It is important for you to be fully assessed and understand the likely outcome, if your expectations can be achieved, possible unwanted effects, risks, costs and downtime before making a decision about having any treatment. Please discuss what you wish to achieve during your consultation.

From half an hour.

From £400.

Common side effects are initial redness and swelling (lasts for a few days) and bruising.

Risks of HA fillers are rare. They include skin necrosis from injection into a blood vessel, visual loss (blindness), overfilling, asymmetry, infection, lumps, blueish discoloration of the skin (Tyndall effect). Visual loss or skin and tissue necrosis can occur with direct injection of the filler into an artery or when a large volume of filler causes local swelling in the tissue that can compress the blood supply. Hyaluronidase can be used to dissolve HA fillers in the management of such complications.

Caution

Facial fillers are not given to women who are pregnant or breast feeding or to those under the age of 18 years. Avoid blood thinners for at least one week before treatment to reduce bruising. These include aspirin, warfarin, dipyridamole, clopidogrel, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), fish oil, vitamin E supplements, St John’s Wort, garlic tablets, gingko biloba, and ginseng.

HA fillers are not given to those with a history of hypersensitivity or allergy to lignocaine (local anaesthetic), or where there is evidence of broken skin or an infection (such as acne).

It is necessary to avoid: touching or massaging the treated area, extremes of temperature such as excessive heat (sauna or steam bath, hot drinks) or cold (swimming), alcohol, smoking and vigorous exercises for at least 24 hours after the procedure.

In those who have a history herpes simplex infection (cold sores), there is a risk of reactivation of infection with injections to that area. Please discuss this with your practitioner.