Dermal Fillers South Africa

At Dr Nerina Wilkinson + Associates we understand the importance of embracing the face as a whole. The goal is to achieve harmonious results using facial reshaping injectables and state of the art skin rejuvenating treatments. 

No area of the face exists in isolation, all are connected and often corrected indirectly through facial reshaping. Treating areas in isolation leads to exaggerated and aesthetically unattractive features. 

Fillers are no longer about “restoring volume” they are about restoring: 

• your ideal facial shape 
• structural support 
• facial definition

By understanding how all areas of the face are interconnected and how treating one area communicates with another facial area, we are able to use much less product and produce constant and beautifully, natural results. The N-LIFT™ precisely places very small volumes of Hyaluronic Acid filler in multiple areas to build deep structural support to shift the balance between the elevator and depressor muscles of the face.

If you don’t want full-scale plastic surgery, but you want to look naturally refreshed and rejuvenated, Dermal Fillers will give you instant and long-lasting results by lifting and contouring your face

Dermal Fillers can be used for:

• Facial augmentation: Cheeks, nose, lips, chin, and jawline. 
• Facial contouring: Temples, sagging lower lids, naso-labial folds, brow lifting.
• Fine facial lines: Crow’s feet and smokers’ lines
• Hands can also be rejuvenated with Hyaluronic Acid fillers

Once the Doctor has determined and confirmed your areas of concern by means of detailed consultation, they will proceed. It’s important that you’re honest with the Doctor about your medical history, medication and expectations during this time.

You can assist the Doctor to understand your expectations. Bringing pictures of your favourite celebrity’s features isn’t particularly helpful – rather bring a photograph of yourself where you love the way you look (a picture of yourself in your 20’s might be especially helpful, as your face was at its fullest then).

This will provide you with a more realistic point of reference and help the Doctor to better understand how to enhance your natural features. We will also walk you through how to prepare for and recover from your procedure.

Dermal Fillers are performed in our consulting rooms. Your Doctor will disinfect the site where you’ll be injected, then apply an anaesthetic (such as lidocaine) to the area. The anaesthetic may be applied topically or injected prior to the procedure. The Dermal Filler, in this case a stabilised Hyaluronic Acid combination can also include additional local anaesthetic to minimise any additional discomfort.

You’ll need to remain very still while your Doctor injects the filler material. The needles used are very fine, so most people experience only mild discomfort.

After your treatment the Doctor will discuss the relevant after care with you and you will be provided with ice to soothe the areas. Your doctor may ask that you come in for follow-up appointments to evaluate your results and administer additional injections if needed.

Treatment time can vary between 30 – 45 minutes, depending on the area(s) treated. You’ll be able to go home right away, and no downtime is required.

You may have some swelling and bruising and will need to follow your aftercare instructions, but should be able to return to normal activities within a few hours.

The full results of your treatment may take up to 14 days to take full effect.

The results will last for an average of 12 – 18 months, depending on the condition of your skin, the area treated, amount of product injected, injection technique and lifestyle factors such as sun exposure and smoking.

Be sure to discuss the timing of follow up procedures with your Doctor to maintain your results.

The cost of treatment depends on your face shape, concerns, personal goals, how much product is required, and the treatment(s) required. You will be provided with an estimate after your initial consultation with one of our Aesthetic Doctors.

We are unable to provide you with an exact cost/quotation pre-treatment as an in-depth consultation is part of our individualised and holistic Aesthetic Couture journey to help you achieve the results you desire; we quote on the steps required to achieve this outcome, not simply on the amount of product required.

Please contact us for any more information.

Dermal Filler procedures are normally safe when performed by a qualified Aesthetic Doctor.

Dermal Fillers are substances that have been used for a long time to improve features and surrounding skin. In the past, harmful substances used in Dermal Filler procedures could cause adverse reactions and side effects.

As a result, doctors have continuously improved on and sought out better ingredients to help them perform this procedure safely, with minimal or no adverse reactions. A stabilised form of Hyaluronic Acid is our ingredient of choice for Dermal Filler procedures, providing the skin with superior moisture and other benefits without causing complications.

When performed properly by an experienced Doctor/Surgeon, Dermal Filler procedures will typically result in few very side effects.

However, possible side of effects that can occur may include:

Dermal Fillers: Side Effects, Risks & Complications

Normal Occurrences During Dermal Filler Injections:

• Bleeding and bruising:
  It’s possible, though unusual, to have a bleeding episode from a filler injection or local anaesthesia used during the procedure. Bruising in soft tissues may occur. Bruising takes a week to settle down, but healing can be accelerated with the use of ice 3 times/day for 5 minutes.
• Swelling:
  Swelling (oedema) is a normal occurrence following the injections. It decreases after a few days.
• Pain:
  Discomfort associated with injections is normal and usually of short duration.

