Australians are fortunate to have access to safe, effective skin filler treatment from the ready availability of several leading brands of dermal fillers, without the worry that some countries have by allowing the import of unregulated products. Unfortunately, due to legislation restrictions in Australia we are not able to mention the products available by name or by the active ingredient.
Although animal derived products were common in Australia and around the world 30years ago, they are really no longer used at all, thanks to the excellent safety and efficacy of the modern gel products, which are bio-identical to our body’s own naturally occurring gel substance (it’s the stuff that gives our skin its sponginess and hydrating ability…as we age, we lose this product from our skin, so our skin gradually becomes less hydrated…and wrinkled!) Being bio-identical means that the risk of a client having an allergic reaction is extremely remote (although it can happen…statistics vary from 1 in 10,000 risk to 1 in 700,000 risk depending on the amount of preservative in the product).
What can a Dermal Filler do?
Dermal fillers can be used to
- Define lips
- Minimise vertical lip lines (smokers lines)
- Fill lips/increase fullness
- Restore asymmetry in the lips, cheeks or brow area
- Disguise nasal irregularity/deformity
- Restore volume to the midface area
- Minimise jowls
- Fill infra-orbital eye hollows
- Fill tear trough hollows
- Fill temple hollows
- Lift wrinkles
- Lift scars (including acne scars and fat necrosis scars)
- Hydrate skin
- Hydrate the backs of hands
- Hydrate the décolletage area
How will I know which Dermal Filler is right for me?
The choice of filler will be determined by a number of factors, such as:
- The area to be treated
- The result sought
- The duration of result sought
- The patient’s skin type
- The age of the patient
- The social ‘downtime’ available
- The volume of product needed
- The patient’s budget
Dermal fillers vary dramatically in their use and effect on the skin, duration of effect, metabolism, side effects, volume per syringe and cost.
How Much Do Dermal Filler Injections Cost?
As a general indication, the cost of a dermal filler treatment will vary from approximately $750 to $1200, inclusive of gst. Remember that if you have an annual membership of Skin Temple, you will receive a discount of 10% off the usual price of all injectables, including anti-wrinkle injections and dermal fillers, as well as laser procedures! Additional package deals are also available for treatments requiring 4mls, or more, of product.
Choosing a dermal filler is a decision that you will make together with Dr Teska, during your consultation. Product choice is paramount, but just as important is product placement….that’s where the experience and artistic eye/attention to detail are essential.
I Want to Have my Lips Injected With a Dermal Filler But am Afraid of How Much it May Hurt!
This is a common concern for those who have never had a lip procedure done before. Luckily, Dr Teska can inject some very fast acting local anaesthetic just inside your lips, which will effectively give you a complete dental anaesthetic block for 30mins. Trained by a dentist in this technique, we have several different types of local anaesthetic available at no extra cost to ensure that your experience is as comfortable as possible.
Furthermore, many of the top dermal fillers available at Skin Temple have local anaesthetic incorporated into the product, which means that they will give additional numbness as the product is injected. For some clients, the anaesthesia gained from the product is adequate, but the dental block is always an option, especially if it is your first time!
How Can I Avoid Bruising from Dermal Filler Injections?
The best way is to limit the intake of any blood thinning medications (aspirin, warfarin, anti-inflammatories) as well as over the counter blood thinners (fish oils) in the week prior to your treatment. Other measures that will help dramatically include the use of the new micro-cannulas, instead of using a needle to inject the product this can now be done with a very fine, blunt ended cannula (which will just push any vessels out of the way instead of cutting them and causing bleeding). For female patients it is also advisable to avoid having a dermal filler treatment during the first 48hours of your menstrual cycle.
LIP RESTORATION- WITHOUT NEEDLES!! NOW AVAILABLE!!
A breakthrough in the treatment of lip lines and age-related thinning arrived at Skin Temple seventeen years ago…the first clinic in Australia to offer such treatments to clients!
Using an ultra-fine cannula (these are blunt and flexible) instead of a sharp needle to insert the gel products, means that the risk of bruising and lumpiness after treatment is now significantly less than it was previously. Patients can elect to have the usual dental anaesthetic block if they choose, though many of the products used today actually contain anaesthetic in them, making them more comfortable to use.
