Dermal fillers are an increasingly popular method to give yourself plumper, smoother and more youthful skin, but what exactly are they and how do they work? Put simply, dermal fillers are small gel injections that are made up of hyaluronic acid which fill in wrinkles and add volume to areas of soft tissue on the face. These injections can be performed on different parts of the face such as around the eyes, cheeks and jawline however the most common application is in the form of lip fillers that are directly administered into the lip tissue.
Lip filler treatments, also known as lip augmentations or lip enhancements, allow you to undo the effects of time and day to day life that cause your lips to naturally lose their volume and become drier. Experts have found that on a general scale, the human body starts to lose collagen and elastin (the things that make your skin firm and youthful) at roughly age 25 at a rate of approximately 2% per year and your body stops producing collagen entirely by the end of your twenties, meaning that for the vast majority of your life that your skin and lips are only going to age. Dermal fillers simply restore this lost volume to your face and plump areas out, giving your skin a more youthful and fuller appearance with no unsightly wrinkles.
So how long does a dermal filler treatment last and when will I see the results?
The treatment itself will take approximately 30-45 minutes and after this, it should last you between six to 18 months. This varies from person to person as the length of time that the fillers will last depends on the type of hyaluronic acid that is used and how your body reacts to the treatment. Because every person who has a lip augmentation treatment is different, so is the amount of time that they will last before the body naturally breaks the fillers down and absorbs them.
After any dermal filler treatment, you will be able to see results very quickly and with lip fillers in particular, you will be able to see the changes during the procedure which allows you to potentially make a decision on when you feel your optimum results have been realised, allowing you get your perfect lips without the fear of a “trout pout”.
Do they hurt?
Usually, people report that they feel a slight sense of discomfort whilst the filler is being injected but following that, there is no more discomfort. This can be reduced using the application of a local anaesthetic cream before the treatment to numb the area that is due to be treated. This is reduced even further as the majority of dermal filler injections contain a pre-mixed local anaesthetic.
Thanks to the surge of celebrities such as Charlotte Crosby and Kylie Jenner opting for lip augmentation treatments, nowadays there are more and more women choosing to have lip filler treatments purely for cosmetic reasons before their lips have even undergone any changes. Whether your reasons are to look more youthful or simply want your lips to look a bit fuller, dermal fillers are the perfect solution for you!