Filling You In

Following on from my last article about fillers: ‘Fear of Filling’ - I am going to examine the different uses that fillers have.  I find that people are often confused about the difference between dermal fillers and Botulinum toxin (often referred to as Botox™) and often use the terms interchangeably – hardly surprising as the popular press have a habit of doing this.  They are actually completely different treatments. In simple terms fillers are used to add volume to areas where it is lacking, or to fill out deep lines.

Botulinum Toxin, on the other hand, is used to prevent the formation of deep lines in the first place.  There are many companies who produce fillers. The fillers I use are made by a company called Allergan – the range is called Juvederm.  I use this range because I think it is the highest quality product providing the most natural results. This product is based on hyaluronic acid which works by attracting moisture to the area. The most common areas for treatment with fillers include the cheeks, lip, chin, around the mouth and the lines that from the nose to the mouth. The amount of product needed to treat and therefore the cost, depends very much on the individual. Many people think that all problems can be resolved with 1ml of product – as I tell my clients, remember that a teaspoon holds just under 6ml, so whilst 1ml may be adequate in small areas like the lips, it may not be so in areas that have lost volume over several years. That being said, the best approach with fillers can be to break the treatments down into phases, treating with small volumes at a time. There are many myths surrounding filler treatments – as with most myths they come from people who have never experienced them.