So you have your skincare regime sussed, but what do you do when you find you need a little more than great skincare to keep your face looking fresh?
For many women, the answer is increasingly facial fillers. Our attitude towards fillers has changed a good deal in the past decade. Then, we feared fillers would give us exaggerated “pillow-face” cheeks or “trout-pout” lips and the stigma of other people’s disapproval. But now that stigma is fading.
Fillers are no longer seen as something just for celebs or the very wealthy and, encouraged by the subtle and natural-looking results facial fillers can give, a recent survey showed that almost three million women say they are considering them.
Our whole approach to ageing has changed, too. We no longer want to look ten years younger, as quickly as possible; we prefer something more refined and understated. Our motivation is different. We want to look like ourselves, just that smidgen better, rested and healthy, as if we had just been on a really great holiday.
Ask an expert aesthetics practitioner, such as surgeon and medical director Sherina Balaratnam, and she will tell you that what most of her patients want is to look the best that they can for their age, and that they are ageing well.
“Most patients have a specific story to tell about why they have come to see me,” she says. “It might be that they are a new mum who feels she is looking exhausted, or a woman who has been looking after an ageing parent and now wants to do something for herself, or a man whose friends are telling him that he looks grumpy all the time.”
For Miss Balaratnam, the initial consultation with a new patient is crucial. This is where the stories emerge, where she can understand patients’ concerns and answer all their questions in detail. Because the ageing process affects everyone’s face in a slightly different way, each consultation – and each treatment programme – is bespoke, tailored to whatever will suit each person the best.
Using fillers alongside great skincare is a modern approach to a fresh complexion. Skincare keeps the surface of your skin looking clear and radiant, while facial fillers address the way that our faces slowly lose their volume and give us the lift we need as we age.
“The beauty of fillers is that they provide a natural-looking way of restoring what ageing has taken away,” says Miss Balaratnam. “It’s all about helping patients look the best they can, rather than making them look different. Where we mostly lose volume is in the mid-face and cheeks, and when we restore that volume, the face looks more youthful. This is key to getting subtle and natural-looking results – it is all about restoring balance to the face.”
Because everyone’s face is different, using facial fillers is never a one-size-fits-all treatment; every consultation and treatment plan will be unique. This holistic approach to treatment means discussing which facial features you might want to enhance and where your problem areas are. It all depends on how your face is ageing. You might decide that what is best for you is a small boost for your cheeks or lips, or you might prefer one of the newer treatment techniques, such as Juvéderm’s special “eight point lift”, which uses a touch of filler in eight different spots on the face to restore volume to the mid-face, below the cheekbone and at the corners of the mouth.
It is techniques such as this, used by expert practitioners, which have made facial fillers part and parcel of the way some women now choose to look after their face, along with the best skincare and a healthy lifestyle. The great thing is that not only will fillers help to restore lost volume to create a more youthful appearance, but the subtle results mean you leave the clinic without an obviously treated look. Although your friends may start telling you how well you look and asking if you’ve been on holiday.
If you are one of those three million, the next step is to do your research – consider it due diligence for your face. Here’s how…
ASK THE EXPERT
Surgeon and medical director Sherina Balaratnam answers five of the most commonly asked questions about facial fillers.
What are facial fillers made from?
Semi-permanent fillers are made of hyaluronic acid, which occurs naturally so is broken down over time. Permanent fillers can be made of a variety of active ingredients so results can be unpredictable. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring sugar found in the dermal layer of your skin, so you are almost replacing like for like. Many skincare products contain hyaluronic acid, which helps to keep the skin moisturised, but to replace volume in the face, it needs to be injected below the skin.
Are facial fillers safe?
Your practitioner will discuss any safety concerns you have. Juvéderm facial fillers are meticulously clinically tested and, when administered by a qualified practitioner, are very well accepted by skin.
Will it be painful?
The treatments are relatively painless. Some practitioners use a numbing cream initially to reduce the sensation of the injection, but many prefer to skip this, especially as some dermal fillers already contain a small amount of local anaesthetic.
How long do results last?
Studies show that the newest facial fillers can last approximately up to 18 and 24 months, depending on the treatment.
How much does it cost?
The price of each treatment varies according to the volume of product needed to achieve the desired effect.
WHAT NEXT?
It is vitally important to find a qualified and experienced practitioner. To find one or to read about women like you who have already had treatment with facial fillers, visit www.this-is-me.com
For more information about Juvéderm’s range of facial fillers, please visit www.juvederm.co.uk