Other symptoms and risks associated with Dermal Filler procedures

• Needle marks:
  Visible needle marks from the injections occur normally and resolve within a few days.
• Acne-like skin eruptions:
  This can occur following the injection of tissue fillers and generally resolves within a few days.
• Skin sensitivity and erythema:
  skin rashes, itching, tenderness and swelling may occur following injections.
• Infection:
  Although unusual, bacterial, fungal, and viral infections can occur. Herpes simplex virus infections around the mouth can occur following a tissue filler treatment. You should advise your doctor if you suffer from cold sores and receive the necessary prophylaxis. Should any type of skin infection occur, additional treatment including antibiotics may be necessary.
• Damage to deeper structures:
  Deeper structures such as nerves and blood vessels may be damaged during the injection. Injury to deeper structures may be temporary or permanent.
• Skin lumpiness:
  This tends to smooth out over time.
• Visible tissue filler material:
  It may be possible to see some type of tissue filler material that was injected in areas where the skin is very thin. Granulomas: Painful masses in the skin and deeper tissues after a filler injection are extremely rare but can occur.
• Migration of filler:
  The filler substance may migrate from its original injection site and produce visible fullness in adjacent tissue or other unintended effects. Allergic reactions and hypersensitivity: Fillers should not be used in patients with a history of multiple severe allergies, severe allergies manifested by a history of anaphylaxis, or allergies to gram-positive bacterial proteins. Allergic reactions may require additional treatment.
• Drug and local anaesthetic reactions:
  There is the possibility that a systemic reaction could occur from either the local anaesthetic or epinephrine used for sensory nerve block anaesthesia when tissue filler injections are performed. This would include the possibility of light-headedness, rapid heartbeat (tachycardia), and fainting. Medical treatment of these conditions may be necessary.
• Accidental intra-arterial injection:
  Although extremely, while injecting, fillers could be accidentally injected into arterial structures and produce a blockage of blood flow. This may produce skin necrosis in facial structures or damage blood flow to the eye, resulting in loss of vision.
• Scarring:
  Fillers should not be used in patients with known susceptibility to keloid formation or hypertrophic scarring.

Contra-indications for Dermal Fillers

It is advised that you do not receive Dermal Filler injections should you be affected by any of these medical conditions:

• Allergy / hyper-sensitivity to fillers or lidocaine
• An open wound with infection
• Localised/systemic infection (bacterial or viral)
• A low platelet count
• Pregnancy and / or nursing mothers
• Auto-immune disease
• Diabetes
• Poor wound healing or Keloidalis
• Patients on anticoagulants
• Active skin cancer

What to do before a Dermal Filler procedure

PREPARING FOR YOUR TREATMENT
2 Weeks prior to your Dermal Filler treatment, we advise you strongly to avoid:

• alcohol
• garlic
• lidocaine
• fish oil supplements
• aspirin or any other anti – inflammatory drugs for pain, swelling and/or fever, such as medicine containing diclofenac, mefenamic acid, indomethacin or ibuprofen. Ask your doctor or pharmacist whether your medication includes any of these ingredients. This will reduce the risk of bruising or bleeding at the point of injection.

Because bruising and swelling are the most common side effects, especially in sensitive areas like the lips, schedule appointments at least 48 hours before any major event.

Please let us know if you have been to the dentist / oral hygienist or if you are planning to go to the dentist/ hygienist in the next 4 weeks. When your teeth are cleaned, bacteria are released into your mouth and travel into the bloodstream. Fillers are considered an implant, a foreign substance in the body, and these excess bacteria increase the risk of infection and the formation of Biofilm (bacterial infection).

If this is your first visit you will need to provide us with information regarding your medical history and any medical concerns, as well as details of any allergies you have or medications you are taking. There is no need for an allergy test unless your medical practitioner feels it’s necessary.

Day of Dermal Filler procedure

Please note that you will have to arrive without make-up to prevent any Biofilm (bacterial infections) when doing Dermal Filler treatments.

What to do after a Dermal Filler procedure

Please follow these instructions carefully to aid in achieving optimal results:
For 4 hours – do not lie down or do strenuous exercise and similar activities, nor should you do anything that increases the blood flow to the injected area

For 12 hours – avoid alcohol consumption
Avoid make-up application for 2 hours at the injection sight to avoid contamination in the area

For 24 hours – do not rub or massage the treated areas as this could influence the effect of the product

For 2 weeks – avoid direct sun exposure, UV light, freezing temperatures and saunas.

Tiny bumps or marks will go away within a few hours after your treatment, applying ice lightly to the area will offer relief

For 4 weeks – Avoid dental procedures and any invasive skin or surgical procedures.

Please note that no treatment can halt the ageing process completely, you will require top-up treatments if you want to maintain the effect, so please ask your Doctor when she would recommend rescheduling another appointment.

Dermal filler treatment: Before & after images

Dr Nerina Wilkinson + Associates is a private, high end, luxurious clinic located in the prestigious V&A Waterfront in Cape Town. Dr Wilkinson founded the House of Aesthetic Couture and Skin Science. Your treatment will be performed at Dr. Wilkinson’s clinic.

Your doctor will disinfect the site where you’ll be injected, then apply an anaesthetic (such a lidocaine to the area). The anaesthetic may be applied topically, injected, or may be included in the syringe.