Fillers: Side Effects and Prevention for Lasting Injections

Whether it is the desire for pouty lips like Kylie Jenner, or a smooth, refined appearance similar to 40-year-old Krishell from Selling Sunset, fillers can be the answer to a bouncy, lasting, and youthful glow.

If you’re not familiar with fillers, you might think of it as simply botox, reducing wrinkles but also making you look like Jocelyn Wildenstein – aka the cat lady. However, fillers have come a long way since the 2000s, and they can be naturally-enhancing for your face. In fact, Dermatologists are observing a rise in filler requests from patients under the age of 30. Why? Well, because fillers aren’t just beneficial for wrinkles. They can also help plump cheeks, refine the jaw, and smooth the eyes.

Yet, not all fillers are created equal. Same with the way they’re injected onto your skin. This is why stumbling into fillers for the first time requires caution and consideration.

The potential side effects of dermal fillers and anti-wrinkle injections

Most people are sceptical of fillers for three reasons: fear of needles, worry over putting something in their skin rather than on, and anxiety over a poor outcome, including side effects. Side effects often come down to a combination of things, including the type of filler used, your provider’s preference, and your skin nuances.

Dermal fillers are soft injectable gels made of the components you find in the most popular skincare products (think Hyaluronic acid and The Ordinary). Hyaluronic acid is naturally-occurring in the body, although it diminishes as we age. With fillers, it is replenished, along with collagen, to give your skin a bouncy and rejuvenated feel.

Injections such as botox, Xeomin, and Dysport on the other hand, work by paralysing the muscles that cause wrinkles.

No matter if you choose a dermal filler or a Botox injection, there’s always potential for side effects.

• Swelling and Bruising. Fresh injections might lead to swelling and bruising. While this is common, it is recommended to apply cold packs to reduce inflammation, refrain from physical activity, and sleep on your back for up to 3 days to minimise it.

• Itch & rash. This side effect can be a sign of an allergic reaction to the filler gel. An itch or rash is often a direct aftermath of treatment that goes away after a day or two. However, when the allergic reaction is too intense or lasts for too long, it is best to consult and perhaps remove the fillers. In the end, treatment for this side effect will highly depend on your individual needs.

• Skin necrosis. As one of the less common yet more serious side effects, skin necrosis (tissue damage) can occur when fillers are accidentally injected into blood vessels, which can lead to irreversible damage.

An extensive medical review explored the rare and not-so-rare complications linked to dermal fillers and botox injections. They highlighted that side effects can be sometimes delayed, appearing up to 6 weeks after injection. However, dermal fillers involving components naturally-occurring in the body are overall the option with the least side effects, as long as they are of high quality.

Why quality and expertise matter

A successful dermal filler requires trust towards your provider and the product they will inject into your skin. It will also imply that you’re clear around your expectations and desired end result.

So take the time to scrutinise a clinic the same way you would with a surgeon. The right clinic should detail their training, qualification, and extensive knowledge of facial anatomy. It should offer detailed information about their protocols, provide high-grade fillers, and impose a pre-treatment consultation. In some cases, several sessions of dermal fillers will be needed to achieve the desired end result gradually, without putting too much strain on your skin – and said provider should be clear around that.

Yet, if you’re not happy with your new look, dermal fillers can be removed with Hyaluronidase, and your chosen clinic should offer to do so. Hyaluronidase is a natural enzyme that dissolves filler gel by injection. It is a safe solution that can be used to reduce or remove unwanted dermal fillers.

At My Botique, you can learn about our team’s extensive background and credentials on fillers here before visiting us in-store. We use high-grade, stabilised, non-animal hyaluronic acid dermal filler gel to provide 6 to 9 months lasting effects. Whether you choose to use dermal fillers on your cheek, chin, lips, or temple, each treatment comes with a medical consultation and post-care recommendation to ensure you the safest and best outcomes.

Learn more about dermal filler injections