What happens at a consultation?

You will have a personal confidential consultation before any treatment. This discussion includes what outcome you would like from your treatment, any expectations, side effects and the whole treatment process. A full treatment plan is given.

Also included will be a health history and check to ensure a safe treatment. After the health check and consent has been accepted and signed, the facial treatment only takes about 15 minutes and includes a series of tiny injections. 

 Throughout, you will be able to talk and ask  questions about the treatment. It is sometimes uncomfortable rather than painful and the treatment area can be numbed or cooled before which helps with reducing this sensation.

It maybe after consulation that treatment can be arranged for a further appointment. 

What are dermal fillers?

Dermal fillers have been used for decades in improving the volume under the skin to lift wrinkles and smooth lines. Later, they have been developed to improve lip shape and plumpness, and also for skin boosting. All of the fillers we use are top brand, approved pharmacy supplied. 

Most are made from cross-linked pure hyaluronic acid.  This means that they are non permanent but long lasting and contain a sterile gel form of natural hyaluronic acid. This gel lifts and hydrates the skin bringing about an instant smoothing effect and restoring a younger look. The gel remains under the skin for 4 – 12 months depending on depth and product. Hyaluronic is so good for your skin – to have it underneath really boosts your skin as it boosts your collagen.

Does it hurt?

Most leading brands also contain a local anaesthetic and we will apply topical anaesthetic cream, or ice, prior to treatment to numb the skin. Treatment need not be painful.

Treatment Areas:

• To correct or enhance facial contours; cheeks, temples, jawline, nose, chin.
• To define, correct or enhance lips
• To soften and correct facial wrinkles or folds
• To restore lost volume in hands to reduce the appearance of veins and tendons
• To improve the tone, texture and hydration of the skin,

Before Treatment

All make up will need to be removed prior to treatment, so please come ‘fresh faced’ if possible. 

Alcohol, aspirin, Ibuprofen, blood thinners and a range of dietary supplements including; St. Johns Wort, fish oils, Gingko Biloba, Vitamins C and E- may all contribute to bruising and are best avoided 24 hours before treatment. 

If you are prescribed blood thinners (anti-coagulants), please continue on these and treatment will need to be assessed on individual merits to ensure safety.

Treatment cannot be administered if there is an active skin infection, including acne or cold sores or if you are unwell- including colds, coughs, sore throats, viral illnesses or other illnesses. Please contact the clinic to discuss any illness or new medicines prior to attending.

What should you do after dermal filler treatment?

It is important that you follow the advice of your practitioner carefully after dermal filler treatment. This will help you to gain maximum effect from the procedure and reduce the risk of complications.

• Don’t touch or manipulate the skin for 24hrs
• No Make Up/lipstick on the area for 24hrs
• No kissing. Avoid alcohol for 24hrs
• No sunbeds/sun exposure/spray tan/saunas/excessive sweating activities/invasive cosmetic procedures/other creams for 24hrs
• Some tenderness, bruising, redness, small bumps and swelling is normal. It will usually subside within a few days. It takes 14 days for the area to fully heal.
• 2/3 days after massage the area to manipulate any small bumps 
• (these are very normal)
• Please contact us if redness, tenderness, itching or swelling worsens after 3 days

Post-treatment advice may include:

• Iced water soaks or ice packs to help to reduce swelling (although this is generally not required);
• The use of pain-killers such as paracetamol, if required for a few days after treatment;
• Arnica (a homeopathic remedy) cream or tablets are sometimes recommended a few days before and a few days after treatment as there is some evidence that this can reduce bruising;
• Bruising and swelling should go down after a couple of days, but if you continue to experience very painful swelling and bruising, or if any blistering occurs, you should contact your practitioner;
• Similarly, if you experience any delayed reactions such as lumpy redness occurring any time after treatment, you should contact the person who treated you immediately. 

Side Effects and Risks

Depending on the area injected and the type of filler or pain control used, patients may find the procedure relatively painless to mildly uncomfortable. Treatments around the nose or lip areas are usually more painful.

The obvious, immediate and most common side effect is slight bleeding after the needle has been inserted into the skin. Other risks include mild bruising, tenderness, redness and swelling that may also occur around the site of injection. These signs may take 2 - 3 days to vanish completely, especially around the lips where there is little flesh and the skin is tender.

Rarely, allergic type reactions can occur after treatment with some fillers. These include prolonged redness, swelling, itching and or hardness and bumps in the skin. Such signs may appear at some or all of the points of injection. 

Sometimes, they can last for several months or longer, but this is extremely unusual.

If you have a history of cold sores, or fever blisters in the treated area, filler injections may cause them to break out again. In these cases, your practitioner may recommend that you take an anti-herpes medicine before treatment to help reduce the likelihood of an outbreak of cold sores.

Very occasionally, delayed side effects can occur many months after the first treatment. These side-effects usually appear as red lumps showing up underneath the skin. Sometimes, these may be permanent. There is some evidence that these may be more common and more difficult to treat with some of the permanent fillers.

Who should not have dermal filler treatment?

As in any treatment to the skin, injections should be avoided in areas where the skin is swollen or where infections are present – e.g. active acne. 

This will reduce the risk of infection at the injection site after the treatment.

