What are Dermal Fillers?
As we become older, we begin to see degenerative changes throughout our bodies. These changes also show themselves in the face in the form of changes to the bone density, the fat pads and the skin. These changes result in changes to the facial contours, the formation of lines and wrinkles, the loss of subcutaneous fat as well as multiple changes to the skin itself. Some of these issues can be addressed with dermal filler treatments.
Dermal fillers are administered by either using a small needle, a cannula or both. They come individually packaged as single patient use only and should be opened in front of you with the batch number and expiry date recorded in your notes. Dermal filling material consists of a water based carrier gel, hyaluronic acid and quite often a local anaesthetic known as lidocaine. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance, which is a major component of our skin. It helps to repair wounds, hydrate the skin and aids cell-to-cell communication. Hyaluronic acid is water loving (hydrophillic) this means it soaks water up like a sponge. This is a simplified description of how it works.
There are many different brands of dermal fillers available in the UK but at Chamonix we only use fillers that have a high safety profile.