Immediately prior to the Needleless Treatment of the bottom lip only, using a light gel product designed to hydrate not overfill
Immediately after treatment of the bottom lip only
ONE day after treatment of the bottom lip only, showing the improved hydration, smoothness and lips that are now perfectly balanced and natural looking…all without any bruising at all!
Please note: These photos are of an actual Skin Temple client, and have not been digitally simulated, retouched or altered in any way. Other patient results may vary. For full information on the treatment, including risks, benefits and alternative treatments a consultation with Dr Teska is required.
For a client over the age of say, 50years, who has never had any injectable procedure in the past, several syringes may be required to obtain the effect they seek. For someone under the age of, say 30years, it would be very unusual to need more than one syringe of product per treatment session.
Gradual Replacement of Volume or Instant?
Thankfully, there is now a choice about whether you want an instant result or a more gradual result.
Most dermal fillers work instantly, drawing in water molecules to plump up and hydrate skin. Think of them as internal moisturisers, if you like!
Another very popular option for women (and men!) seeking to put back some lost facial (or hand) volume is to use an injectable product that stimulates the body’s own collagen production. These are known as collagen stimulators and work in quite a different way to the dermal fillers described here.
What if You Have Had Dermal Filler in the Past and Haven’t Liked the Result?
Sounds like you may not have chosen the appropriate filler for your concern..or perhaps your injector was inexperienced with their technique. Please be aware of Instagram advertisements offering unusually cheap prices. There is widespread use of diluted filler in Australia currently, and results will be dramatically reduced in longevity as a result. Make sure your filler syringe is still in sealed sterile packaging when you enter the treatment room! It’s not normal for filler to last only 2 weeks!
It takes hundreds of treatments with each filler before an injector gets a feel for the product and the way different skin types will respond differently to it, as well as variation that occurs with the same filler used in the same patient but in a different part of their body.
For example, just because product X or Y was excellent when used in your, for example, lips, this does not mean that the same product will create an acceptable result if used in, for example, the nose or undereye area, or neck/chest area. We have different fillers available here because we do different treatments with them!
Either way, contrary to what some clinics may advise, it is usually NOT necessary to “dissolve” any previous treatment done elsewhere before proceeding with a further treatment, unless there is a very good medical reason for it! Doing that would usually only result in the client having to purchase a greater amount of product, and have it all injected again….great for the business’ bottom line, not a good way to make clients happy though! BEWARE of UNSCRUPULOUS ADVICE!
If, on the other hand, you have a localized area of over-filling or movement of the product that needs to be removed, this can be safely done with a simple injection to dissolve the gel product. Such dissolving injections generally work within 24hours.
In practice though, the main side effects that are seen commonly with injectable dermal fillers are some temporary bruising, swelling, discomfort, and uncommonly a cold sore (if patient is prone/has a past history of same). There have been rare examples of quite severe adverse reactions also occurring, including blindness and skin necrosis. Both of these occur when the product has been injected into, or very close to, an artery. There have been about 100s of cases of blindness reported in the entire world as of 2022, from all types of fillers, including fat transfers and collagen stimulators, from millions of treatments performed over the last 20yrs. The vast majority of cases have been caused by inadvertent injection of fat into a blood vessel during a general anaesthetic/surgical procedure. It is likely that there will be more cases of vascular occlusion/blindness as the standard of training, technique and care varies dramatically with some grossly unscrupulous individuals offering cosmetic treatments from home.
The public would be wise to ascertain that any injectable product being administered is being done either by a registered and trained cosmetic doctor, AND is occurring on a registered doctor’s premises. If treatments are administered in a nurse’s home, the public must be aware of the risk they face from lack of indemnity and public liability insurance coverage, unknown source of products (Nurses are not able to legally purchase S4 medications or medical devices direct from pharmaceutical companies or pharmaceutical distributors in Australia. Therefore there is a doubt as to the source of the product in use..have they been purchased over the internet from unregulated overseas sources?), lack of medical supervision in the event of any adverse reaction occurring, and unknown extent of training (or lack of).
Results of dermal fillers do vary from one client to the next, for many reasons, including the variation in product metabolism, but most products will generally last between 6 and 12months, sometimes longer. If someone tells you that your filler needs to redone every 1-3months, they’re probably just after your money and trying to make you psychologically addicted to the procedure!
All in all, dermal fillers have revolutionized the way that men and women approach age related facial (and non-facial!) changes today, and most treatments are deliberately designed to look fresh and natural, not fake.