Dermal Filler

Shens Clinic > Dermal Filler

Cheek and Face Fillers

It is a fact that in modern society, a beautiful appearance is important not only for high self-esteem but also for success in life. Unfortunately, there are some changes that we cannot avoid, especially those that are related to ageing. Time cannot be stopped, and getting older is just part of our life.

Facial volume loss, sagging cheeks, deep laugh lines, dark circles and thinning lips are just some of the skin issues that appear over time. Moreover, external factors, bad habits and an unhealthy lifestyle can additionally worsen the condition of your skin and even change your facial features.

While in the past, the only way to rejuvenate your skin was through invasive surgery, nowadays, aesthetic clinics in Singapore offer a wide range of minimally invasive procedures that can improve the aged appearance.

Apart from fat injections in face, dermal filler treatment is one of the non-surgical options that can bring you back to a youthful appearance. Here you will learn more about this procedure, how it works and how it can help you restore facial volume loss and get better-looking skin.

How to get back smooth, tight skin?

Dermal fillers are gel-like substances that are designed to bring back the youthful, smooth and firm appearance of the skin. Also, they are commonly used to add volume to the lips and cheeks or enhance facial features such as a nose bridge, tear trough or sunken cheek.

Dermal fillers can be divided into 2 categories – hyaluronic acid (HA) filler and non-HA filler, known as collagen-stimulating filler or bio-stimulating fillers. The use of HA fillers is more common in clinics in Singapore. As the name suggests, the main ingredient of those types of fillers is Hyaluronic acid. This is an enzyme that is usually naturally found in the human body. It is extremely important for the skin and its youthful appearance. That is why hyaluronic acid is often called “The Fountain of Youth”.

When the amount of Hyaluronic acid is reduced, the skin relaxes and loses its natural moisturizing properties. This leads to facial volume loss, hollowness under the eyes, tear trough, saggy skin, formation of superficial and deep wrinkles and other unpleasant changes.

Hyaluronic acid fillers can correct those imperfections of the face by restoring the loss of volume and rejuvenating the skin.

Cleviel

At Shens Clinic, we primarily use Cleviel, a South Korean manufactured dermal filler with a high concentration of biocompatible hyaluronic acid. Cleviel dermal fillers' high viscoelasticity helps to provide high lifting capacity, relieve wrinkles, enhance facial contours with long-lasting effects.

With its higher lifting capacity, elasticity and cohesiveness, the Cleviel dermal fillers are able to correct deep size imperfections of the face with effects lasting up to 15 months. Thus, resulting in more distinctive facial features that the patient desires.

Why Choose Cleviel?
Cleviel is able to sustain its chemical cross-linking ratio to less than 1%. Cleviel's high content of HA with physical cross-linking results in a firm gel of densely packed particle structure. The enhanced physical properties of the fillers allow the facial enhancement result to resist deformation under external forces from daily life and last longer than conventional fillers in the market.

Benefits of Hyaluronic acid dermal fillers

It is a natural structure.
Hyaluronic acid helps keep your tissues hydrated.
It is less likely to cause allergic reactions.
Hyaluronic acid dermal fillers are reversible.
HA fillers stimulate the production of collagen.

What to expect after the injections?

Dermal fillers produce results almost immediately after they are injected. There is no downtime, and you can return to your daily activity right away.
In general, injectable fillers are safe and rarely lead to serious complications. The common side effects of the treatment are mild redness and swelling. However, they usually disappear very quickly.
Some of the things you can do to minimize them include:

Have your head elevated for the first few days
Apply ice packs on the treated areas
Increase water intake
Avoid visits to the sauna and solarium
Do not massage the treated area
Do not apply make-up on the face for a couple of hours after the procedure
You should avoid doing vigorous movements with your face so that the fillers can be settled properly
Make sure you wash and dry your face gently for the next few days until the fillers settle completely.

Serious side effects and complications are very rare, especially when an experienced doctor does the injection. If the procedure is not performed properly, it may cause skin necrosis which is a dangerous condition. Only FDA-approved fillers must be used for treatments.

Dermal fillers injection must be carried out only by a professional who is competent and experienced in the field. It is important to find someone who understands the anatomy of the face and the structure of the skin.

What areas can dermal fillers treat?

There are many areas of the face that can be treated by dermal fillers.