If you have even the slightest allergic reaction to a particular filler, it cannot be used and you will need to use a different brand. 

Dermal fillers have not been tested in pregnant women, so their use would normally be not advised by practitioners if you are expecting a child.

If you have suffered from a disease of the auto-immune system, you are likely to be allergic to bovine collagen and so it cannot be used. You need to give your doctor a detailed medical history to avoid such outcomes. 

Conditions which are not suited to the use of bovine collagen include: rheumatoid arthritis; psoriatic arthritis; systemic or discoid lupus erythematosus; or polymyositis.

Botulinum toxin type A (BTA) in the correct name for this treatment and the main fact is that it is a drug primarily. There are brand names for the drug (Botox, Azzalure & Bocouture being the tried and tested high quality names).

It is a widely used temporary muscle relaxant. In cosmetics, this means that it stops the muscles which form wrinkles from contracting.

It acts at the junction between the nerves and muscle to prevent the release of a chemical messenger called acetylcholine at the nerve cell receptors. 

By relaxing the muscles, lines and wrinkles cannot so easily be formed, giving a smoother relaxed look.

The treatment does not work instantly. It takes about 4 hours to absorb into the muscle and starts to visibly work within 2-6 days after treatment.

At 14 days it is at its maximum effect. After 14 days, you are invited back for a review so that the results can be checked and you can have any adjustment treatment (no charge between 14-21 days post treatment).

The full effects last from 6 – 16 weeks before movement returns. The rate of movement return varies from person to person and the frequency of treatments is an individual choice if a restricted movement is to be maintained. 

If you get some movement back after a few weeks, this is normal and reflects the rate of your cell receptor replacement occurring in the facial muscles. 

All make up will need to be removed prior to treatment, so please come ‘fresh faced’ if possible. 

Alcohol, aspirin, Ibuprofen, blood thinners and a range of dietary supplements including; St. Johns Wort, fish oils, Gingko Biloba, Vitamins C and E- may all contribute to bruising and are best avoided 24 hours before treatment. 

If you are prescribed blood thinners (anti-coagulants), please continue on these and treatment will need to be assessed on individual merits to ensure safety.

Treatment cannot be administered if there is an active skin infection, including acne or cold sores or if you are unwell- including colds, coughs, sore throats, viral illnesses or other illnesses. 

Please contact the clinic to discuss any illness or new medicines prior to attending.

Some activities may increase the risk of side effects:

• Do not touch the injection areas as you may introduce bacteria and cause infection
• For 4 hours after the treatment, Do not lie down or do any rigorous exercise or exert pressure on the area treated
• For 24-36 hours after treatment, Do not expose yourself to extreme movements, exercise or temperatures to avoid the solution migrating to other muscles
• If you experience any adverse effects, contact us and your GP as necessary
• Possible Risks & Side Effects: Botulinum Toxin Type A

You may experience some temporary side effects following your treatment.

Common side effects (1-10 people in 100)

• Bruising, redness, tingling, swelling, irritation, itching, discomfort at the injection sites, headache,

Uncommon side effects

• Tired eyes, drooping of upper eye lid, watering eyes, dry eyes, swelling of the eye lid, twitching of the muscles around the eye, disturbed or blurred vision, blurred vision – be careful if driving or operating machinery, eye movement disorder, muscle weakness in eyes, overcompensation in other muscles. 
• Dizziness. Allergic reactions – itchy rash. 
• Muscle weakness away from injection site

These side effects usually occur within the first week and are usually mild to moderate.

Please Note: For a very few people, on some occasions, treatment with Botulinum Type A has no or little effect. This will not necessarily lead to a refund.

You cannot have Botulinum treatments if you…

• Are pregnant, trying for a baby, taking fertility treatment or breast feeding
• Have muscular problems such as myasthenia gravis, Eaton Lambert Syndrome or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Have any infection on the skin to be treated
• Have allergies to Botulinum or ingredients

Some activities may increase the risk of side effects:

• Do not touch the injection areas as you may introduce bacteria and cause infection
• For 4 hours after the treatment, Do not lie down or do any rigorous exercise or exert pressure on the area treated
• For 24-36 hours after treatment, Do not expose yourself to extreme movements, exercise or temperatures to avoid the solution migrating to other muscles
• If you experience any adverse effects, contact us and your GP as necessary

Review Appointment

You will be offered a review appointment within 2-3 weeks after treatment. 

This serves as a safety check up and to ensure even and good results. The treatment can be adjusted with small additional doses if required free of charge.

If, after 3 weeks post treatment, you require additional doses there will be a charge of the full amount.

Before any prescription and treatment, you will have a personal and confidential free consultation.

This discussion includes what you would like for your concerned area, any expectations, explanation of how the treatment works and for how long, side effects and the whole treatment process.

Also included will be a health history and check to ensure a safe treatment. After the health check and consent is accepted and signed.

The facial treatment only takes about 5 minutes 

and includes a series of tiny injections. 

Throughout, you will be able to talk and ask questions about the treatment. It is not painful but can be sometimes uncomfortable rather than painful and the skin can be cooled before which helps with reducing this sensation

We always take before and after photos for our confidential records. If you would like us to use these for promotional purposes, we will request written consent.