ageing. So fillers made from them are an ideal choice for rejuvenation. We do not recommend the use of ‘permanent‘ fillers due to the high risk of side effects and long-term complications.
As the years pass, the bones of the face shrink, as well as fat and soft tissue being lost from under the skin. This leaves hollows under the eyes, at the temples and at the corners of the mouth, pleating across the cheeks, and grooves running from the nose to the mouth. The ‘apple’ of the cheek may also sink. We can correct all these signs of ageing by ‘revolumising’ with fillers placed deeper within the skin. This is the so-called Liquid or non-surgical Face Lift, restoring your youthful “Triangle of Beauty”.
Lip Rejuvenation with Dermal Filler Treatments:
Lip lines, frown lines, forehead lines, smile lines, and crows feet can be all treated with Fillers alone or with Botox® for more stubborn wrinkles, creating a more even and smooth complexion. Fillers are ideal for increasing lip size and enhancing lip shape, or merely restoring your natural lip hydration and border, preventing lipstick bleed so you can keep using your favourite colours and glosses.
Tolerating Treatment:
Injections of Dermal Fillers needn’t hurt. Depending on where we are injecting we can use local anaesthetic creams, or fillers containing local anaesthetic already, along with ice. Most people report that their procedure is painless or close to it.
There may be temporary puffiness of the treated areas, and occasionally local redness, tenderness, and or slight bruising. These are normal and expected, and settle within a few days. We can apply mineral makeup to disguise any immediate changes to get you home or back to work. Avoidance of aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (eg Voltaren or Nurofen), St John’s Wort, Fish Oils and Vitamin E supplements, for 4-5 days pre-treatment which will reduce the risk of bruising at injection sites.
Dermal Fillers are not suitable for pregnant or breastfeeding women. Additionally, we cannot inject fillers into areas of skin showing signs of infection. If you are prone to cold sores, we can prescribe antiviral tablets to prevent reactivation after filler injections.
Dermal Fillers last from 6-18 months depending on which product is used and where. Most people benefit from repeat injections before the full effect wears off, with lesser volumes required to maintain the effect.
At enhanceskin (Nelson and Blenheim), a safe natural result is our prime goal for you. We carefully select from a range of products that best suits your needs and budget.
FAQs
What can I expect after the treatment?
After the treatment you may experience, redness, swelling and tenderness & occasionally mild bruising, which can last for the first 1-2 days, or occasionally up to a week or so.
How long will the treatment last?
Depending on the area being treated and the type of dermal filler we use, a one-off treatment can last on average about 6-15 months.
Does the treatment hurt?
We inject dermal filler treatments with a tiny needle. Additionally, we can use a numbing cream and or ice in most areas. So, most patients tolerate the treatment very well. Some report a tiny pinching sensation with each injection. When treating lips, we make them numb with a topical anaesthetic cream.
Is it safe?
At Enhanceskin we only use hyaluronic acid-based fillers. These products are totally biodegradable and well-tolerated as they are slowly broken down to water by your body. Hyaluronic acid is a sugar molecule occurring naturally in our bodies. The amount of ‘cross-linking’ in each product determines where it can be used and how long it lasts.
How long does the procedure take?
Generally, after your consultation and assessment, the procedure can take around 30 minutes. You may require longer if you would like your lips enhanced, as we like to invest time in creating the most beautiful lips possible!
How quickly does it work?
The fantastic thing about all the dermal fillers is that there is INSTANT gratification – which means after visiting us in Nelson or Blenheim you will see the results immediately.
I don’t want to have “trout pout” lips, will that happen?
No. We like to make your lips look as natural as you want. Less is best for lip enhancement. We can always add more. One aim is to enhance the lip border which is usually lost as you age. If you would like bigger lips, we like to make sure the lips balance each other, as well as the rest of your face, as balance creates beauty in the face.
Dr Orsbourn’s Personal Comments
Clients at our Nelson clinic, or those we see in Blenheim, often ask “What is the difference between Dermal Fillers and Botox?” Botox is for treating a wrinkle caused by the action of an underlying muscle creasing the overlying skin, Botox causes relaxation of the muscle causing the gradual fading of the wrinkle line over time. Dermal Fillers are more like putty, instantly filling and lifting the wrinkle from underneath the skin surface with an immediate visible result. Showing a client the change in the mirror often gives them a “WOW” feeling that is just gold to me.
As a general rule of thumb, we use Botox in the upper 1/3 of the face (where the skin is thinner and more affected by muscle movement – especially around the eyes). However, we tend to use fillers for the lower 2/3 (around the cheeks, nose, and mouth). But, of course, there are plenty of exceptions.
At an initial consultation, we will discuss all this with you, assess your concerns, and help you decide which treatment (or combination of each) suits your particular needs and budget.
The Liquid Facelift:
Consider the ‘Liquid Facelift’, sometimes called the ‘Natural Lift’. (We carry out this treatment in Nelson or Blenheim). Hardly anyone wants the downtime or expense of a surgical facelift which only tightens and accentuates the loss of volume which along with gravity has led to the sagging features in the first place. Dermal fillers can restore youthful curves lost as we age or after weight loss.
We can treat areas of the face that bother you individually. Nasolabial folds, lift up sagging corners of the mouth, restore symmetry or smooth irregularities of your nose.
Dermal Fillers are where the science of medicine meets creativity. This is what I really love about using them to help people achieve their goals. There can be some downtime after Dermal Fillers with transient redness and swelling (I find there is tremendous variation between individuals with this). Even bruising occasionally occurs, although we can significantly reduce this using cannulae (a blunt instrument that gently pushes skin structures such as blood vessels aside) instead of needles.
Pain can be ameliorated by various means, and we tailor this to your wishes. We often only require a local anaesthetic cream for the majority of areas. Some Dermal Fillers have an anaesthetic in them which some patient surveys report great satisfaction. We discuss options before we start so you have the most comfortable experience possible.
Before any procedure, you need to provide informed consent. Initial consultation and assessment with Dr David Orsbourn or our Registered Appearance Medicine Nurse, Brittany Fenwick is necessary (even if you have had fillers with other doctors or nurses before). The consultation process allows us to review your concerns. We’ll cover off options for treatment, expected results, downtime, costs and questions. These consultations can take place in Nelson or Blenheim. We even offer virtual consultations, to save you travelling if you live way out of town.