Nasolabial folds. Fillers are most often used to smooth the nasolabial folds. These are folds that run from the outer edge of the nose to the outer corner of the lips.
Lip augmentation. This is a celebrity favourite and the most well-known use of filler. If you have thin lips, this procedure is an excellent choice for you. Moreover, you can also use fillers to create a longer mouth or to address a downward smile.
Marionette lines. Filler injections can fill and enhance Marionette lines. These lines are located between the corner of the lips and the lower jaw.
Tear troughs. Tear trough fillers can restore volume loss in the under-eye area and rejuvenate the skin around the eyes. They may also help lessen the appearance of dark circles and eye bags.
Cheeks. Cheek fillers can give fullness to the hollow cheekbones and improve the presence of sunken cheeks. By replacing the volume in the cheeks and shaping the cheekbones, you can achieve that beautiful V-shaped face and improve your facial proportions.
Chin augmentation. Many people use dermal fillers as a less invasive alternative to chin implants. Although filler injections can only be a temporary solution, it is a good way to see what can be accomplished surgically if you are uncertain.
Correction of the nose. Simple filler injection can be used to treat bumps and lumps on the nose without the need for surgery.

It is usually suitable to use hyaluronic acid dermal fillers on all skin types. However, they shouldn’t be applied during pregnancy, lactation, skin infection and skin allergies or if the patient is in bad general health.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the facial filler procedure work?

No matter where the filler will be applied (tear trough, nose, cheeks, lips), the first thing you need to do is to have a consultation with a qualified plastic surgeon. During this initial visit, you and your doctor will talk about the type and amount of the filler material that will be injected into your skin, as well as the result you can expect after this facial treatment. Every person is different and needs a different approach to achieve the best outcomes. A good aesthetic doctor will find the most appropriate solution for each patient.

During dermal filler treatment, the surgeon injects the filler material into the skin. As we said, fillers can be applied around the nose, smile lines, cheeks, under the eyes, etc. To achieve the desired results, the doctor may inject the material up to 5 times in the different points of the treated area. Dermal filler treatment is usually done for around 20 – 30 minutes. If many areas need to be treated, then it may take a little bit longer.

When injected into the skin, dermal fillers interact with the water in the body and restore the lost volume, smooth the wrinkles or enhance the lips. The procedure can significantly improve the skin giving it a more beautiful and youthful appearance.

Does dermal filler procedure involve pain?

Before injecting the filler material, the surgeon will apply topical anaesthesia on the treated area. Hence, you shouldn’t experience any pain during the procedure. However, there are some areas of the face that are very sensitive, for example, the lips. In cases like this, the patient may feel slight discomfort when the injection is placed.

How many sessions are needed?

Dermal fillers procedure may need to be repeated after a certain period of time when the fillers have been metabolized by the body.

Everybody is different, which means that each patient will need a different number of sessions. Whereas one person may need 5 sessions to restore the volume in a particular area, another person may need fewer treatments for the same area. One of the biggest advantages of fillers is that you can see their effects immediately. Hence, if you are happy with the outcomes, then you can stop there. In case you need any additional touch-up, you can have more treatment sessions.

Another great advantage of the filler treatment is that it can be done in increments. So, if you don’t want a dramatic change right away, you have the chance to repeat the procedure until you get the desired effect.

How long do fillers last?

The average lifespan of fillers is between 6 months and 2 years, sometimes a little longer.
Dermal fillers last different amounts of time depending on several factors, including the type of fillers, the location where they were placed, and the patient’s metabolism. Hyaluronic acid fillers tend to provide immediate results, but they do not last longer than one year. The effect of non-HA or Collagen-stimulating filler may continue for two years.

How are dermal fillers different from Botox?

Botulinum toxin, better known by the brand name Botox, is a drug widely used in cosmetology. It is utilized to prevent the contraction of muscles by blocking nerve signals. It is used to reduce the appearance of dynamic wrinkles that develop when facial expressions are made. For this reason, Botox injections are most commonly applied in the upper third of the face. They are very successful in reducing the muscle contractions around the eyes – between the eyes, across the forehead and around the crow’s feet. It can take up to two weeks to see the full effect of the treatment. Typically botox will last for 3 to 4 months.

When it comes to the lines in the lower face, dermal filler injections are a great treatment option. Hyaluronic acid-based dermal fillers (one of the most commonly used types of fillers) are reabsorbed by the body within 6-12 months. Dermal fillers can be used to smooth lines, replace volume lost with age or enhance certain areas of the face. They do not affect muscle contraction in any way.

Book a consultation at Shens Clinic

If you want to find out more about dermal filler injections or book an appointment with a specialist, do not hesitate to contact Shens Clinic. Dr Shens is a well trained plastic surgeon with many years of experience in cosmetic and aesthetic treatments. He will talk with you about your goals and recommend the most appropriate procedure for you.